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The Best 10 Short Funeral Poems & Readings
This page presents a collection of Short Funeral Poems & Readings, specifically chosen for those who wish to convey powerful sentiments in a concise manner. From 2 line memorial verses to short farewell poems and 4 line memorial verses, each selection encapsulates deep emotions and sentiments. These brief, yet impactful verses are suitable for anyone required to deliver a reading at a funeral or memorial service, offering a succinct yet meaningful tribute to a departed loved one.
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1) On His Own Death
Author: Walter Savage Landor
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
Death stands above me, whispering low
I know not what into my ear:
Of his strange language all I know
Is, there is not a word of fear.
This poem aligns with the category of 'Short Poems' as it succinctly captures the speaker's encounter with death, expressing a lack of fear in the face of mortality. Its brevity enhances its impact, conveying a sense of calm and acceptance in the presence of the unknown.
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2) Finis
Author: Walter Savage Landor
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
I strove with none, for none was worth my strife.
Nature I loved and, next to Nature, Art:
I warm‘d both hands before the fire of life;
It sinks, and I am ready to depart.
This poem aligns with the category of 'Short Poems' as it succinctly captures the speaker's encounter with death, expressing a lack of fear in the face of mortality. Its brevity enhances its impact, conveying a sense of calm and acceptance in the presence of the unknown.
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3) The Death Bed
Author: Thomas Hood
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
We watch'd her breathing thro' the night,
Her breathing soft and low,
As in her breast the wave of life
Kept heaving to and fro.
But when the morn came dim and sad
And chill with early showers,
Her quiet eyelids closed--she had
Another morn than ours.
The poem is concise and can be easily read during a funeral service, making it an appropriate choice for a short reading.
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4) Requiem
Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
Under the wide and starry sky,
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you gave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.
The poem is brief and easily read during a funeral service, making it suitable for a short reading.
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5) Sentiments Of Grief
Author: Lisa Lopresti
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
Only in loss,
do we understand value.
Tears are the words,
we cannot speak,
of the pain and shock of what has
happened and the loss of whatever will.
Our mourning is our love,
unable to reach you.
We miss the future,
you were supposed to have.
Our grief changes over time,
but never will it end.
The poem is concise and can be easily used as a short reading during a funeral service.
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6) If I Should Go
Author: Joyce Grenfell
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
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.
This poem belongs to the category of 'Short Poems' as it concisely expresses the speaker's desire for their loved ones to avoid grand gestures upon their passing and instead continue living their everyday lives authentically. Its brevity enhances its impact, delivering a profound message about embracing both grief and the continuation of life with sincerity.
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7) A Death-Bed
Author: James Aldrich
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
Her suffering ended with the day,
Yet lived she at its close,
And breathed the long, long night away,
In statue-like repose.
But when the sun in all his state
Illumed the eastern skies,
She passed through Glory's morning-gate,
And walked in Paradise!
The poem is concise and can be easily read during a funeral service, making it an appropriate choice for a short reading.
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8) There Is No Night Without A Dawning
Author: Helen Steiner Rice
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
No winter without a spring
And beyond the dark horizon
Our hearts will once more sing ….
For those who leave us for a while
Have only gone away
Out of a restless, care worn world
Into a brighter day
This poem aligns with the category of 'Short Poems' as it concisely captures the cyclical nature of life, offering solace and hope by acknowledging that those who have temporarily departed have transitioned into a brighter existence beyond the challenges of this world. Its brevity enhances its impact, delivering a message of optimism and reassurance in a concise yet powerful manner.
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9) The Best And Most Beautiful Things In The World
Author: Helen Keller
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
The best and most beautiful
Things in the world cannot
Be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart.
This poem aligns with the category of 'Short Poems' due to its concise form, emphasizing the intangible nature of the best and most beautiful things in the world, which can only be truly appreciated and experienced through the heart. Its brevity intensifies its impact, encapsulating the profound message about the importance of emotional connection and perception in a few powerful lines.
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10) Songs Of The Death Of Children (Kindertotenlieder)
Author: Friedrich Rückert
Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as poems are sometimes tailored/personalised.
You must not shut the night inside you,
But endlessly in light the dark immerse.
A tiny lamp has gone out in my tent –
I bless the flame that warms the universe.
This poem is related to the category of 'Short Poems' due to its concise structure, conveying a profound message about embracing both light and darkness in life. Its brevity intensifies its impact, highlighting the significance of a single extinguished lamp in the speaker's tent and their appreciation for the universal flame that brings warmth and light to the world.
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See 16 more Short Funeral Poems & Readings
On His Own Death
Finis
The Death Bed
Requiem
Sentiments Of Grief
If I Should Go
A Death-Bed
There Is No Night Without A Dawning
The Best And Most Beautiful Things In The World
Songs Of The Death Of Children (Kindertotenlieder)
Goodbye My Family
I’d Like To Think
I Wish I Knew
Goodbye
Precious Memory
Our Memories Build A Special Bridge
Mother's Love
Memories Short Poem
Love Shines Through
It's Strange
Irish Blessing
If I Should Go Tomorrow
If I Could
Fish Tales
Beyond The Empty Chair
As Long As Hearts Remember
Finis
The Death Bed
Requiem
Sentiments Of Grief
If I Should Go
A Death-Bed
There Is No Night Without A Dawning
The Best And Most Beautiful Things In The World
Songs Of The Death Of Children (Kindertotenlieder)
Goodbye My Family
I’d Like To Think
I Wish I Knew
Goodbye
Precious Memory
Our Memories Build A Special Bridge
Mother's Love
Memories Short Poem
Love Shines Through
It's Strange
Irish Blessing
If I Should Go Tomorrow
If I Could
Fish Tales
Beyond The Empty Chair
As Long As Hearts Remember
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