Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s pow’r? Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day Įarth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away When other helpers fail and comforts flee,

The darkness deepens Lord, with me abide I know that no flower, nor flint was in vain on the path I trod.Īs one looks on a face through a window, through life I have looked on God, I know that another shall finish the task I surely must leave undone. I gave a share of my soul to the world, when and where my course is run. I have longed for death in the darkness and risen alive out of hell. I have known the peace of heaven, the comfort of work done well. I have struck my hand like a seal in the loyal hand of a friend. I have kissed young love on the lips, I have heard his song to the end, My cheeks like a drowsy child to the face of the earth I have pressed. I have run and leaped with the rain, I have taken the wind to my breast. I have sent up my gladness on wings, to be lost in the blue of the sky. Some are modern, some are ancient, but each can be helpful in putting words to what is experienced by those who are left behind.īecause I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die. Here, we have collected 101 of the best, most popular, and most enduring funeral poems in the English language. There are many works which contemplate life and death in a way that richly communicates our common humanity and as such are commonly used as funeral poems. Words such as these can transcend our own limited expressive abilities to portray a surpassing sense of love, longing, and grief. These can vary, from reasured classics, such as Tennyson’s In Memoriam or Stevenson’s Success, or famous religious texts like Psalm 23 or Newton’s Amazing Grace, or even anonymous lines like the epitaph on an Irish tombstone:ĭeath leaves a heartache no one can heal, This is where funeral poems can be extraordinarily helpful. Composing your own memorial poetry is a wonderful excercise which helps you work through and express your grief and love, but rare is the person who can craft words to say exactly what they want to say. A recitation of the departed loved one’s life and accomplishments is important, but rarely captures the poetic vitality of a beautiful life.

Felt poem of the river rar