Saying goodbye to a loved one is one of the most difficult things a mourner must face. Funeral poems or memorial verses are popular ways to include a personal farewell at a funeral service. When you can’t find the words, these poems crafted by famous writers can help you deliver the perfect sentiment.
1. If I Should Go Tomorrow
“If I should go tomorrow
It would never be goodbye,
For I have left my heart with you,
So don’t you ever cry.”
This poem by Anon is a moving remembrance that celebrates the love that lives on in your heart after a loved one is gone.
2. 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 glint on snow.”
This goodbye poem from the 1930s was written by Mary Elizabeth Frye. It comforts you with the idea that your loved one isn’t gone but is all around you.
3. To Those Whom I Love & Those Who Love Me
“I gave you my love, and you can only guess
How much you've given me in happiness.
I thank you for the love that you have shown,
But now it is time I travelled on alone.
So grieve for me a while, if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comforted by trust.
It is only for a while that we must part,
So treasure the memories within your heart.”
This poem is written from the point of view of the person being laid to rest. It’s ideal as a eulogy or funeral reading. Consider having the poem printed on funeral cards, memorial cards, or funeral booklets as a lasting remembrance of your loved one.
4. My Journey’s Just Begun
“Don’t think of me as gone away,
My journey’s just begun.
Life holds so many facets,
This earth is but one.”
This poem by Ellen Brenneman talks about the peaceful experience of being in another place after death. It is spiritual yet still appropriate for someone who wasn’t of a particular faith.
5. Tis Only We Who Grieve
“Tis only we who grieve
They do not leave
They are not gone
They look upon us still
They walk among the valleys now
They stride upon the hill.”
A goodbye poem that explains how your loved one isn’t gone but is in all the beautiful things around you.
6. Not, How Did He Die, But How Did He Live?
“Not, how did he die, but how did he live?
Not, what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of his birth.”
This poem looks at what matters most about a loved one’s time on earth and the good they did.
7. She Is Gone (He Is Gone)
“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.”
This uplifting poem based on a short verse by David Harkins tells us to be grateful for a loved one’s life.
8. Let Me Go
“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?”
This short but uplifting poem by famed poet Christina Rossetti is ideal for funeral readings or for printing on a loved one’s funeral booklet.
9. Remember Me
“To the living, I am gone,
To the sorrowful, I will never return,
To the angry, I was cheated,
But to the happy, I am at peace,
And to the faithful, I have never left.”
This short poem from Margaret Mead delivers an important message of remembrance and love during your time of grief.
10. You’ve Just Walked On Ahead of Me
“And I’ve got to understand
You must release the ones you love
And let go of their hand.
I try and cope the best I can.”
This goodbye poem written by Joyce Grenfell provides advice about coping with grief when a loved one is gone.
