Popular poems for funerals and non-religious readings

Religious funeral poems

If your loved one wished for a religious ceremony at their funeral, a reading or verse with their faith in mind could be a good place to start.

• Psalm 23
• Another Leaf has Fallen
• A Place Called Heaven

Psalm 23

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul;

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Another Leaf has Fallen – Unknown

Another leaf has fallen,

another soul has gone.

But still we have God's promises,

in every robin's song.

For he is in His heaven,

and though He takes away,

He always leaves to mortals,

the bright sun's kindly ray.

He leaves the fragrant blossoms,

and lovely forest, green.

And gives us new found comfort,

when we on Him will lean.

A Place Called Heaven – Prayers for Special Help

I have a place that waits for me

A place I love, called Calvary

Where angels sing and rejoice all day

And children laugh, run and play.

Here the Masters holds my hand

As we walk through Heavens land.

This is the place Ive dreamed of for so long

So beautiful, so heavenly like the angels song.

Happy and funny funeral poems

There's no rule that says a funeral reading must be serious or sad. A funeral can be a celebration of life and a fond farewell.

What's wonderful is that uplifting funeral poems are often chosen by the deceased during their lifetime, to comfort those left behind.

• What is Success?
• When Great Trees Fall
• Farewell My Friends
• Afterglow
• The Last Will and Testament of Jack Thackray

What is Success? – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This timeless poem from Ralph Waldo Emerson is perfect for those wanting to focus on life rather than death. It celebrates the little things in life, defining success as living kindly and proudly. This poem is a lovely way to celebrate the life of your lost loved one and leave people with a reflective smile on their face.

To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children;

to earn the approbation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate the beauty;

to find the best in others;

to give one's self;

to leave the world a bit better, whether by healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation;

to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived,

this is to have succeeded.

When Great Trees Fall – Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou uses the metaphor of great trees to inspire powerful imagery, symbolising how death can have a monumental impact and leave its mark. The final stanza of the poem, written below, is particularly poignant, explaining how pain is replaced by an 'electric vibration'. This vibration reminds us that our loved ones are always connected to us, even when they are gone.

And when great souls die,

after a period peace blooms,

slowly and always

irregularly. Spaces fill

with a kind of

soothing electric vibration.

Our senses, restored, never

to be the same, whisper to us.

They existed. They existed.

We can be. Be and be

better. For they existed

Farewell My Friends – Rabindranath Tagore

It was beautiful as long as it lasted

The journey of my life.

I have no regrets whatsoever

Save the pain I'll leave behind.

Those dear hearts who love and care...

And the strings pulling at the heart and soul...

Read full poem(www.funeralguide.co.uk opens in a new tab)

Afterglow – Unknown

I'd 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 times 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.

The Last Will and Testament of Jake Thackray – Jake Thackray

I, the under-mentioned, by this document

Do declare my true intentions, my last will, my testament.

When I turn up my toes, when I rattle my clack, when I agonise,

I want no great wet weepings, no tearing of hair, no wringing of hands,

No sighs, no lack-a-days, no woe-is-me's and none of your sad adieus.

Go, go, go and get the priest and then go get the booze, boys.

Read full poem(genius.com opens in a new tab)

Paying tribute to parents with funeral poems

Losing a parent is hard at any age. For some, it can be overwhelming to recount personal stories at the funeral.

A funeral poem is an alternative way to share your memories and convey how your loved one influenced you.

Funeral poems for mum

A Mother's Love – Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother's love is something

that no one can explain,

It is made of deep devotion

and of sacrifice and pain,

It is endless and unselfish

and enduring come what may...

Read full poem(www.poemhunter.com opens in a new tab)

Funeral poems for Dad

His Charming Ways – Unknown

His charming ways and smiling face;

Are a pleasure to recall;

He had a kindly word for each;

And died beloved by all...

Read full poem(www.creative-funeral-ideas.com opens in a new tab)

We hope this selection of funeral poems has inspired you. When faced with bereavement, explaining how much the person was loved and the sadness felt over the loss can be hard.

A poem or short verse can help express these emotions and take the pressure off finding your own words yourself.

Song lyrics as funeral readings

If your loved one had a special place in their heart for music, reading one of their favourite songs – or one with particularly meaningful lyrics – can be a lovely way to pay tribute to them.

A song means something different to everyone who hears it. Reading one that reminds you of your loved one and their life is very personal and helps you say what you want to when you can't find the right words yourself.

These funeral readings make a great alternative to a traditional poem or verse.

• Goodbye England's Rose
• In My Life
• Wish You Were Here
• You'll Never Walk Alone

Goodbye England's Rose – Elton John

Goodbye England's rose

May you ever grow in our hearts

You were the grace that placed itself

Where lives were torn apart

You called out to our country

And you whispered to those in pain

Now you belong to heaven

And the stars spell out your name

And it seems to me you lived your life

Like a candle in the wind

Never fading with the sunset

When the rain set in

And your footsteps will always fall here

Along England's greenest hills

Your candle's burned out long before

Your legend ever will

Loveliness we've lost

These empty days without your smile

This torch we'll always carry

For our nation's golden child

And even though we try

The truth brings us to tears

All our words cannot express

The joy you brought us through the years

In My Life – The Beatles

There are places I remember

All my life though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers

There is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more

In my life I love you more

Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,

blue skies from pain.

Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?

A smile from a veil?

Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?

Hot ashes for trees?

Hot air for a cool breeze?

Cold comfort for change?

And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,

Running over the same old ground.

What have you found? The same old fears.

Wish you were here.

You'll Never Walk Alone – Gerry and The Pacemakers

When you walk through a storm

Hold your head up high

And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm

Is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on through the wind

Walk on through the rain

Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on walk on with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

Book extracts as funeral readings

Whether your loved one liked to read or you're struggling to find the right words, reading a book extract can encapsulate the history, relationships and qualities of your lost loved one. Novels resonate with a wide audience and can help those attending the funeral feel close to the person they've lost, making these readings a wonderful addition to any funeral.

They are often non-religious and offer something different to the usual popular funeral poems. Take a look at the secular funeral readings below to help you celebrate the unique story of your loved one.

• Fahrenheit 451
• No Matter What
• Little Prince
• Winnie the Pooh
• Charlotte's Web

An extract from 'Fahrenheit 451' – Ray Bradbury

This extract from Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451' is a beautiful reminder that we leave our mark in many ways, be it planting a garden or introducing a child into the world. Our loved ones will be remembered as their soul had a lasting impact on the lives of those surrounding them.

“Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there.

It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn-cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.”

An extract from 'No Matter What' – Debi Gliori

“Does love wear out” said Small, “does it break or bend? Can you fix it, stick it, does it mend?”

“Oh help,” said Large “I'm not that clever. I just know I'll love you forever”.

Small said: “But what about when you're dead and gone - would you love me then, does love go on?”

Large held Small snug as they looked out at the night, at the moon in the dark and the stars shining bright.

“Small, look at the stars – how they shine and glow. Yet some of those stars died a long time ago. Still they shine in the evening skies... love, like starlight, never dies”.

An extract from 'The Little Prince' – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

This beloved children's story still resonates with adults and children alike, making it a popular secular funeral reading. The story explores the themes of love, loss, loneliness and friendship, and the extract below is certain to offer a moment of comfort for friends and family.

“People have stars, but they aren't the same. For travellers, the stars are guides. For other people, they're nothing but tiny lights. And for still others, for scholars, they're problems. For my business man, they were gold. But all those stars are silent stars. You, though, you'll have stars like nobody else.“

“What do you mean?“

“When you look up at the sky at night, since I'll be living on one of them, since I'll be laughing on one of them, for you it'll be as if all the stars are laughing. You'll have stars that can laugh!“

“And when you're consoled (everyone is eventually consoled), you'll be glad you've known me. You'll always be my friend. You'll feel like laughing with me. And you'll open your windows sometimes just for the fun of it ... And your friends will be amazed to see you laughing while you're looking up at the sky. Then you'll tell them, 'Yes, it's the stars; they always make me laugh!' And they'll think you're crazy. It'll be a nasty trick I played on you ...“

An extract from 'Winnie the Pooh' – A. A. Milne

“If ever there is a tomorrow when we're not together there is something you must always remember... You are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is even if we are apart I'll always be with you.”

An extract from 'Charlotte's Web' – E. B. White

At the end of 'Charlotte's Web', Charlotte teaches us that meaning can be found in the beautiful friendships that we build throughout our lives. While you can't control many things in life, you can be kind and help others – and, for that, you'll always be remembered.

“You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that.”

How to write your own funeral poems

It could be a nice touch to write your own funeral poem to read aloud. This means you can add a personal touch to the poem, including happy memories and stories.

When writing the poem, you can include snippets of your own favourite poems from this list. You could even take inspiration from some of your loved ones' favourite poems.

Find out more

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