Funeral poems

Following the death of my father on Tuesday I've been asked by my mother to read a poem at the funeral next Thursday. I'm at a bit of a loss on how to start. Are there any nice poems on the net that I can alter to make it a poignant poem??

Originally Posted by Nidge

Following the death of my father on Tuesday I've been asked by my mother to read a poem at the funeral next Thursday. I'm at a bit of a loss on how to start. Are there any nice poems on the net that I can alter to make it a poignant poem??

My condolences.

Check out some of these for inspiration:

http://www.netpoets.com/poems/death/index4.htm

http://dying.about.com/od/readerpoems/

http://poemhunter.com/search/?q=fath...itle&B1=GO&p=1

I hope you find something that suits.

[orangebird]

Feeling for you Nidge.

There's a poem that I love - about not being gone, only in the next room.... I'll try and dig it out.

edit - This isn't the one I was thinking of, but it's lovely too.

[Stuart]

Sorry to hear about your loss Nidge.. I lost my father nearly six years ago now (actually the day after the firm's christmas party in 1999, by god did I sober up quickly).

My sister actually found the peom we read at his funeral (it's actually the one I think OB is thinking about). I'll see if she can remember the site she downloaded it from.

[MadGamer]

Thinking about you and your family Nidge.

[Nemesis]

Sorry for your loss

Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep

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 rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
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.

__________________

Because I Could Not Stop For Death

He kindly stopped for me---
The Carriage held but just Ourselves---
And Immortality.

We slowly drove---He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labour and my leisure too,
For His Civility---

We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess---in the Ring---
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain---
We passed the Setting Sun---

Or rather---He passed Us---
The Dews drew quivering and chill---
For only Gossamer, my Gown---
My Tippet---Only Tulle---

We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground---
The Roof scarcely visible---
The Cornice---in the Ground--- Since then---tis Centuries---and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses Heads
Were toward Eternity---

taken from here
http://www.uk-funerals.co.uk/funeral-poems.html

[Matt D]

Sorry for your loss, Nidge.

Originally Posted by Nemesis

"Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep"

I like that. We had it at my Uncle's funeral in December. Also had "On Death" from "The Prophet" by Khalil Gibran, which was quite nice.

http://www.library.cornell.edu/colld...opht.htm#Death

On Death

Than Almitra spoke, saying, "We would ask now of Death."

And he said:

You would know the secret of death.

But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?

The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.

If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.

For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.

In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;

And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.

Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.

Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.

Is the sheered not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?

Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink form the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

[Chimaera]

I like the one in 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' but I'm not sure what it is.
Sorry to hear about your Dad, Nidge.


Edit - Just Googled and here it is:


Funeral Blues

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 aeroplanes 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 woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

-- W.H. Auden

[budwieser]

I'll lend you for a little while a child of mine, God said,
For you to love the while he lives and mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years, or forty two or three,
But will you, till I call him back take care of him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,
You'll always have his memories as a solace in your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay, since all on earth return,
But there are lessons down below, I want this child to learn.
I've looked this whole world over in my search for teachers true,
And from the folk that crowd life's lane I have chosen you.
Now will you give him all your love and not think the labour vain,
Nor hate me when I come to take this lent child back again?
I fancy that I heard them say, Dear God, Thy will be done,
For all the joys this child will bring the risk of grief we we'll run.
We will shelter him with tenderness, we'll love him while we may,
And for all the happiness we've ever known we'll ever grateful stay.
But should the angels call him much sooner than we'd planned,
We will brave the bitter grief that comes, and try to understand.

Maybe not appropriate in your sad loss but we had this at my mum`s funeral with some wording changes.
Thinking of you and your family at this sad time.
Budwieser.

[Maggy J]

Nidge why don't you and your family write your own poem.It doesn't necessarily have to rhyme or scan in fact it's not imperative that it does.If every one contributes 1,2,3 or 4 lines each and you then edit them together you could come up with a really unique poem just for your father.

Oh and give your mum the poem afterwards on a scroll.


I'm sorry for your loss as well.

[Chris W]

Sorry for your loss

This is one of my favourite poems- Remember by Christina Rossetti


Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

[budwieser]

Death is nothing at all,

I have only slipped away into the next room.

I am I, and you are you,

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

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.

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

Let it be spoken without effect,

Without the trace of a 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"

__________________

http://web.ask.co.uk/redir?u=http%3a...rl=&Complete=1

Really nice.

Nidge, you have my deepest condolences.

The following poem was given out at my late partner Maureen's memorial service.

I'M FREE.

Dont grieve for me, for now I'm free.
I'm following the path God layed you see.
I took his hand when I heard his call.
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day.
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
I found the Peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void.
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss.
Oh yes these things I too will miss.

Be not buried with times of sorrow.
I wish you sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savoured much.
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don't lenghten it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts, and Peace to the.
God wanted me now. He set me free.

[Maggy J]

Originally Posted by Earl of Bronze

Nidge, you have my deepest condolences.

The following poem was given out at my late partner Maureen's memorial service.

I'M FREE.

Dont grieve for me, for now I'm free.
I'm following the path God layed you see.
I took his hand when I heard his call.
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day.
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
I found the Peace at the close of day.

If my parting has left a void.
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss.
Oh yes these things I too will miss.

Be not buried with times of sorrow.
I wish you sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savoured much.
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don't lenghten it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts, and Peace to the.
God wanted me now. He set me free.

Well I've heard all the others but this is a new one to me..Do you know who wrote it EoB..

Originally Posted by Incognitas

Well I've heard all the others but this is a new one to me..Do you know who wrote it EoB..

I'm sorry Incog, but the poem didnt have an author attatched to it. I might be able to find out by either getting in contact with Maureens brother Michael, or getting in contact with St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto. Either way I'll see what I can do.