> Funeral Poems > Edgar Albert Guest
Edgar Albert Guest - Best 4 Funeral Poems [Includes PDF & Audio]
Welcome to our special collection, a selection of five remarkable funeral poems penned by the cherished poet Edgar Albert Guest. On this page, you'll find his compassionate verses that beautifully explore the depths of loss, remembrance, and the human capacity for resilience in times of sorrow.
Looking for a Funeral Director?
Contact someone today
1) A Boy And His Dad
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip –
There is a glorious fellowship!
Father and son and the open sky
And the white clouds lazily drifting by,
And the laughing stream as it runs along
With the clicking reel like a martial song,
And the father teaching the youngster gay
How to land a fish in the sportsman’s way.
I fancy I hear them talking there
In an open boat, and the speech is fair.
And the boy is learning the ways of men
From the finest man in his youthful ken.
Kings, to the youngster, cannot compare
With the gentle father who’s with him there.
And the greatest mind of the human race
Not for one minute could take his place.
Which is happier, man or boy?
The soul of the father is steeped in joy,
For he’s finding out, to his heart’s delight,
That his son is fit for the future fight.
He is learning the glorious depths of him,
And the thoughts he thinks and his every whim.
And he shall discover, when night comes on,
How close he has grown to his little son.
A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip –
Builders of life’s companionship!
Oh, I envy them, as I see them there
Under the sky in the open air,
For out of the old, old long-ago
Come the summer days that I used to know,
When I learned life’s truths from my father’s lips
As I shared the joy of his fishing-trips.
There is a glorious fellowship!
Father and son and the open sky
And the white clouds lazily drifting by,
And the laughing stream as it runs along
With the clicking reel like a martial song,
And the father teaching the youngster gay
How to land a fish in the sportsman’s way.
I fancy I hear them talking there
In an open boat, and the speech is fair.
And the boy is learning the ways of men
From the finest man in his youthful ken.
Kings, to the youngster, cannot compare
With the gentle father who’s with him there.
And the greatest mind of the human race
Not for one minute could take his place.
Which is happier, man or boy?
The soul of the father is steeped in joy,
For he’s finding out, to his heart’s delight,
That his son is fit for the future fight.
He is learning the glorious depths of him,
And the thoughts he thinks and his every whim.
And he shall discover, when night comes on,
How close he has grown to his little son.
A boy and his dad on a fishing-trip –
Builders of life’s companionship!
Oh, I envy them, as I see them there
Under the sky in the open air,
For out of the old, old long-ago
Come the summer days that I used to know,
When I learned life’s truths from my father’s lips
As I shared the joy of his fishing-trips.
Read more about this poem
2) Child Of Mine
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
I will lend you, for a little time,
A child of mine, He said.
For you to love the while he lives,
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years,
Or twenty-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 have his lovely memories,
As solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there,
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over,
In search for teachers true.
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,
I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain.
Nor hate me when I come
To take him home again?
I fancied that I heard them say,
'Dear Lord, Thy will be done!'
For all the joys Thy child shall bring,
The risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him,
Much sooner than we've planned.
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes,
And try to understand.
A child of mine, He said.
For you to love the while he lives,
And mourn for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years,
Or twenty-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 have his lovely memories,
As solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return.
But there are lessons taught down there,
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over,
In search for teachers true.
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes,
I have selected you.
Now will you give him all your love,
Nor think the labour vain.
Nor hate me when I come
To take him home again?
I fancied that I heard them say,
'Dear Lord, Thy will be done!'
For all the joys Thy child shall bring,
The risk of grief we'll run.
We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known,
Forever grateful stay.
But should the angels call for him,
Much sooner than we've planned.
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes,
And try to understand.
Read more about this poem
3) It Couldn't Be Done
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
Somebody said that it couldn’t be done
But he with a chuckle replied
That ‘maybe it couldn’t,’ but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!
Somebody scoffed: ‘Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;’
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That ‘cannot be done,’ and you’ll do it.
But he with a chuckle replied
That ‘maybe it couldn’t,’ but he would be one
Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it!
Somebody scoffed: ‘Oh, you’ll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;’
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn’t be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing
That ‘cannot be done,’ and you’ll do it.
Read more about this poem
4) I’d Like To Think
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
I’d like to think when life is done
That I had filled a needed post
That here and there I’d paid my fare
With more than idle talk and boast
That I had taken gifts divine
The breath of life and manhood free
And tried to use them now and then
In service to my fellow man.
That I had filled a needed post
That here and there I’d paid my fare
With more than idle talk and boast
That I had taken gifts divine
The breath of life and manhood free
And tried to use them now and then
In service to my fellow man.
Read more about this poem
History & Information about poet Edgar Albert Guest
Edgar Albert Guest was an American poet born in Birmingham, England, on August 20, 1881. When he was ten years old, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Detroit, Michigan. Despite a limited formal education, Guest developed a love for reading and writing poetry at a young age.
At the age of 17, Guest began working as a copy boy for the Detroit Free Press. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a staff writer, and eventually a popular columnist. His daily columns, which featured poems and essays on topics ranging from family life to patriotism, were widely read and earned him a devoted following.
Guest's first book of poetry, "A Heap o' Livin'," was published in 1916 and became an instant bestseller. The book's popularity was due in part to Guest's relatable, down-to-earth style and his ability to capture the simple joys and struggles of everyday life.
Over the course of his career, Guest published over 20 books of poetry, including "Just Folks," "Life's Highway," and "The Light of Faith." He was also a popular speaker and radio personality, and his poems were frequently read on the airwaves.
Despite his success, Guest remained humble and committed to his craft. He once said, "I want to write of people who work hard and live nobly...of the things that are everyday life and the things that are everlasting."
Edgar Albert Guest died on August 5, 1959, at the age of 77. His legacy as a beloved poet and chronicler of everyday life endures, and his works continue to be read and cherished by readers around the world.
At the age of 17, Guest began working as a copy boy for the Detroit Free Press. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a staff writer, and eventually a popular columnist. His daily columns, which featured poems and essays on topics ranging from family life to patriotism, were widely read and earned him a devoted following.
Guest's first book of poetry, "A Heap o' Livin'," was published in 1916 and became an instant bestseller. The book's popularity was due in part to Guest's relatable, down-to-earth style and his ability to capture the simple joys and struggles of everyday life.
Over the course of his career, Guest published over 20 books of poetry, including "Just Folks," "Life's Highway," and "The Light of Faith." He was also a popular speaker and radio personality, and his poems were frequently read on the airwaves.
Despite his success, Guest remained humble and committed to his craft. He once said, "I want to write of people who work hard and live nobly...of the things that are everyday life and the things that are everlasting."
Edgar Albert Guest died on August 5, 1959, at the age of 77. His legacy as a beloved poet and chronicler of everyday life endures, and his works continue to be read and cherished by readers around the world.
Main Categories
See links below:
Popular Poems
See links below: