Funeral poems to say goodbye

Losing a loved one is a deeply emotional experience, and finding the right words to say goodbye can be incredibly challenging. During these moments of grief, many turn to poetry to help them express their feelings and honour the memory of their departed loved ones. In this article, we aim to provide you with a diverse collection of poignant funeral poems that can be used to pay tribute during a funeral service. These funeral poems, each unique in its own way, will assist you in conveying your emotions and offering solace to those in attendance.

The power of funeral poems

Funeral poems possess the remarkable ability to articulate the complex web of emotions we feel when we lose someone dear to us. They provide a touch of comfort, helping us say our goodbyes in a way that words alone often cannot. Here is a range of heartfelt funeral poems that you can use to remember and celebrate your loved one.

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

Then you should remember and be sad. 

Epitaph on a friend by Robert Burns

An honest man/woman here lies at rest,  

The friend of man/woman, the friend of truth,  

The friend of age, and guide of youth:  

Few hearts like his/hers, with virtue warm'd,  

Few heads with knowledge so inform'd;  

If there's another world, he/she lives in bliss;  

If there is none, he/she made the best of this.

A love by the sea by William Ernest Henley

Out of the starless night that covers me,

Black as the cloud of some tremendous spell,

The susurration of the sighing sea

Sounds like the sobbing whisper of two souls

That tremble in a passion of farewell.  

To the desires that trebled life in me,

The dreams that seemed the future to foretell,

The hopes that mounted herward like the sea,

To all the sweet things sent on happy souls,

I cannot choose but bid a mute farewell.  

And to the girl/boy who was so much to me

Since I may not the life of her/his compel,

Out of the night, beside the sounding sea,

Full of the love that might have blent our souls,

A sad, a last, a long, supreme farewell.

Farewell by Anne Brontë

Farewell to thee! but not farewell

To all my fondest thoughts of thee:

Within my heart they still shall dwell;

And they shall cheer and comfort me.

O, beautiful, and full of grace!

If thou hadst never met mine eye,

I had not dreamed a living face

Could fancied charms so far outvie.  

If I may ne'er behold again

That form and face so dear to me,

Nor hear thy voice, still would I fain

Preserve, for aye, their memory.

Goodbye, my dearest friend by Leilani Hermosa Petersen 

The hardest part of any friendship

is when it is time to say goodbye,

and even though I wished I could make you stay,

I know I have to let you spread your wings and fly.  

For life is a journey that needs to be travelled,

and I am certain you'll make it through.

I just want you to know and never forget

that I will surely miss you.  

So follow your heart and never give up,

as dreams and wishes do come true.

I know that someday we'll meet again,

so never forget I will be praying for you.      

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Funeral poems serve as a profound means of expressing your emotions and offering a heartfelt farewell to your loved ones. Each poem carries its unique essence, providing you with a range of options to choose from, ensuring your tribute is as meaningful and special as the relationship you shared.