Search results
2 days ago · 5) “Funeral Blues” by W.H. Auden. “Festival Blues” is a moving piece by W.H. Auden that captures the profound sense of loss experienced after the passing of a loved one. Originally written for a play in 1936, the poem gained a life of its own, striking a chord with readers who found solace in its raw emotional power.
Finding a way to express our emotions in the face of losing a loved one can feel like an impossible task. That's where funeral poems come in. These beautifully written verses offer a way to express the complex emotions of grief, love, and remembrance in a deeply personal and poignant manner.
- Immortality by Clare Harner
- There Is No Night Without A Dawning by Helen Steiner Rice
- Turn Again to Life by Mary Lee Hall
- Farewell by Anne Bronte
- If I Should Go by Joyce Grenfell
- I Felt An Angel – Author Unknown
- His Journey’s Just Begun by Ellen Brenneman
- Peace My Heart by Rabindranath Tagore
- If I Should Go Tomorrow – Author Unknown
- Crossing The Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
This inspirational poem about the death of a loved one invites us to look for them all around us in the beauty of the world. Written as if spoken by the deceased, the poem tells us that whilst their body may be given to the ground, their presence lives on. This comforting, heartfelt message doesn’t mean that we can’t miss someone, but it reminds us...
This short poem is a popular choice for funerals because it reminds us that despite the death of someone we cared about, the darkness of our grief will pass. Whilst death is hard to bear at first, this poem tells us that those who have died have found peace in a “brighter day.” That’s a reassuring thought for those who mourn.
This beautiful poem was perhaps made most famous for having been read at Princess Diana’s funeral. It urges the listener – the griever – to not mourn for long, but to embrace life once more. It tells us to look for those who are also in need of comfort and to take up the mantle left to us by the dearly departed.
This is another well known poem about death that reminds us not to think of it as a final goodbye. Instead, it encourages us to cherish the fond memories we have of our loved one so as to keep them alive within us. It also urges us to never let go of hope – hope that we will soon find joy and smiles where now we have anguish and tears.
Another poem written as if spoken by the departed, it urges those left behind to remain who they are and not let grief change them. Of course, it is always sad to say goodbye, but life has to go on and you have to keep on living it to the best of your abilities. You may also like (poems continue below): 1. 10 Of The Best Poems About Life Ever To Ha...
This poem about loss is not attributed to anyone in particular, but it is a true gift, whoever the author was. It tells us never to overlook the presence of a deceased loved one – the angel described in these words. Even though they may not be with us physically, they always remain with us in spirit.
Here’s another uplifting and inspirational poem about death that encourages us to think of a loved one not as gone, but as on another part of their journey. It doesn’t specifically talk about an afterlife, but if that is what you believe, this poem will be of great comfort to you. If you don’t believe in such things, it also talks about a person’s ...
When someone we care about dies, peace may seem a long way off in the future. But it needn’t be, as this poem shows. If we seek not to resist the passing, but to see it as a grand resolution to something beautiful – a life – we can have peace even as a loved one drifts away. It calls us to accept that nothing is permanent and to respect that life g...
Another poem of unknown origin, it calls us to look upon death not as a goodbye, but as a transition in how we communicate with our loved ones. No longer may they be here with us, but their love can always be felt – the heavens and stars in this verse possibly representing the world around us.
At first glance, this poem might appear to have little to do with death, but the metaphors it uses speak clearly of the transition from life to death. The ‘bar’ refers to a sandbar or submerged ridge between the ocean and a tidal river or estuary and the author hopes for a tide so large that there will be no waves on this ridge. Instead, as he emba...
- Kelly Roper
- Poems of Comfort and Sympathy for Lost Loved Ones. After a death, you can offer words of support and comfort to help someone in the grieving process, whether it was the loss of a family member or a friend.
- Poems of Comfort and Strength. You may want to offer more than just sympathy to your grieving friend or family member. Instead, you could share a poem about the loss of a loved one that will give them the strength to carry on.
- Short Condolence Poems to Comfort the Grieving. A poem doesn't need to be long to offer heartfelt condolences. You can use these short but comforting poems about death in sympathy cards, with funeral flowers, or in whatever way you think is appropriate for your loved one.
- Beautiful Loss of a Friend Poems. The loss of a friend can feel as painful as losing a family member. After all, they were your chosen family. Poems about losing a friend, or even losing them suddenly, may help a person feel less alone in their pain.
- Farewell by Anne Brontë. ‘Farewell’ is a personal poem, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t suitable for a wide variety of readers to read and connect to. Throughout the quatrains of the poem, the speaker reminisces on the time they spent with “you.”
- The Gardener XLI: Peace, My Heart by Rabindranath Tagore. ‘The Gardener XLI: Peace, My Heart’ is one of the shortest poems on this list. It is addressed to the speaker’s heart, imploring it to let this time be one of “completeness” rather than grief.
- Crossing the Bar by Alfred Lord Tennyson. ‘Crossing the Bar’ was composed as one of his last poems, sometime in 1889, just three years before his death, and is suggestive, through the first-person pronouns, that Tennyson was considering his own mortality.
- In Memoriam A.H.H. by Alfred Lord Tennyson. ‘In Memoriam, A.H.H.’ is often considered Alfred Lord Tennyson’s masterpiece. It was written after the death of his close friend, Arthur Henry Hallam, who died suddenly at the age of 22.
These poems navigate the shock and deep sorrow that accompanies an unexpected loss, expressing the complex emotions that arise when a loved one is suddenly taken away. Suitable for individuals chosen to read at a funeral or memorial service, the poems listed here offer a compassionate acknowledgement of the abrupt and profound nature of such loss.
People also ask
Can We have peace if a loved one dies?
Why should you write a poem about death?
Should you write a poem about losing a loved one?
What is a sudden death poem?
What is an inspirational poem about the death of a loved one?
Can a poem help a grieving friend or family member?
May 3, 2021 · When Great Trees Fall - Maya Angelou. Angelou wrote this poem for fellow poet James Baldwin's funeral. She doesn't shy away from some of the more painful feelings that come with grief. However, her final stanza leaves us on a hopeful note: "when great souls die, / after a period peace blooms". "We can be.
