Poems & Readings

Poems and Readings

Poetry and readings are a lovely contribution to a service and there are some beautiful pieces out there. Browse through this selection to see if there is something that is perfect for you.

She/He is Gone by 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’ll come back,

Or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.

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

Or you can be full of the love you have 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’s 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’d want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

To Honour You by Connie F. Kiefer Byrd

To honour you, we get up every day and take a breath

And start another day without you in it.

To honour you, we laugh and love with those who knew your smile

And the way your eyes twinkled with mischief and secret knowledge.

To honour you, we take the time to appreciate everyone we love,

We know now there is no guarantee of days or hours spent in their presence.

To honour you, we listen to music you would have liked,

And sing at the top of our lungs, with the windows rolled down.

To honour you, we take chances, say what we feel, hold nothing back,

Risk making a fool of ourselves, dance every dance.

You were our light, our heart, our gift of love, from the very highest source.

So every day, we vow to make a difference, share a smile, live, laugh and love.

Now, we live to honour you.

After I Have Gone by Vera Arlett

Speak my name softly after I have gone.

I loved the quiet things, the flowers and the dew,

Field mice; birds homing; and the frost that shone

On nursery windows when my years were few;

And Autumn mists subduing hill and plain

And blurring outlines of those older moods

That follow, after loss and grief and pain –

And last and best, a gentle laugh with friends,

All bitterness foregone, and evening near.

If we be kind and faithful when day ends,

We shall not meet that ragged starveling “fear”

As one by one we take the unknown way –

Speak my name softly – there’s no more to say.

One at Rest, Author Unknown

Think of me as one at rest,

For me you should not weep,

I have no pain, no troubled thoughts,

For I am just asleep.

The living, thinking me that was,

Is now forever still.

And life goes on without me

As time forever will.

If your heart is heavy now

Because I’ve gone away,

Dwell not long upon it, friend

For none of us can stay.

Those of you who liked me I sincerely thank you all,

And those of you who loved me,

I thank you most of all

The answer to life’s riddle

In life I never knew

I go with hope that now I will,

And even so will you.

Oh Foolish, foolish me that was,

I who was once small,

To have wondered, even worried,

At the mystery of it all.

And in my fleeting lifespan

As time went rushing by,

I found some time to hesitate,

To laugh, to love, to cry.

Matters it now if time began.

Or if time will ever cease?

I was here, and I used it all

And now I am at peace.

Afterglow by Helen Lowrie Marshall

I would like the memory of me

To be a happy one.

I’d like to leave an afterglow

Of smiles when life is done.

I’d like to leave an echo

Whispering softly down the ways,

Of happy times and laughing

And bright and sunny days.

I’d like the tears of those who grieve,

To dry before the sun

Of happy memories that I leave

When life is done.

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me by David Romano

When tomorrow starts without me and I am not there to see,

If the sun should rise and find your eyes are filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry, the way you did today,

While thinking of the many things we didn’t get to say.

I know how much you loved me, as much as I loved you,

And each time you think of me I know you’ll miss me too,

But, when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,

That an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand.

When tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we’re far apart,

For every time you think of me, I’m right there in your heart.

Funeral by Rupi Kaur

when i go from this place

dress the porch with garlands

as you would for a wedding my dear

pull the people from their homes

and dance in the streets

when death arrives

like a bride at the aisle

send me off in my brightest clothing

serve ice cream with rose petals to our guests

there's no reason to cry my dear

i have waited my whole life

for such beauty to take

my breath away

when i go let it be a celebration

for i have been here

i have lived

i have won at this game called life

The Code by 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.

When I Must Leave You by Helen Steiner Rice

When I must leave you

For a little while.

Please do not grieve

And shed wild tears,

And hug your sorrow

To you through the years.

But start out bravely

With a gallant smile;

And for my sake and in my name

Live on and do all things the same.

Feed not your loneliness

On empty days,

But fill each waking hour in

Useful ways,

Reach out your hand

In comfort and in cheer

And I in turn will comfort you

And hold you near;

And never, never be afraid to die,

For I am waiting

For you in the sky.

Ever Close In Mind And Heart, Author Unknown

No further away than a picture,

A smile or remembered phrase,

Our loved ones live on in memory

So close in so many ways.

For how often does a sunset

Bring nostalgic thoughts to mind,

Of moments that our loved ones shared

In days now left behind!

How often has a flower

Or a crystal autumn sky

Brought golden recollections

Of happy days gone by!

Yes, memory has a magic way

Of keeping loved ones near.

Ever close in mind and heart

Are the ones we hold most dear.

A Woman is a Success by Bessie Anderson Stanley

A Woman is a success… Who has lived well,

Laughed often and loved much

Who has gained the respect of intelligent men and women

And the love of children;

Who has filled her niche and accomplished her tasks;

Who leaves the world better than she found it,

Who has never lacked appreciation of

Earth’s beauty

Or failed to express it;

Who looked for the best in others

And gave the very best she had.

The Dash by 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 of the following date with tears,

but said what mattered most of all

was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth,

and now only those who loved her

know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,

the cars… the house... the cash.

What matters is how we lived and loved,

and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;

are there things you'd like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

that still can be rearranged.

To be less quick to anger

and show appreciation more,

and love the people in our lives

like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect

and more often wear a smile,

remembering that this special dash

might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read,

with your life's actions to rehash,

would you be proud of the things they say

about how you lived your dash?

I Am There by Iris Hesselden

Look for me when the tide is high

And the gulls are wheeling overhead,

When the autumn wind sweeps the cloudy sky

And one by one the leaves are shed.

Look for me when the trees are bare

And the stars are bright in the frosty sky,

When the morning mist hangs on the air

And shorter darker days pass by.

I am there, where the river flows

And salmon leap to a silver moon,

Where the insects hum and the tall grass grows

And sunlight warms the afternoon.

I am there in the busy street,

I take your hand in the city square,

In the market place where the people meet,

In your quiet room – I am there.

I am the love you cannot see,

And all I ask is – look for me.

Stop All The Clocks by 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 the airplane circle, mourning overhead,

Scribbling in the sky, ‘he is dead’.

Put crepe bows round the necks of the public doves;

Let traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my north, my south, my east and west;

My working week, my Sunday best;

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.

Put away the ocean and sweep up the wood,

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

His Journey’s Just Begun by Ellen Brenneman

Don’t think of him as gone away

his journey’s just begun,

life holds so many facets

this earth is only one.

Just think of 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 he must be wishing

that we could know today

how nothing but our sadness

can really pass away.

And think of him as living

in the hearts of those he touched…

for nothing loved is ever lost

and he was loved so much.

Miss Me But Let Me Go, Author Unknown

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 we once shared,

Miss me, but let me go.

For this journey that we all must take

And each must go alone;

It’s all a part of the Master’s plan

A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick at heart

Go to the friends we know,

And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds.

Miss me, but let me go.

Time Will Ease The Hurt by Bruce Wilmer

The sadness of the present days

Is locked and set in time,

And moving to the future

Is a slow and painful climb.

But all the feelings that are now

So vivid and so real

Can’t hold their fresh intensity

As time begins to heal.

No wound so deep will ever go

Entirely away;

Yet every hurt becomes

A little less from day to day.

Nothing else can erase the painful

Imprints on your mind;

But there are softer memories

That time will let you find.

Though your heart won’t let the sadness

Simply slide away,

The echoes will diminish

Even though the memories stay.

A Life Well Lived, Author Unknown

A life well lived is a precious gift,

of hope and strength and grace,

from someone who has made our world

a brighter, better place.

It's filled with moments,

sweet and sad, with smiles and sometimes tears,

with friendships formed and good times shared,

and laughter through the years.

A life well lived is a legacy,

of joy and pride and pleasure,

a living, lasting memory

our grateful hearts will treasure.

Look for me in Rainbows by Conn Bernard

Time for me to go now, I won't say goodbye;

Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky.

In the morning sunrise when all the world is new,

Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.

Time for me to leave you, I won't say goodbye;

Look for me in rainbows, high up in the sky.

In the evening sunset, when all the world is through,

Just look for me and love me, and I'll be close to you.

It won't be forever, the day will come and then

My loving arms will hold you, when we meet again.

Time for us to part now, we won't say goodbye;

Look for me in rainbows, shining in the sky.

Every waking moment, and all your whole life through

Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.

Just wish me to be near you,

And I'll be there with you.

The Unknown Shore by Elizabeth Clark Hardy

Sometime at eve when the tide is low,

I shall slip my moorings and sail away,

With no response to a friendly hail,

In the silent hush of the twilight pale,

When the night stoops down to embrace the day

And the voices call in the water's flow.

Sometime at eve when the tide is low,

I shall slip my moorings and sail away.

Through purple shadows that darkly trail

O'er the ebbing tide of the unknown sea,

And a ripple of waters to tell the tale

Of a lonely voyager, sailing away

To mystic isles, where at anchor lay

The craft of those who had sailed before

O'er the unknown sea to the unknown shore.

A few who have watched me sail away

Will miss my craft from the busy bay;

Some friendly barques were anchored near,

Some loving souls that my heart held dear

In silent sorrow will drop a tear;

But I shall have peacefully furled my sail

In mooring sheltered from the storm and gale,

And greeted friends who had sailed before

O'er the unknown sea to the unknown shore.

Where do they go to? by Kev F

Where do they go to, the people who leave?

Are they around us, in the cool evening breeze?

Do they still hear us, and watch us each day?

I'd like you to think of them with us that way.

Where do they go to, when no longer here?

I think that they stay with us, calming our fear,

Loving us always, holding our hands,

Walking beside us, on grass or on sand.

Where do they go to, well it's my belief

They watch us and help us to cope with our grief.

They comfort and stay with us, through each of our days

Guiding us always through life's mortal maze.

Don’t Cry for me, Author Unknown

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.

Dad/Mum

What can you say to someone who has always been

One of the most essential parts of your world,

Someone who took you by the hand when you were little

and helped to show the way?

What do you say to someone who stood by you to help you grow,

Providing love, strength and support

So you could become the person you are today?

What can you say to let him/her know that he’s/she's the best there is

And that you hope you have inherited some of his/her

wisdom and his/her strength?

What words would you say if you ever got the chance?

Maybe you just say, “I love you Dad/Mum,”

And hope he/she understands.

Remember Only My Best by Lyman Hancock

When I come to the end of my journey

And I travel my last weary mile,

Just forget if you can any frowns –

And remember only my smile.

Forget any dark words spoken,

But remember the good I have done.

Forget that there ever was heartache,

Just remember the laughter and fun.

Forget that I stumbled and blundered

And sometimes fell by the way;

Remember – I fought some hard battles,

And won some, by close of the day.

So do not grieve for my going,

And don’t be sad for a day,

But in Summer just gather some flowers

And come to the place where I lay,

And then in the shade of the evening,

When the sun paints the sky in the west;

Stand for a moment beside me –

And remember only my best.

If I Should Go Before The Rest Of You by 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.

Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep by Mary Elizabeth 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,

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.

I Have Come Home by Fran Hall

Under a soft blanket of fallen leaves,

safe in the hush of the whispering trees

I have come home.

My time here on earth is now done,

all the noise and the clamour, the joy and the pain,

the powerful life force that drove me onwards

has slipped away into the quiet of eternity,

and I am at peace.

From now on, I will dance through your memories

threading thoughts of love through your heart.

The pain of loss will gradually ease, and the sadness will lift.

The days will be lighter, and the nights not so long,

For I am still here.

When you walk through this place, you will feel me

in the gentle touch of the breeze on your face,

in the sunlight dappling the forest floor,

in the murmur of the branches high above you,

I am all around.

I have returned to the place from whence I came,

to the elements that created me.

The earth that gave me the life I so loved

has now welcomed me back to her,

to be at one with all her beauty.

Here, under my blanket of fallen leaves

I have found my resting place.

I have come home.

From The Prophet by Khalil Gibran

For what is it to die?

But to stand naked in the wind

and to melt into the sun.

And what is it 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 from the river of silence

shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top,

then you shall begin to climb.

And the earth shall claim your limbs.

Then shall you truly dance.

Always With You, Author Unknown

Your mother is always with you.

She’s the whisper of the leaves

as you walk down the street.

She is the smell of bleach

in your fresh laundered socks.

She’s the cool hand on your brow

When you’re not well.

Your mother lives inside your laughter.

She’s crystallized in every teardrop.

She’s the place you come from,

your first home.

And she’s the map you follow

with every step you take.

She’s your first love

and your first heartbreak....

and nothing on earth can separate you.

The Existence of Love by Marjorie Pizer

I had thought that your death

Was a waste and destruction

A pain of grief hardly to be endured.

I am only beginning to learn

That your life was a gift and a growing

And a loving left with me,

That desperation of death

Destroyed the existence of love,

But the fact of death

Cannot destroy what has been given.

I am learning to look at your life again

Instead of your death and your departing.

The Watcher by Margaret Widdemer

She always leaned to watch for us,

Anxious if we were late,

In winter by the window,

In summer by the gate.

And though we mocked her tenderly,

Who had such foolish care,

The long way home would seem more safe

Because she waited there.

Her thoughts were all so full of us,

She never could forget!

And so I think that where she is

She must be watching yet.

Waiting till we come home to her,

Anxious if we are late,

Watching from Heaven’s window,

Leaning on Heaven’s gate.

From God of the Open Air by Henry Van Dyke

These are the things I prize

And hold of dearest worth:

Light of the sapphire skies,

Peace of the silent hills,

Shelter of forests, comfort of the grass,

Music of birds, murmur of little rills,

Shadow of clouds that swiftly pass,

And, after showers,

The smell of flowers

And of the good brown earth,--

And best of all, along the way, friendship and mirth.

So let me keep

These treasures of the humble heart

In true possession, owning them by love;

And when at last I can no longer move

Among them freely, but must part

From the green fields and from the waters clear,

Let me not creep

Into some darkened room and hide

From all that makes the world so bright and dear;

But throw the windows wide

To welcome in the light;

And while I clasp a well-beloved hand,

Let me once more have sight

Of the deep sky and the far-smiling land,--

Then gently fall on sleep,

And breathe my body back to Nature's care,

My spirit out to thee, God of the open air.

When I die by Rumi

When my coffin is being taken out

you must never think

I am missing this world

Don't shed any tears

Don't lament or

Feel sorry

I'm not falling

Into a monster's abyss

When you see

My corpse is being carried

Don't cry for my leaving

I'm not leaving

I'm arriving at eternal love

When you leave me

In the grave

Don't say goodbye

Remember a grave is

Only a curtain

For the paradise behind

You'll only see me

Descending into a grave

Now watch me rise

How can there be an end

When the sun sets or

The moon goes down

It looks like the end

It seems like a sunset

But in reality it is a dawn

When the grave locks you up

That is when your soul is freed

Have you ever seen

A seed fallen to earth

Not rise with a new life

Why should you doubt the rise

Of a seed named human

Have you ever seen

A bucket lowered into a well

Coming back empty

Why lament for a soul

When it can come back

Like Joseph from the well

When for the last time

You close your mouth

Your words and soul

Will belong to the world of

No place no time

Blessings written for me by Mary Green

A friend of mine asked her mum if she would write some non-religious blessings for me and she put pen to paper and came up with these beautiful pieces. Thank you, Mary.

The Last Goodbye by Mary Green
The time has come for us to say
our very last goodbye.
The truth is here before us
but however hard we try
it’s difficult to stand here
and know that you are gone
but with our treasured memories
we’ll make sure you live on.
So thank you just for being you,
For touching all our lives.
Take with you now our endless love
and this, our last goodbye.

Sands of Time by Mary Green
The sands of time hold memories
of all who walk life’s shores.
These sands are marked with footprints
and among them we see yours.
You left your loving mark there
and though we now must part
The sands of time hold memories
to sooth our grieving heart.
You’ve shown us how to walk through life
with dignity and pride,
Your kindness, courage, humour
have been in every stride.
We’re thankful for your footprints.
We’ll place our steps in yours.
We’ll treasure the example of you,
who went before.

Go in Peace by Mary Green
Go in peace as twilight falls
after the setting sun.
The earth is still and waiting
your work here has been done.
You’ll never be forgotten,
Your story will be told
and in the hearts of those you love
your legend will unfold.
So go in peace
as twilight falls
after the setting sun.
We hold you in the light of love,
your work here has been done.

It’s Hard To Part by Mary Green
It’s hard to part
and life, we know,
will never be the same.
But we will keep you in our hearts
and often speak your name.
Our memories will keep you close
for though we know you’ve gone
you’ve left behind a part of you
that endlessly lives on.
It’s hard to part and this goodbye
is difficult to say but
know that love goes with you
as we send you on your way.

Our Blessing by Mary Green
May the love we feel enfold you
as we say goodbye today.
There’s no more time to linger
though there’s still so much to say.
So take our love and gratitude
for each fond memory.
Go now with our blessing...
We set your spirit free.

River of Life by Mary Green
The river of life flows over the rocks
and down through the sunlit plains.
Through forests and fields
it tumbles and flows
never to come again.
In torrents and trickles
it goes on its way
sometimes too fast
or too slow.
Through cascades and whirlpools
by day and by night
on and on it must flow.
When its course has been run
and its journey is done
It swiftly embraces the sea
to flow with the tide
on a mystical ride
and its wonderful spirit is free.

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