Non-religious readings
Here are a few readings you might want to consider when planning your funeral service (just click the title to go to the reading/poem or scroll down the page):
A2. Remember
A4. Do not stand
A4a. Do not stand (crematorium version)
A5. I can shed tears
A6. A mother
A8. Words of comfort (short version)
A10. All is well
A11. Ups and downs
A12. Count your garden
A13. Let me go
A14. Memories
A15. A silent tear
A16. Words of comfort (long version)
A17. In times of deepest sorrow
A19. After glow
A20. Another tomorrow
A21. I am there
A22. Overwhelmed
A23. We'll always love you dad
A24. Remember what is most important
A25. When tomorrow starts without me (full version)
A25a. When tomorrow starts without me (short version)
A26. Remember me
A27. Leisure
A28. Fading Sun
A30. In Loving Memory of My Husband
A31. Ode to Kath
A32. As we look back
A33. At Rest
A34. A Reflection on an Autumn Day
A35. Wish You Were Here
A36. A Wife, a Mother, a Grandma too
A36a. A Husband, a Dad, a Grandad too
A37. Stillness Speaks
A39. All things will die, an extract (Tennyson)
A40. Dementia Poem
A42. That You Remember Me
A43. Our lives go on without you
A44. Remember Me
A46. Instructions (Arnold Crompton)
A47. The Life That I Have (Leo Marks)
A48. For My Grandpa (Iona Blake)
A49. Our Family
A50. Someone is Missing
A51. Remember Me
A52. My Best Friend
A53. Weep Not For Me
A54. Child and Mother (Eugene Field)
A55. Nana (Laura White)
A57. Grandma
A59. Your Mother is Always With You
A60. A Woman's Blessing (Lynette Allen)
A61. Farewell My Friends (Rabindranath Tagore)
A62. If I Had a Voice
A64. Don't Cry For Me
A65. Our Dad, Our Hero
A66. Your Mother
A67. The Best Of Us
A1. Miss Me - But 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?
Miss me a little - but not for long
And not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love that once we shared;
Miss me - but let me go.
For this is a journey we all must take
And each much go alone,
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan,
I’m set on the road to Home.
When you are lonely and sick at heart,
Go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds;
Miss me - but let me go.
A2. 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 planned:
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,
Than that you should remember and be sad.
A3. The Existence of Love by Marjorie Pizer
I had thought that your death
Was a waste and a destruction,
A pain of grief hardly to be endured.
I am only beginning to learn
That your life was a gift and a growing
And a loving left with me.
The desperation of death
Destroyed the existence of love,
But the fact of death
Cannot destroy what has been given.
I am learning to look at your life again
Instead of your death and your departing.
A4. Do Not Stand by Unknown Red Indian of Makah Tribe
Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning, hush!
I am the swift uplifted rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.
A4a. Do Not Stand (Crematorium Version)
Do not stand in this room and weep,
I am not here, I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on the snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning, hush!
I am the swift uplifted rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight,
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand in this room and cry,
I am not here, I did not die.
A5. I Can Shed Tears
I can shed tears that he/she is gone or I can smile because he/she has lived.
I can close my eyes and pray he/she’ll come back or I can open them and see all he/she’s left.
My heart can be empty because I can’t see him/her or it can be full of the love we shared.
I can turn my back on tomorrow and live yesterday or I can be happy tomorrow because of yesterday.
I can remember him/her and only that he/she’s gone or I can cherish her memory and let it live on.
I can cry and close my mind, be empty and turn my back or I can do what he/she’d want - smile, open my eyes, love and go on.
A6. A Mother
A mother has the special gift
of always speaking true.
A mother gets the praise or blame
If skies be dark or blue.
A mother is a doctor,
A joiner and a vet,
The jobs a mother cannot do
Have not been heard of yet.
A mother is a power all wise,
A tyrant or a saint,
An oracle, a paragon
With smart ideas or quaint.
Whatever else she may be,
A mother knows full well,
A house can never be a home
Without her magic spell.
A7. When A Loved One's Gone
Those we love remain with us,
For love itself lives on.
And cherished memories never fade
Because a loved one's gone.
Those we love can never be
More than a thought apart.
For as long as there is memory
They'll live on in the heart.
A8. Words of Comfort (short version)
If you must weep, then weep not long,
In memory keep my love still strong,
But please remember one thing just,
I have gone, which all we must,
And though my leaving may cause pain,
My joy is greater
That you remain.
A9. A Branch is Fallen
A branch is fallen from the family tree
The circle has broken but don't grieve for me
Remember the good times, the laughter and the song
The good life I lived while I was strong.
My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest
Celebrate my life for truly I was blessed
Don't dwell on the sadness, for I am still here
Just think of me often and I will be near.
A10. All is Well by Henry Scott Holland
(Also known as "Death is Nothing At All")
Death is nothing at all ...
I have only slipped away in the next room
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name;
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone;
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play; smile; think of me; pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow in it.
Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was;
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well.
Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!
A11. Ups and Downs
Everybody knows life can't be pleasant all the time
Yet we grumble at the hills when we are forced to climb.
We seem to think the roadway should be smooth and flat and bright.
We do not like it when an awkward corner comes in sight.
Dull this life would soon become and flabby we should grow
If we did not have to strive and struggle as we go.
Do not be surprised when roads turn rough and fortune frowns.
That's the way it has to be - storms, sunshine, ups and downs.
A12. Count Your Garden
Count your garden by the flowers,
never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours,
don't remember the clouds at all.
Count you nights by stars, not shadows
and on this beautiful September [change month] morn
Count your life by smiles, not tears,
and by the blue skies not the grey.
A13. 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?
Miss me a little - but not for long,
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the times that we once shared.
Miss me and let me go.
A14. Memories
Memories are the loveliest things,
They last from day to day,
They can't get lost,
They don't wear out,
And can't be given away.
A15. A Silent Tear
Just close your eyes and you will see
All the memories that you have of me.
Just sit and relax and you will find
I'm really still there inside your mind.
Don't cry for me now I am gone
For I am in the land of song,
There is no pain, there is no fear,
So dry away that silent tear.
Don't think of me in the dark and cold
For here I am, no longer old,
I'm in that place that's filled with love
Known to you as 'UP ABOVE.'
A16. Words of Comfort (long version)
Feel no guilt in laughter, they know how much you care.
Feel no sorrow in a smile that they aren't here to share.
You cannot grieve forever, they wouldn't want you to,
They would hope that you'd carry on - the way you always do.
So talk about the good times and ways you showed you cared,
The days you spent together and all the happiness you shared.
Let memories surround you, a word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day
That brings them back so clearly as though they were still here,
And fills you with the feeling that they are always near.
For if you keep these moments, you'll never be apart,
And they will live forever locked safe within your heart.
A17. In Times of Deepest Sorrow
In times of deepest sorrow,
When tears may cloud our eyes,
It seems that grief is endless;
But when we realise
That sorrow is the memory
Of a happy yesterday,
And memories live on and on
While sorrows fade away.
A18. Her Journey's Just Begun
Don't think of her as gone away
her journey's just begun.
life holds so many facets
this earth is only one.
Just think of her as resting
from sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.
Think how she must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.
And think of her as living
in the hearts of those she touched...
for nothing loved is ever lost
and she was loved so much.
A19. After Glow
I'd like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I'd like to leave an after glow 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.
A20. Another Tomorrow
There's always another tomorrow,
however hard the day.
There's always an end to sorrow,
time wipes our tears away.
There's always a reason for living,
though sad your heart may be.
There's always another horizon,
beyond the one you see.
A21. I Am There
Look for me when the tide is high
And the gulls are wheeling overhead,
When the autumn wind sweeps the cloudy sky
And one by one the leaves are shed.
Look for me when the tree is bare
And the stars are bright in the frosty sky,
When the morning mist hangs on the air
And shorter darker days pass by.
I am there, where the river flows
And the salmon leap to a silver moon,
Where the insect hum and the tall grass grows
And sunlight warms the afternoon.
I am there in the busy street
I take your hand in the city square,
In the market place where the people meet
In your quiet room - I am there.
I am the love you cannot see
And all I ask is ... look for me.
A22. Overwhelmed (Marjorie Pizer)
When I feel overwhelmed by destruction,
Let me go down to the sea.
Let me sit by the immeasurable ocean
And watch the surf
Beating in and running out all day and all night.
Let me sit by the sea
And have the bitter sea winds
Slap my cheeks with their cold, damp hands
Until I am sensible again.
Let me look at the sky at night
And let the stars tell me
Of limitless horizons and unknown universes
Until I am grown calm and strong once more.
A23. We'll Always Love You, Dad
Each day you strived to live,
Your body too weak to be.
Your love will live forever,
Since your heart has set you free.
Now you walk so bravely,
You feel the pain no more.
Angels have come to guide you
And bring you to Heaven’s door.
Memories we’ll hold so dearly,
Your smile warmed our hearts
And through our lives you’ll live,
You’ve touched so many parts.
Hard days may be before us,
It’s all a part of God’s plan.
Why you left so soon,
We may never understand.
You’ll be alone no longer,
And you’d tell us, “Don’t be sad.”
Please believe you were no burden
We’ll always love you Dad!
Our lives have changed forever,
Since the day you passed away.
In Heaven you’ll be waiting
To meet us again some day.
A24. Remember What Is Most Important (Vickie M Worsham)
It’s not having everything go right;
It’s facing whatever goes wrong.
It’s not being without fear;
It’s having the determination to go on in spite of it.
Remember that every day ends
And brings a new tomorrow
Full of exciting new things.
Love what you do, do the best you can,
And always remember how much you are loved.
A25. When Tomorrow Starts Without Me (David Romano) - Full version
If tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things we didn't get to say.
I know how much you care for me, and how much I care for you,
and each time that you think of me I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready in heaven far above,
and that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I'd always thought I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for and so much yet to do.
it seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday, I thought, just for a while,
I'd say goodbye and hug you and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realised that this could never be,
for emptiness and memories would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things that I'd miss come tomorrow.
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through Heaven's gates, I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me, from His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity and all I've promised you,
Today your life on earth is past but here it's starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last.
and since each day's the same, there's no longing for the past.
But you have been so faithful, so trusting, so true.
Though there were times you did some things you knew you shouldn't do.
And you have been forgiven and now at last you're free.
So won't you come and take my hand and share my life with me?"
So if tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me, please know I'm in your heart
A25a. When Tomorrow Starts Without Me (David Romano) - Short version
If tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me;
I know how much you care for me, and how much I care for you,
and each time that you think of me I know you'll miss me too;
So if tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me, please know I'm in your heart.
A26. Remember Me
Don’t remember me with sadness
Don’t remember me with tears
Remember all the laughter
We’ve shared throughout the years
Now I am contented
That my life it was worthwhile
Knowing that I passed along the way
I made somebody smile
When you are walking down the street
And you’ve got me on your mind
I’m walking in your footsteps
Only a half a step behind
So please don’t be unhappy
Just because I’m out of sight
Remember that I’m with you
Each morning noon and night
A27. Leisure by W H Davies
WHAT is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?—
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
A28. Fading Sun by Lazlow
I remember the world I lived in when I was very young
The halcyon days of youthful bliss had only just begun
But as one ages slowly, the time it passes fast
It’s only a day from yesterday but it seems ten years have passed
And now I’m getting older and deep within my heart
The deeds I did and sights I’ve seen from me will never part
As autumn turns to winter with snow upon the roof
With aged hands and dulling eyes, I have no better proof
That most my life has gone now, the twilight years to come
I’ll think back upon those halcyon days and of my fading sun.
A29. In Loving Memory of Dad
He never looked for praises
He was never one to boast
He just went on quietly working
For the ones he loved the most.
His dreams were seldom spoken
His wants were very few
And most of the time his worries
Went unspoken too.
He was there.... A firm foundation
Through all our storms of life
A sturdy band to hold on to
In times of stress and strife.
A true friend we could turn to
When times were good or bad
One of our greatest blessings
The man that we called Dad.
A30. In Loving Memory of My Husband
Thank you for your endless love
That helps me through each day,
And thank you for the memories
That never fade away.
You’re the man I loved
And I was proud to be your Wife,
And every day in some small way
I celebrate your life.
And though it’s sad to think about
The way things were before,
When we’re re-united
It will be forevermore.
A31. Ode to Kath - by Bob Lowe
This poem reduced Esther Rantzen to tears and inspired her to encourage more helpers for her helpline.
I am alone, now I know it’s true
There was a time when we were two
Those were the days when we would chat
Doing little jobs of this and that
We’d go to the shops and select our meals
But now I’m alone I know how it feels
To try and cook or have meals on wheels
The rooms are empty there’s not a sound
Sometimes I’m lost and wander round
To look for jobs that I can do
To bring back the days when we were two
When darkness falls and curtains drawn
That’s when I feel most forlorn
But I must be honest and tell the truth
I’m not quite alone and here’s the proof
Because beside me in her chair
She quietly waits our time to share
Kath said to me some time ago
Darling when the time comes for us to go
Let’s mix our ashes and be together
So we can snuggle up for ever and ever.
A32. As We Look Back
As we look back over time
We find ourselves wondering…
Did we remember to thank you enough
For all you have done for us?
For all the times you were by our sides
To help and support us…
To celebrate our successes
To understand our problems
And accept our defeats?
Or for teaching us by your example,
The value of hard work, good judgment,
Courage and integrity?
We wonder if we ever thanked you
For the sacrifices you made.
To let us have the very best?
And for the simple things
Like laughter, smiles and times we shared?
If we have forgotten to show our
Gratitude enough for all the things you did.
We're thanking you now.
And we are hoping you knew all along,
How much you meant to us.
A33. At Rest
Think of me as one at rest,
For me you should not weep,
I have no pain no troubled thoughts
For I am just asleep.
The living, thinking me that was,
Is now forever still,
And life goes on without me now,
As time forever will.
If your heart is heavy now
Because I've gone away,
Dwell not long upon it friend
For none of us can stay.
Those of you who liked me,
I sincerely thank you all,
And those of you who loved me,
I thank you most of all.
And in my fleeting lifespan,
As time went rushing by,
I found some time to hesitate,
To laugh, to love, to cry.
Matters it now if time began
If time will ever cease?
I was here, I used it all,
And now I am at peace.
A34. A Reflection on an Autumn Day
I took up a handful of grain and let it slip flowing through my fingers, and I said to myself:
This is what it is all about. There is no longer any room for pretence. At harvest time the essence is revealed - the straw and chaff are set aside, they have done their job. The grain alone matters - sacks of pure gold.
So it is when a person dies the essence of that person is revealed. At the moment of death a person’s character stands out happy for the person who has forged it well over the years. Then it will not be the great achievement that will matter, nor, how much money or possessions a person has amassed. These like the straw and the chaff, will be left behind. It is what he has made of himself that will matter. Death can take away from us what we have, but it cannot rob us of who we are.
A35. Wish You Were Here - by Marilyn Porritt
We don’t get postcards from our friends who have died.
But then I don’t know if any have tried.
And if we did who’d deliver the post.
An angelic choir, a heavenly host.
So you see I don’t know if the weather is fine.
I don’t even know if you’re having a good time.
Is your hotel crap, and the food appalling.
Is it good fun, or are you finding it boring.
Perhaps I should send a card to you.
Do you think the Royal Mail would know what to do.
And if I did, one thing is clear.
In big bold letters I’d write wish you were here.
A36. A Wife, a Mother, a Grandma too
A wife, a mother, a grandma too,
This is the legacy we have from you.
You taught us love and how to fight,
You gave us strength, you gave us might.
A stronger person would be hard to find.
And in your heart, you were always kind.
You fought for us all in one way or another.
Not just as a wife not just as a mother.
For all of us you gave your best,
Now the time has come for you to rest.
So go in peace, you’ve earned your sleep.
Your love in our hearts, we’ll eternally keep.
A36a. A Husband, a Dad, a Grandad too
A husband, a dad, and a grandad too,
This is the legacy we have from you.
You taught us love and how to fight,
You gave us strength, you gave us might.
A stronger person would be hard to find.
And in your heart, you were always kind.
A supporter, a fighter, that’s what we had,
Not just as a husband not just as a dad.
For all of us you gave your best,
Now the time has come for you to rest.
So go in peace, you’ve earned your sleep.
Your love in our hearts, we’ll eternally keep.
A37. Stillness Speaks, an extract (Eckhart Tolle)
When you walk through a forest that has not been tamed and interfered with by man, you will see not only abundant life all around you, but you will also encounter fallen trees and decaying trunks, rotting leaves and decomposing matter at every step.
Wherever you look, you will see death as well as life. Upon closer scrutiny, however, you will discover that the decomposing tree trunk and rotting leaves not only give birth to new life, but are full of life themselves. Micro-organisms are at work. Molecules are re-arranging themselves.
So death isn’t to be found anywhere. There is only the metamorphosis of life forms.
What can you learn from this? Death is not the opposite of life. Life has no opposite. The opposite of death is birth.
Life is eternal.
A38. Remember Only My Best
When I come to the end of my journey
and I travel my last weary mile,
Just forget if you can any frowns
And remember only my smile.
Forget any dark words spoken
but remember the good I have done.
Forget that there ever was heartache,
just remember the laughter and fun.
Forget that I stumbled and blundered
and sometimes fell by the way;
Remember - I fought some hard battles,
and won some, by close of the day.
Alternative for previous two lines:
Remember when people are hurting,
they don’t always mean what they say.
So do not grieve for my going
and feel you forever must cry
But in summer just gather some flowers
and come to the place where I lie.
And then in the shade of the evening,
when the sun paints the sky in the west;
Stand for a moment beside me -
and remember only my best.
A39. All things will die, an extract (Tennyson)
The stream will cease to flow;
The wind will cease to blow;
The clouds will cease to fleet;
The heart will cease to beat;
For all things must die.
All things must die.
A40. Dementia Poem
Memories of past gone by
Disappeared like snow in sun.
Frustrated tears of sadness
While trying to remember days of fun.
Dementia, it has stolen me
And all it leaves behind
Is words I never meant to say
And perplexities entwined.
There is blinding fog inside me
I'm lost, scared and alone.
I wish you'd come and find me
Take me back to what we'd known.
One day when I am snowfall
And the sun melts me away
I'm on the breeze completely free
Amongst our memories I'll play.
Remember our days of sunshine
And things we shared before
Dementia did not beat us
It won’t bruise us anymore.
A41. A Dream Within a Dream
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow —
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand —
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep — while I weep!
O God! Can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
A42. That You Remember Me
I’ve learned so much
throughout my life
but there’s much I don’t recall.
I know it’s in there somewhere
but it’s hard to find it all.
It’s not that I’ve forgotten you,
or the things I said I’d do;
I remember everything
but it’s hidden somewhere
I can’t see just beyond my view.
You see, there is a shadow where
there didn’t used to be,
and sometimes
when I look right there
it just confuses me.
I remember lovely flowers,
and songs I used to sing.
I remember springtime showers,
and rainbows they would bring.
I love to watch a soap or two
or listen to the birds.
I love to tell you secrets.
I love to hear your words.
I love for you to sit with me;
perhaps you’ll hold my hand
and tell me that you love me:
that I’ll understand.
My mind has ways of taking me
where I don’t want to go.
I know I know your name, you see;
just right now it’s hard for me
to think of things I really know,
and to know what really is
and what may not be so.
Though I now have left you,
it’s important that you see
just how much it means to me
that you remember me.
A43. Our lives go on without you
Our lives go on without you
But nothing is the same,
We have to hide our heartache
When someone speaks your name.
Sad are the hearts that love you,
Silent are the tears that fall,
Living here without you
is the hardest part of all.
You did so many things for us,
Your heart was kind and true,
And when we needed someone
We could always count on you.
The special years will not return
When we are all together,
But with the love in our hearts
You walk with us forever.
A44. 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.
I cannot be seen,but I can be heard.
So as you stand upon a shore, gazing at a beautiful sea—remember me.
As you look in awe at a mighty forest and its grand majesty—remember me.
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity—remember me.
Remember me in your heart, your thoughts, your memories of the times we loved,
The times we cried, the times we fought, the times we laughed.
For if you always think of me, I will never be gone.
A45. Dream (Cindy Pearson)
I dream of days that are long past,
I dream of joys which could not last,
I dream of hope and then despair
For when I wake you are not there.
In solitude with inward eye
Which takes away the need to cry,
I see again your loving face,
The need to you again embrace.
Not only in dreams are you with me,
I feel you near but I can’t see.
The time we shared may now be passed
But my love for you will always last.
A46. Instructions (Arnold Crompton)
When I have moved beyond you in the adventure of life,
Gather in some pleasant place and there remember me
With spoken words, old and new.
Let a tear if you will, but let a smile come quickly
For I have loved the laughter of life.
Do not linger too long with your solemnities.
Go eat and talk, and when you can;
Follow a woodland trail, climb a high mountain,
Walk along the wild seashore,
Chew the thoughts of some book
Which challenges your soul.
Use your hands some bright day
To make a thing of beauty
Or to lift someone’s heavy load.
Though you mention not my name,
Though no thought of me crosses your mind,
I shall be with you,
For these have been the realities of my life for me.
And when you face some crisis with anguish.
When you walk alone with courage,
When you choose your path of right,
I shall be very close to you.
I have followed the valleys,
I have climbed the heights of life.
A47. The Life That I Have (Leo Marks)
The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours.
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.
A48. For My Grandpa (Iona Blake)
I know we are all feeling a little bit sad,
That we’ve lost our Grandpa, our friend and our dad
Together we have cried an ocean of tears
As we feel so empty and hold many fears
But Grandpa would want us to know he’s in a good place
And that he watching us all with a smile on his face
As we have made him so proud, as proud as can be
That he has raised such a beautiful and special family
Thinking back now I really must say
I feel lucky and privileged to have known Grandpa to this day
For in my life, you have played a special part
The memories I will treasure and keep close to your heart
For me I am glad my little baby he got to meet
And for all of us, be grateful, his life is now complete
To each one of us he has loved and cared
And a family, be thankful for the good times we shared
Although he has gone we will always be together
And his spirit will live on each one of us forever
When you look to the sky, look for the brightest star
As that will be Grandpa looking down on us from afar
And now I would like to thank the good Lord above
For blessing us with our Grandpa with his kindness and love
Dear God, if it is not too much fuss
Take extra special care of our Grandpa as he is very dear to us
Grandpa if you are listening say a prayer for us every day
Be sure to protect us and guide us on our way
We know when God called you, you had to go
But we want you to know Grandpa we miss you and love you so
A49. Our Family
Our family is a blessing
it means so many things.
Words can never really tell
the joy our family brings.
Our family has mutual love,
the love of Dad and Mother
Showing children how to love
and care for one another.
Our family is heartfelt pride,
a feeling deep and strong,
That makes us glad to take a part
and know that we belong.
Our family is always home
a place where we can share
Our joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams
for happiness lives there.
Our family is a bond of faith
that even time cannot sever,
A gift to last throughout our lives,
The family of God is forever.
A50. Someone is Missing
Let this be a loving reminder
That someone is missing today.
Someone our hearts still hold on to
As we travel along life's way.
Someone who made life so special
For all those who gather here,
Someone who won't be forgotten
But cherished from year to year.
And now as we pause to remember,
Let us all fondly recall
How dearly each of us loved her,
And oh...how she loved us all.
A51. Remember Me
Speak of me as you have always done,
Remember the good times laughter and fun.
Share happy memories we have made,
Don’t let them wither and fade.
I’ll be with you in the summer sun
And when the winter’s chill has come
I’ll be the voice that whispers in the breeze.
I’m peaceful now put your mind at ease.
I’ve rested my eyes and gone to sleep
But memories we’ve shared are yours to keep.
Sometimes our final days may be a test
But remember me when I was at my best.
Although things may not be the same
Don’t be afraid to use my name.
Let your sorrow last for a while,
Comfort each other and try to smile.
I’ve lived a life filled with joy and fun –
Live on now, make me proud of what you’ll become.
A52. My Best Friend
Farewell my friend, you’re leaving.
It’s time for you to go.
Your friendship was a blessing,
And I will miss you so.
We shared so many secrets.
You brightened up my days.
You brought me so much happiness
With your kind and loving ways.
You lifted up my spirits
When I was feeling blue.
No matter what was happening,
You knew just what to do.
We ran between the raindrops
And walked beneath the sun,
Ran barefoot in the summertime
And oh, we had such fun.
Through all the ups and downs of life
The good times and the sad.
For over _____ years and into our golden years,
You were the best friend I ever had.
A53. Weep Not For Me
Weep not for me though I have gone
into that gentle night.
Grieve if you will but not for long
upon my soul's sweet flight.
I am at peace, my soul's at rest
there is no need for tears;
For with your love I was so blessed,
for all those happy years.
There is no pain, I suffer not,
the fear is now all gone,
Put now these things out of your thoughts
in your memory I live on.
Remember not my pause for breath
Remember not the strife,
Please do not dwell upon my death
But celebrate my life.
A54. Child and Mother by Eugene Field
O mother-my-love, if you’ll give me your hand,
And go where I ask you to wander,
I will lead you away to a beautiful land,-
The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder.
We’ll walk in a sweet posy-garden out there,
Where moonlight and starlight are streaming,
And the flowers and the birds are filling the air
With the fragrance and music of dreaming.
There’ll be no little tired-out child to undress,
No questions or cares to perplex you,
There’ll be no little bruises or bumps to caress,
Nor patching of stockings to vex you;
For I’ll rock you away on a silver-dew stream
And sing you asleep when you’re weary,
And no one shall know of our beautiful dream
But you and your own little dearie.
And when I am tired I’ll nestle my head
In the bosom that’s soothed me so often,
And the wide-awake stars shall sing, in my stead,
A song which our dreaming shall soften.
So, Mother-my-Love, let me take your dear hand,
And away through the starlight we’ll wander,-
Away through the mist to the beautiful land,-
The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder.
A55. Nana by Laura White
Such wonderful memories of nana
The nana we all used to know
We kept you too long and there waiting
The angels have said you can go
Bright golden gates that are shining
Full of family to bid you hello
So blow us a kiss as your leaving
Our sadness we’ll try not to show
Such wonderful memories of nana
We all have our favourites you see
As you enter those gates you’ll be thinking
They’re all there thinking of me!
A56. Because I Love You So
Time will not dim the face I love,
The voice I heard each day,
The many things you did for me,
In your own special way.
All my life I'll miss you,
As the years come and go,
But in my heart I'll keep you
Because I love you so.
A57. Grandma
With the gift of years comes the treasure of knowing.
That there are many who love you dearly.
The memories you have made with us will last forever.
The tenderness you've shared with us will never fade.
The most wonderful gift you could ever give is the special part of you that lives on in each of us.
And the truth your love has taught us can only be strengthened by the gift of time.
For where roots grow deep memories grow forever.
A58. Sing a song of Yorkshire by Doreen Brigham
Sing a song of Yorkshire, from Humber to the Tees
Of horses, wool and terriers, of pudding and of cheese.
I know no other county where land is quite so fine.
England’s lovely county. And I’m proud to call it mine.
Where shining purple heather stretches far across the moor,
and the lapwing’s cry above me takes the place of traffic roar.
And peace comes drifting gently, there’s no place I’d rather be
than this land of hills and valleys, from the Pennines to the sea.
So when I’ve done my roaming, and when my step grows slow;
when heart and mind assure me that the time has come to go,
then let me rest in Yorkshire, for it’s there I want to lie
‘neath sun and wind and heather...and a gleaming Yorkshire sky.
A59. Your Mother is Always With You
She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.
She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself.
She’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well.
She’s your breath in the air on a cold winter’s day.
She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colours of a rainbow.
She is Christmas morning.
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She’s the place you come from, your first home.
She’s the map you follow with every step you take.
She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy.
But nothing on Earth can separate you.
Not time.
Not space.
Not even death.
A60. A Woman's Blessing (Lynette Allen)
She was the elder, the grandmother, great grandmother.
Loved, cherished and respected.
Beauty in age, graceful in nature, gentle in thought
And it was her final wish to slip away.
Her time to cross acknowledged -
A rite of passage,
A spirit preparing to rise.
Peace and stillness,
A granddaughters voice in the distance
Reading to her until she slept.
Whispers heard, far away stillness drifting closer,
Eyes closing, a century of heart beats slowing.
Strength and bravery in such vulnerability,
Unattached, ready and being received in light.
A61. Farewell My Friends (Rabindranath Tagore)
It was beautiful as long as it lasted
The journey of my life.
I have no regrets whatsoever said
The pain I’ll leave behind.
Those dear hearts who love and care...
And the strings pulling at the heart and soul...
The strong arms that held me up
When my own strength let me down.
At the turning of my life I came across
Good friends, friends who stood by me
Even when time raced me by.
Farewell, farewell my friends
I smile and bid you goodbye.
No, shed no tears for I need them not
All I need is your smile.
If you feel sad do think of me
For that’s what I’ll like when you live in the hearts
Of those you love remember then
You never die.
A62. If I Had a Voice
If I had a voice today, I’d say
Dear ones, please don’t cry,
Still love me but don’t grieve for me,
It’s easy if you try.
Don’t think of all that I won’t see,
Just think of what I’ve seen.
Think not of places I won’t go,
But remember where I’ve been.
I’ve lived, I’ve loved, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried,
I’ve worked hard, that’s for sure,
I’ve done my best, I’m satisfied,
I couldn’t ask for more.
I know not what becomes of me
Nor what’s beyond today.
If I had a choice I’d use my voice,
But alas I’ve gone away.
You have memories of me to enjoy –
Smile, laugh, be tough,
You have loved me and enriched my life.
I was happy, that’s enough!
A63. Death (Joyce Grenfell)
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.
A64. Don't Cry For Me
Don't cry for me now I have died, for I'm still here I'm by your
side,
My body's gone but my soul is here, please don't shed another tear,
I am still here I'm all around, only my body lies in the ground.
I am the snowflake that kisses your nose,
I am the frost, that nips your toes.
I am the sun, bringing you light,
I am the star, shining so bright.
I am the rain, refreshing the earth,
I am the laughter, I am the mirth.
I am the bird, up in the sky,
I am the cloud, that's drifting by.
I am the thoughts, inside your head,
While I'm still there, I can't be dead.
A65. Our Dad, Our Hero
You held our hand when we were small
You caught us when we fell;
You're the hero of our childhood
And our later years as well.
And every time we think of you,
Our hearts still fill with pride.
Though we’ll always miss you, Dad
We know you're by our side.
In laughter and in sorrow,
In sunshine and through rain,
We know you're watching over us
Until we meet again.
A66. Your Mother
Although you cannot hear her
voice or see her smile no more,
your mother walks beside you
still just as she did before.
She listens to your stories and
she wipes away your tears;
she wraps her arms around you
and she understand your fears.
It's just she isn't visible to see with
human eye, but talk to her in
silence and her spirit will reply.
You'll feel the love she has for you.
You'll hear her in your heart;
she's left her human body but
your souls will never part.
A67. The Best Of Us
Dad [Mum/Gran/Grandad] you know we’ll miss you more
Than any words could say,
But we know that you’re with us
Each minute of the day.
That’s because we carry you
Within our mind and heart,
Our love keeps us together
Death cannot make us part.
You’re living here within us
With every selfless deed
Like when we show compassion
Or help a friend in need.
Your spirit’s shining through us
Each time we rise above,
And when we take a moment
To show our strength with love.
Those days we act with honour
Or share a joyful smile
We remind the world that you
Have been here the whole while.
Thank you for your legacy,
For all you chose to do.
We hope you know that we know
The best of us, is you.