20 Uplifting Funeral Poems to Celebrate a Loved One's Life (2024)

Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences we face. When planning their funeral, it can be hard to know how to express your loss.

Reading a poem has long been a fitting way to pay tribute and celebrate someone’s life. It expresses emotions, cherished memories and gives hope during a difficult time.

Uplifting funeral poems can capture the essence of the person who has passed away. An opportunity to reflect on how they impacted our lives, you can find comfort and peace in their memory.

So whether you choose a beautiful emotion-filled classic, a set of fun rhyming couplets or witty, modern, light-hearted verse to celebrate your loved one – the uplifting words can comfort and relate to unique lives, well-lived.

As you read through these 20 uplifting funeral poems, you’re sure to find the words that speak to your heart and help you celebrate the beautiful life of your loved one.

Looking back: the historical context of funeral poems

The use of poetry to express mourning and celebrate life traces back to ancient civilisations and has permeated cultures worldwide. In the annals of history, poems at funerals have served not only as expressions of grief but also as commemorations of lives lived.

In Ancient Egypt, for example, funeral poems were integral to religious texts like the “Book of the Dead,” which contained spells and chants to guide the deceased through the afterlife. These verses were often inscribed on tomb walls and sarcophagi, illustrating a profound belief in the power of words to transcend mortal life.

Similarly, in classical Greek and Roman societies, epitaphs – short, poignant poems inscribed on tombstones – captured brief reflections or summaries of the deceased’s life. These often celebrated the virtues and achievements of the departed, intending to remind the living of their moral duties.

In the British Isles, the tradition of the elegy, a poem written in honour of someone who has died, became a prominent literary form during the Middle Ages. These works ranged from simple laments to more complex meditations on death and the afterlife, as seen in poems like “The Wanderer” and “The Seafarer” in Old English literature.

The Renaissance period saw a flourishing of poetic mourning, which allowed poets like John Donne and Ben Jonson to explore death and bereavement in deeply personal terms. Their works often addressed the philosophical and spiritual questions surrounding death, using the elegy to process personal loss and connect with broader humanistic themes.

Today, the tradition continues as people from diverse backgrounds choose poems that resonate personally or culturally, reflecting the life and values of the deceased. Modern funeral poems might draw on this rich historical tapestry, blending traditional motifs with contemporary themes to express timeless emotions and truths about human life and death.

This historical perspective shows how deeply ingrained poetry is in the human experience of mourning and celebration, offering solace and connection through the ages.

What to consider when choosing a funeral poem

Selecting the right poem for a funeral is a deeply personal decision that can significantly influence the tone and emotional resonance of the service. Here are some key considerations to guide you in choosing a poem that honours the memory of your loved one while providing comfort to those who mourn:

Reflecting the deceased’s personality and beliefs:

• Personal Connection: Choose a poem that speaks to the unique characteristics of the deceased. Whether they were optimistic, thoughtful or humorous, find a poem that mirrors these traits.
• Beliefs and Values: Consider the beliefs and philosophical views of the deceased. If they were religious, spiritual or secular, ensure the poem aligns with these perspectives to truly reflect their essence.

Emotions of the family:

• Comforting vs. Reflective: Decide on the emotional impact you want the poem to have on the family and other mourners. Some poems offer comfort and hope, while others may provide a more reflective or sombre reflection on life and loss.
• Inclusivity: Think about the broader family and how they relate to the deceased. The selected poem should resonate with the collective emotions and experiences of the family, offering a sense of unity and shared grief.

Tone of the poem:

• Uplifting or soothing: Depending on the atmosphere you wish to create at the funeral, choose a poem with a tone that uplifts spirits or soothes pain. An uplifting poem might celebrate life with joyous remembrance, whereas a soothing poem might offer gentle acceptance of loss.
• Formal or informal: Consider the formality of the language used in the poem. A more formal tone might suit a traditional funeral, while a casual, conversational tone may be preferred for a more intimate or informal memorial service.

Length of the poem:

• Timing: The length of the poem should be appropriate for the service. Longer poems can be more detailed and evocative, suitable for moments of quiet reflection. Shorter poems may be best when there are multiple readings or if the ceremony includes several different elements.
• Engagement: Ensure the poem is not too long to lose the attention of the audience, especially in moments of grief when concentration may wane. A concise, impactful poem can be more memorable and touching.

By considering these aspects, you can choose a funeral poem that not only pays homage to the life and values of the deceased but also resonates with the emotional needs of the family and friends gathered to say their final farewells.

20 selected funeral poems to choose from…

In moments of grief, poetry provides a voice to the emotions that can be hard to express. The following collection of 20 funeral poems has been carefully curated to offer comfort, solace and a reflective space for remembering a loved one.

Each poem has been selected for its ability to capture different aspects of life, loss and remembrance. Whether you seek words that echo your sorrow, celebrate life or inspire hope, these poems traverse a wide range of sentiments.

1. ‘Let Me Go’

Christina Georgina Rossetti

When I come to the end of the road

And the sun has set for me

I want no rites in a gloom filled room

Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little, but not for long

And not with your head bowed low

Remember the love that once we shared

Miss me, but let me go.

For this is a journey we all must take

And each must go alone.

It’s all part of the master plan

A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart

Go the friends we know.

Laugh at all the things we used to do

Miss me, but let me go.

When I am dead my dearest

Sing no sad songs for me

Plant thou no roses at my head

Nor shady cypress tree

Be the green grass above me

With showers and dewdrops wet

And if thou wilt remember

And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,

I shall not fear the rain;

I shall not hear the nightingale

Sing on as if in pain;

And dreaming through the twilight

That doth not rise nor set,

Haply I may remember,

And haply may forget.

2. ‘She Is Gone (He is Gone)’

David Harkins

You can shed tears that she is gone

Or you can smile because she has lived

You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back

Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her

Or you can be full of the love that you shared

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday

Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday

You can remember her and only that she is gone

Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back

Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

3. ‘Don’t Cry For Me’

Anon

Don’t cry for me now I have died, for I’m still here I’m by your side,

My body’s gone but my soul is here, please don’t shed another tear,

I am still here I’m all around, only my body lies in the ground.

I am the snowflake that kisses your nose,

I am the frost, that nips your toes.

I am the sun, bringing you light,

I am the star, shining so bright.

I am the rain, refreshing the earth,

I am the laughter, I am the mirth.

I am the bird, up in the sky,

I am the cloud, that’s drifting by.

I am the thoughts, inside your head,

While I’m still there, I can’t be dead.

4. ‘Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep’

Mary Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,

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I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

5. ‘All Is Well’

Henry Scott Holland

Death is nothing at all,

I have only slipped into the next room

I am I and you are you

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by my old familiar name,

Speak to me in the easy way which you always used

Put no difference in your tone,

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,

Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,

Just around the corner.

All is well.

6. ‘Pardon Me For Not Getting Up’

Anon

Oh dear, if you’re reading this right now,

I must have given up the ghost.

I hope you can forgive me for being

Such a stiff and unwelcoming host.

Just talk amongst yourself my friends,

And share a toast or two.

For I am sure you will remember well

How I loved to drink with you.

Don’t worry about mourning me,

I was never easy to offend.

Feel free to share a story at my expense

And we’ll have a good laugh at the end.

7. ‘If I Should Go Tomorrow’

Anon

If I should go tomorrow

It would never be goodbye,

For I have left my heart with you,

So don’t you ever cry.

The love that’s deep within me,

Shall reach you from the stars,

You’ll feel it from the heavens,

And it will heal the scars.

8. ‘Funeral Blues’

W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let airplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message “He is Dead”,

Put Crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday-rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk , my song;

I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood,

For nothing now can ever come to any good

9. ‘Gone, But Not Forgotten’

Ellen Brenneman

Don’t think of her/him as gone away

Her/His journey’s just begun,

Life holds so many facets

This earth is only one.

Just think of her/him as resting

From the sorrows and the tears

In a place of warmth and comfort

Where there are no days and years.

Think how she/he must be wishing

That we could know today

How nothing but our sadness

Can really pass away.

And think of her/him as living

In the hearts of those she/he touched

For nothing loved is ever lost

And she/he was loved so much.

10. ‘How Did They Live?’

Anon

Not, how did they die, but how did they live?

Not, what did they gain, but what did they give?

These are the units to measure the worth

Of a person as a person, regardless of birth.

Not, what was their church, nor what was their creed?

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But had they befriended those really in need?

Were they ever ready, with a word of good cheer,

To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?

Not, what did the sketch in the newspaper say,

But how many were sorry when they passed away?

11. ‘If I Should Go’

Joyce Grenfell

If I should go before the rest of you

Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone

Nor when I’m gone speak in a Sunday voice

But be the usual selves that I have known

Weep if you must

Parting is Hell

But life goes on

So sing as well.

12. ‘The Dash’

Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak

at the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on the tombstone

from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of birth

and spoke the following date with tears,

but he said what mattered most of all

was the dash between those years.

13. ‘I’m There Inside Your Heart’

Unknown

Right now I’m in a different place

And though we seem apart

I’m closer than I ever was,

I’m there inside your heart.

I’m with you when you greet each day

And while the sun shines bright

I’m there to share the sunsets, too

I’m with you every night.

I’m with you when the times are good

To share a laugh or two,

And if a tear should start to fall

I’ll still be there for you.

And when that day arrives

That we no longer are apart,

I’ll smile and hold you close to me,

Forever in my heart.

14. ‘When I Am Gone’

Lyman Hancock

When I come to the end of my journey

And I travel my last weary mile,

Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned

And remember only the smile.

Forget unkind words I have spoken;

Remember some good I have done.

Forget that I ever had heartache

And remember I’ve had loads of fun.

Forget that I’ve stumbled and blundered

And sometimes fell by the way.

Remember I have fought some hard battles

And won, ere the close of the day.

Then forget to grieve for my going,

I would not have you sad for a day,

But in summer just gather some flowers

And remember the place where I lay,

And come in the shade of evening

When the sun paints the sky in the west

Stand for a few moments beside me

And remember only my best.

15. ‘Alive’

Winifred Mary Letts

Because you live, though out of sight and reach,

I will, so help me God, live bravely too,

Taking the road with laughter and gay speech,

Alert, intent to give life all its due.

I will delight my soul with many things,

The humours of the street and books and plays,

Great rocks and waves winnowed by seagulls’ wings,

Star-jewelled Winter nights, gold harvest days.

I will for your sake praise what I have missed,

The sweet content of long-united lives,

The sunrise joy of lovers who have kissed,

Children with flower-faces, happy wives.

And last I will praise Death who gives anew

Brave life adventurous and love—and you.

16. ‘The Life That I Have’

Leo Marks

The life that I have

Is all that I have

And the life that I have

Is yours

The love that I have

Of the life that I have

Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have

A rest I shall have

Yet death will be but a pause

For the peace of my years

In the long green grass

Will be yours and yours and yours.

17. ‘Farewell My Friends’

Rabindranath Tagore

It was beautiful

as long as it lasted

the journey of my life.

I have no regrets

whatsoever save

the pain I’ll leave behind.

Those dear hearts

who love and care

and the heavy with sleep

ever moist eyes.

The smile, in spite of a

lump in the throat

and the strings pulling

at the heart and soul.

The strong arms

that held me up

when my own strength

let me down.

Each morsel that I was

fed with was full of love divine.

At every turning of my life

I came across

good friends.

Friends who stood by me

even when the time raced by.

Farewell, Farewell

my friends.

I smile and bid you goodbye.

No, shed no tears,

for I need them not

All I need is your smile.

If you feel sad

think of me

for that’s what I’d like.

When you live in the hearts

of those you love,

remember then…

you never die.

18. ‘Last Will And Testament

Will Scratchmann

And as I sit upon my cloud,

And look down at the earth,

I’ll watch you use my worldly goods,

For festival and mirth,

And that will make me smile a smile,

And have a laugh quite hearty,

To hear you say, the bugger’s dead,

Let’s have ourselves a party!

19. ‘To Those Whom I Love & To Those Who Love Me’

Anon

When I am gone, release me, let me go.

I have so many things to see and do,

You mustn’t tie yourself to me with too many tears,

But be thankful we had so many good years.

20. ‘God’s Garden’

Melissa Shreve

God looked around his garden and found an empty place

He then looked down upon the Earth and saw your tired face

He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest

With the help of his angels they flew you to your heavenly place

Gods garden must be beautiful, he always takes the best

He knew you were suffering, he knew you were in pain

He knew that you would never get well on Earth again

He saw the road was getting rough and the hills too hard to climb

He closed your weary eyelids and whispered “Peace be Thine”

It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn’t go alone

For part of us went with you the day God called you home.

How to personalise a funeral poem

Personalising a funeral poem can transform a general expression of grief and remembrance into a heartfelt tribute that resonates deeply with the deceased’s friends and family. Here are some ways to tailor a poem to make it more reflective of the individual being remembered:

Incorporate personal references:

• Names and Places: Include the name of the deceased or specific places that held significance in their life. This could be a favourite spot, a hometown or a place they always dreamt of visiting.
• Significant Dates: Mention important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries or other milestones that can evoke fond memories and celebrate the life lived.

Adapt lines to reflect personal traits:

• Character Traits: Modify lines to echo the character and personality of the deceased. If they were known for their sense of humour, consider incorporating a light-hearted line. If they were a pillar of strength, highlight this trait through powerful, affirming words.
• Hobbies and Passions: Include references to their hobbies, passions or any other activities that they loved. This could be anything from gardening, reading or painting, to their love for music or travel.

Use symbolic language:

• Symbols and Metaphors: Use symbols that represent something meaningful about the deceased. For example, if they loved the sea, describing them as “a calm wave” or “an uncharted ocean” can add a personal touch.
• Favourite Items or Animals: Mention objects or animals that had a special meaning to them, such as a beloved book, a type of flower or a pet.

Include shared memories:

• Narrative Inserts: Insert a stanza or a line that recounts a specific memory or a story that captures a meaningful moment shared with the deceased.
• Quotes or Sayings: If the deceased had a favourite saying or a way of expressing themselves, incorporating these words can make the poem feel incredibly personal and direct.

Collaborative creation:

• Family and Friends Input: Encourage close family and friends to contribute ideas or lines that they feel embody the essence of the loved one. This collaborative approach not only enriches the poem but also helps in the healing process by involving everyone in the creation of a shared tribute.

By personalising a funeral poem, you create a more intimate and touching homage that not only mourns the loss but celebrates the unique life of the deceased, making the final farewell deeply memorable and meaningful.

Compassionate funeral directors

As experienced funeral directors, at Jamieson’s Funeral Services, we know the importance of celebrating life. Contact us today to find out how we can help you create a professional, compassionate funeral service for your loved one.