Poems, Quotes & Verses

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.
Helen Lowrie Marshall

All is Well

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped into 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 to.
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 effect,
Without the trace of shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was,
There is 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.
Henry Scott Holland, Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral

If I Should Go Tomorrow

If I should go tomorrow,
It would never be goodbye,
For I have left my heart with you,
So don’t you ever cry.
The love that’s deep within me,
Shall reach you from the stars
You’ll feel it from the heavens,
And it will heal the scars.
Anon

Memories

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.
Anon

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush.
I am the swift uplifting rush.

Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there, I did not die.
Mary Frye

Angels

When you were born,
An angel smiled,
As you became a child,
An angel sat on your shoulder
When you became an adult,
An angel held your hand
As you grew old,
An angel walked down the road with you,
And, when you died,
Another angel got their wings.
Unknown

The Butterfly

In life there is no certainty,
No guarantees are given at birth,
No promise of longevity or fairness
In our time on earth.
Length in years is not a way to
Measure what a life is worth,
The butterfly lives only days,
But soars to heights with grace and mirth.
Anon

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 too long.
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me – but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all must take,
And each must go alone;
It’s all part of the Master’s plan,
A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely, and sick of heart,
Go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,
Miss me – but let me go.
Christina Rosetti

Remember

Remember me with a smile
Now my life on this earth is done.

My dreams have all been fulfilled
And a new life has just begun.

Remember me with a smile
When grief may cause you to weep.

One day we will laugh once again
When our Heavenly meeting we keep.

Let’s be thankful we shared precious love,
Keep the memories warm for a while.

Let them bring peace to your heart
And remember me – with a smile.
Unknown

Memories of the Heart

Feel no guilt in laughter,
She knows how much you care.
Feel no sorrow in a smile
That she’s not here to share.
You cannot grieve forever,
She would not want you to.
She’d hope that you would carry on
The way you always do.
So talk about the good times
And the ways you showed you cared.
The days you spent together,
All the happiness you shared.
Let the memories surround you:
A word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day.
That will bring her back
As clearly as though she were still here,
And fill you with the feelings that she is always near.
For if you keep those memories
You will never be apart
And she will live forever
Locked safe within your heart.
Jill Wolf

She / He is Gone

You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come Back or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday Or you can be happy for tomorrow
Because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she’s gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
Be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she’d want:
Smile, open our eyes, love and go on.
Anon

When I Am Gone

When I am gone, release me – let me go
I have so many things to see and do.

You must not tie yourself to me with tears
Be happy that we had so many years.

I gave you love, you can only guess,
how much you gave me in happiness.

I thank you for the love each have shown,
but now it is time I travelled alone.

So grieve awhile for me if grieve you must,
then let your grief be comforted by trust.

It is only for a while that we must part
so bless those memories within your heart.

I will not be far away, for life goes on.
So if you need me, call and I will come.

Though you cannot see or touch me, I will be near
and if you listen with your heart, you will hear.

All of my love around you, soft and clear.
Then when you must come this way alone,
I will greet you with a smile and “Welcome Home”.
Anon

In Memory

Serene and beautiful and very wise,
Most erudite in curious Grecian lore,
You lay and read your learned books,
And bore a weight of unshed tears and silent sighs.
The song within your heart could never rise
Until love bade it spread its wings and soar.
Nor could you look on Beauty’s face before
A poet’s burning mouth had touched your eyes.

Love is made out of ecstasy and wonder;
Love is a poignant and accustomed pain.
It is a burst of Heaven-shaking thunder;
It is a linnet’s fluting after rain.
Love’s voice is through your song;
Above and under
And in each note to echo and remain.

A red rose is His Sacred Heart,
A white rose is His face,
And His breath has turned the barren World
To a rich and flowery place.
He is the Rose of Sharon,
His gardener am I,
And I shall drink His fragrance
In Heaven when I die.
Joyce Kilmer

When I Must Leave You

When I must leave you for a little while,
Please do not grieve and shed wild tears
And hug your sorrow to you through the years,
But start out bravely with a smile.
And for my sake and in my name,
Live on and do all the things the same.
Feed not your loneliness on empty days,
But fill each waking hour in useful ways.
Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer,
And I, in turn, will comfort you and hold you near.
And never, never be afraid to die,
For I am waiting for you in the sky.
Helen Steiner Rice

I’m Free

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free.
I’m following the path God has laid you see.

I took his hand when I heard Him call.
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day.
To laugh, to love, to work, or play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I found that peace at the close of the day.

If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, oh yes,
These things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life’s been full, I savoured much.
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief.
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts and peace to thee.
God wanted me now: He set me free.
Anon

In Our Hearts

We thought of you with love today.
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday.
And days before that too.
We think of you in silence.
We often speak your name.
Now all we have is memories.
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake.
With which we’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping.
We have you in our heart.
Author unknown

Say Not, They Die

Say not, they die, those splendid souls,
Whose life is winged with purpose fine;
Who leave us, pointed to the goals;
Who learn to conquer and resign.

Such cannot die; they vanquish time,
And fill the world with glowing light,
Making the human life sublime
With memories of their secret might.

They cannot die whose lives are part
Of the great life that is to be;
Whose hearts beat with the world’s great heart,
And throb with its high intensity.

Those souls are great, who, dying,
Gave a gift of greater life to man;
Death stands abashed before the brave;
They own a life death cannot ban.
Anon

The Broken Chain

I little knew that morning.
God was going to call your name,
In life I loved you dearly,
In death I do the same.

It broke my heart to loose you,
You did not go alone,
For part of me went with you,
The day God called you home.

You left me beautiful memories
Your love is still my guide,
And though we cannot see you,
You’re always at my side.

Our family chain is broken
And nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.
Anon

Memorial Day

The bugle echoes shrill and sweet,
But not of war it sings to-day.
The road is rhythmic with the feet
Of men-at-arms who come to pray.
The roses blossom white and red
On tombs where weary soldiers lie;
Flags wave above the honoured dead
And martial music cleaves the sky.
Above their wreath-strewn graves we kneel,
They kept the faith and fought the fight.
Through flying lead and crimson steel
They plunged for Freedom and the Right.
May we, their grateful children,
Learn their strength, who lie beneath this sod,
Who went through fire and death to earn
At last the accolade of God.
In shining rank on rank arrayed
They march, the legions of the Lord;
He is their Captain unafraid,
The Prince of Peace . . . Who brought a sword.
Joyce Kilmer

Little Angels

When God calls little children to dwell with Him above,
We mortals sometime question the wisdom of His love
For no heartache compares
With the death of one small child
Who does so much to make our world,
Seem wonderful and mild
Perhaps God tires of calling the aged to his fold,
So He picks a rosebud, before it can grow old.
God knows how much we need them,
And so He takes but few
To make the land of Heaven more beautiful to view.
Believing this is difficult still somehow we must try,
The saddest word mankind knows
Will always be “Goodbye.”
So when a little child departs,
We who are left behind
Must realise God loves children,
Angels are hard to find.
Anon

Do Not Go Gently Into That Good Night

Do not go gently into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning
They do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Dylan Thomas

Special Angel In Heaven

There’s a special Angel in Heaven
That is a part of me.
It is not where I wanted her
But where God wanted her to be.
She was here for just a moment
Like a night time shooting star
And though she is in Heaven,
She isn’t very far.
She touched the hearts of many
Like only Angels can.
I would’ve held her every minute
If I’d only known God’s plan.
So I send this special message
To the Heavens up above.
Please take care of my Angel
And send her all my love.
Anon

But Not Forgotten

I think no matter where you stray,
That I shall go with you a way.
Though you may wander sweeter lands,
You will not forget my hands,
Nor yet the way I held my head
Nor the tremulous things I said.
You will still see me, small and white
And smiling, in the secret night,
And feel my arms about you
When the day comes fluttering back again.
I think, no matter where you be,
You’ll hold me in your memory
And keep my image there without me,
By telling later loves about me.
Dorothy Parker

Your Life Was Full of Loving Deeds

Your life was full of loving deeds,
Forever thoughtful of our special needs,
Today and tomorrow, my whole life through,
I will always love and cherish you.
Anon

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 the sorrows and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort,
Where there are no days or 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.
Anon

To My Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor aught by love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way reply;
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persever,
That when we live no more we may live ever.
Anne Bradstreet

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing,
Fly scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

There is No Night Without a Dawning

There is no night without a dawning
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
Helen Steiner Rice

In My Heart

Right now I’m in a different place
And though we seem apart
I’m closer than I ever was
I’m there inside your heart
I’m with you when you greet each day
And while the sun shines bright
I’m there to share the sunsets too,
I’m with you every night
I’m with you when the times are good
To share a laugh or two,
And if a tear should start to fall
I’ll still be there for you
And when that day arrives
That we no longer are apart,
I’ll smile and hold you close to me
Forever in my heart
Anon

To Grandmother With Love

I had an angel here beside me,
Sent to Earth to help and guide me,
An angel always there for me
Sent to love and care for me.
She did the things that angels should:
She taught me what was bad and good,
She gave me hope when no one cared,
She held my hand when I was scared,
She cheered me up when I was down
(She could make a smile from a frown),
She doctored me when I was sick,
And many another angel trick.
Today my angel earned her wings
Her halo, harp and other things.
But today I’m lost and all alone
For today God called my angel home.
Anon

I Am Still With You

If it seems that I am far away
On this empty and solemn day
Just open your heart and know it’s true
That I am still right here with you.

If during the day things are going wrong
Please don’t feel sad and alone.
Just open your heart and know it’s true
That I am still right here with you.
When night time falls and the day is done
If you are feeling alone and sleep won’t come
Just open your heart and know it’s true
That I am still right here with you.

Close your eyes, and feel the warm embrace
Sleep peacefully in the wings of grace
If sadness finds you in the morning light
If you feel alone, don’t give up trying
Hold this feather close and know it’s true
That I am always here with you.
Julie Johnson

Our Dear Dad

Although we are apart now
You’re always in our hearts,
In every single thing we do,
You play the biggest part.
When we have to make decisions
And we don’t know what to do,
Our thoughts, we find
Will go right back to you.
We think of how you’d handle it
And try to work it out,
It’s at times like this we’ll really miss
Having you about, not only for this reason
When things are going bad,
There’s a million different reasons
Why we’ll miss you Dad.
Anon

Memories of The Heart

Feel no guilt in laughter,
He knows how much you care.
Feel no sorrow in a smile
That he’s not here to share.
You cannot grieve forever,
He would not want you to.
He’d hope that you would carry on
The way you always do.
So talk about the good times
And the ways you showed you cared.
The days you spent together,
All the happiness you shared.
Let the memories surround you,
A word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture
A time, an hour, a day.
That brings him back as clearly
As though he were still here,
And fills you with the feelings
That he is always near.
For if you keep those memories
You will never be apart
And he will live forever
Locked safe within your heart.
Anon

Requiem

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.
Robert Louis Stevenson

Until We Meet Again

We think about you always,
We talk about you still,
You have never been forgotten,
And you never will.
We hold you close within our hearts,
And there you will remain,
To walk and guide us through our lives
Until we meet again.
Anon

Farewell

Farewell to Thee!
But not farewell to all my fondest thoughts of Thee; Within my heart they still shall dwell
And they shall cheer and comfort me.
Life seems more sweet that Thou didst live
And men more true Thou wert one
Nothing is lost that Thou didst give,
Nothing destroyed that Thou hast done.
Anne Bronte

Wonderful Mother

God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine,
And He molded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses
You see; God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to me.
Anon

Dear Friends I Go

Dear friends I go, but do not weep
I’ve lived my life, so full and deep
Throughout my life, I gave my best
I earned my keep, I’ve earned my rest
I never tried to be great or grand
I tried to be a helping hand.
If I helped in a team, if I helped on my own
It was more than repaid
By good family and friends I have known.
And if I went the extra mile,
I did it with pleasure, it was all worthwhile.
If I brightened your path, then let it be
A small contribution from my loved ones and me,
Now sadly I leave you and travel alone
Through a mystic veil to the great unknown.
With such beautiful memories
That will forever be the way that I hope
You’ll remember me.
Anon

So Go and Run Free

So go and run free with the angels
Dance around the golden clouds
For the Lord has chosen you to be with him
And we should feel nothing but proud

Although he has taken you from us
And our pain a lifetime will last
Your memory will never escape us
But make us glad for the time we did have

Your face will always be hidden
Deep inside our hearts
Each precious moment you gave us
Shall never, ever depart

So go and run free with the angels
As they sing so tenderly
And please be sure to tell them
To take good care of you for me.
Author Unknown

My Mother’s Garden

My Mother kept a garden,
A garden of the heart.
She planted all the good things
That gave my life its start.
She turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rains came
She protected me enough,
But not too much,
She knew I’d need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong –
Markers for my pathway
That will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother’s garden,
I am her legacy.
And I hope today she feels the love
Reflected back from me.
Anon

Memories of Grandad

The love we have for Grandad
Will never fade away.
We’ll think of him, our special friend
Throughout each passing day.
We’ll walk into the room
And see his empty chair;
Although we know he’s resting,
We’ll feel his presence there.
The memories of his laughter,
His warm and loving smile,
His eyes so full of happiness,
His heart that of a child.
Memories are forever
Be they laughter or of tears,
Memories we will treasure
Through all the forthcoming years.
Author Unknown

A Baby So Sweet

He passed away so innocent and true
So brief was his time, we hardly knew.
A baby so sweet with a precious smile
The time we had with him was so worthwhile.
An early arrival in Heaven that day
Met by the angels in all their array
A comforting thought as they welcomed him there
So much to see and so much to share.
Anon

The White Chariot

During your journey on your final flight home.
White wings will carry you and you will be flown.
To the pearly gates of Heaven,
Where they will usher you in.
To the feet of your Lord, your Saviour, and your friend.
He will hold you in his arms and the angels will sing.
As another one of His children
Is delivered by white wings.
Julie Johnson

Letting Go of You

I know I have to let you go.
How I will I do not know.
I know that it’s your time to die.
What I don’t know is how to say goodbye.
I’ll miss you so much I don’t know what to do.
I guess I’ll just end this poem
With a goodbye and an I love you.
Jenna Leigh Walters

Epitaph on a Child

Here, freed from pain, secure from misery,
Lies a child, the darling of his parents’ eyes:
A gentler Lamb ne’er sported on the plain,
A fairer flower will never bloom again:
Few were the days allotted to his breath;
Now let him sleep in peace his night of death.
Thomas Gray

This Heritage

They are not dead,
Who leave us this great heritage
Of remembered joy.
They still live in our hearts,
In the happiness we knew,
In the dreams we shared.
They still breathe,
In the lingering fragrance windblown,
From their favourite flowers.
They still smile in the moonlight’s silver
And laugh in the sunlight’s sparkling gold.
They still speak in the echoes of words
We’ve heard them say again and again.
They still move, in the rhythm of waving grasses,
In the dance of the tossing branches.
They are not dead;
Their memory is warm in our hearts,
Comfort in our sorrow.
They are not apart from us, but a part of us
For love is eternal,
And those we love shall be with us
Throughout all eternity.
Anon

Crossing the Bar

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness or farewell,
When I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.
Alfred Lord Tennyson

What Is This Thing That Men Call Death

What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
‘Tis not the end, but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.
O God, touch thou my aching heart,
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.
There is no death, but only change,
With recompense for vict’ry won.
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.
Gordon B. Hinckley

Dirge Without Music

I am not resigned to the shutting away
Of loving hearts in the hard ground.
So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been,
Time out of mind: into the darkness they go,
The wise and the lovely crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go

But I am not resigned.
Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you.
Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust.
A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew,
A formula, a phrase remains, but the best is lost.

The answers quick and keen,
The honest look, the laughter, the love,
They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses.
Elegant and curled is the blossom.
Fragrant is the blossom. I know.
But I do not approve.
More precious was the light in your eyes
Than all the roses in the world.

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.
Edna St. Vincent Millay

Gone Fishing

I’ve finished life’s chores assigned to me,
So put me on a boat headed out to sea.
Please send along my fishing pole
For I’ve been invited to the fishin’ hole.
Where every day is a day to fish,
To fill your heart with every wish.
Don’t worry, or feel sad for me,
I’m fishin’ with the Master of the sea.
We will miss each other for awhile,
But you will come and bring your smile.
That won’t be long you will see,
Till we’re together you and me.
To all of those that think of me,
Be happy as I go out to sea.
If others wonder why I’m missin’
Just tell ‘em I’ve gone fishin’.
Dalmar Pepper

If Death Is Kind

Perhaps if death is kind, and there can be returning,
We will come back to earth some fragrant night,
And take these lanes to find the sea, and bending
Breathe the same honeysuckle, low and white.
We will come down at night
To these resounding beaches
And the long gentle thunder of the sea,
Here for a single hour in the wide starlight
We shall be happy, for the dead are free.
Sara Teasdale

Fond Memories

There are some we meet in passing
And forget as soon as they go
There are some we remember with pleasure
And feel honoured and privileged to know
You were that kind of person
Who leaves beautiful memories behind
And there will be many days
Which will bring fond memories to mind.
Anon

The Rose Beyond The Wall

Near a shady wall a rose once grew,
Budded and blossomed in God’s free light,
Watered and fed by the morning dew,
Shedding it’s sweetness day and night.
As it grew and blossomed fair and tall,
Slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall
Through which there shone a beam of light.
Onward it crept with added strength
With never a thought of fear or pride,
It followed the light through the crevice’s length
And unfolded itself on the other side.
The light, the dew, the broadening view
Were found the same as they were before,
And it lost itself in beauties new,
Breathing it’s fragrance more and more.
Shall claim of death cause us to grieve
And make our courage faint and fall?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive–
The rose still grows beyond the wall,
Scattering fragrance far and wide
Just as it did in days of yore,
Just as it did on the other side,
Just as it will forever-more.
A. L. Frink

Come Along With Me

God saw you getting tired,
And a cure was not to be.
So he put his arms around you,

And whispered, “Come along with me.”
With tearful eyes we watched you
Slowly fade away.
Although we loved you dearly,

We knew you couldn’t stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Working hands were put to rest.
God broke my heart to prove to us,
He only takes the best.
Anon

To Sleep

O soft embalmer of the still midnight,
Shutting, with careful fingers and benign,
Our gloom-pleas’d eyes, embower’d from the light,
Enshaded in forgetfulness divine:
O soothest Sleep! If so it please thee, close
In midst of this thine hymn my willing eyes,
Or wait the “Amen,” ere thy poppy throws
Around my bed its lulling charities.
Then save me, or the passed day will shine
Upon my pillow, breeding many woes,–
Save me from curious conscience,
That still lords its strength for darkness,
Burrowing like a mole;
Turn the key deftly in the oiled wards,
And seal the hushed casket of my Soul.
John Keats

Poem Of Life

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road,
To sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
But never meant to stay…
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey’s quicker,
For some the journey’s slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the lord.
Anon

Forever in our Hearts

A million times we needed you,
A million times we cried,
If love alone would have saved you,
You never would of died.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we love you still,
In our hearts you hold a place, no one can ever fill.
A light from our household is gone,
A voice from our love is stilled,
A place in our vacant home,which never can be filled.
Some may think you are forgotten,
Though on earth you are no more,
But in our memory you are with us,
As you always were before.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone,
A part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.Your precious memories are for keepsakes,
With which we never part,
God has you safely in his keeping,
But we have you forever in our hearts.
Anon

The Lords Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven;
Hallowed be Thy Name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
Those who trespass against us;
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil;
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
And the glory, forever and ever.
Amen.

Funeral Prayer for a Child

God of all mystery,
Whose ways are beyond understanding,
Lead us, who grieve at this untimely death,
To a new and deeper faith in your love,
Which brought your only Son Jesus
Through death into resurrection life.
We make our prayer in Jesus’ name.
Amen.

Thanksgiving for the Life of the Deceased

Blessed be the God and Father
Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who has blessed us all with the gift of this earthly life
And has given to our brother/sister [Name]
His/her span of years and gifts of character.
God our Father, we thank you now for all his/her life,
For every memory of love and joy,
For every good deed done by him/her
And every sorrow shared with us.
We thank you for his/her life and for his/her death,
We thank you for the rest in Christ he/she now enjoys,
We thank you for giving him/her to us,
We thank you for the glory we shall share together.
Hear our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Catholic Funeral Prayer

God our Father,
Your power brings us to birth,
Your providence guides our lives,
And by Your command we return to dust.
Lord, those who die still live in Your presence,
Their lives change but do not end.
I pray in hope for my family,
Relatives and friends,
And for all the dead known to You alone.
In company with Christ,
Who died and now lives,
May they rejoice in Your kingdom,
Where all our tears are wiped away.
Unite us together again in one family,
To sing Your praise forever and ever.
Amen.

Lord Jesus, Our Redeemer

Lord Jesus, our redeemer,
You willingly gave yourself up to death,
So that all might be saved and pass from death to life.
By dying you unlocked the gates of life
For all those who believe in you.
So we commend [Name] into your arms of mercy,
Believing that, with sins forgiven,
He/she will share a place of happiness,
Light and peace in the kingdom of your glory for ever.
Amen.

Day by Day

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you
For all the benefits you have won for us,
For all the pains and insults you have borne for us.
Most merciful redeemer,
Friend and brother,
May we know you more clearly,
Love you more dearly,
And follow you more nearly, day by day.
Amen.

Christ be with me

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Jewish Funeral Prayer

God full of mercy who dwells on high
Grant perfect rest on the wings of Your Divine Presence
In the lofty heights of the holy and pure
Who shine as the brightness of the heavens
To the soul of [Name].

Who has gone to his eternal rest
As all his family and friends
Pray for the elevation of his soul.

His resting place shall be in the Garden of Eden.
Therefore, the Master of mercy will care for him
Under the protection of His wings for all time
And bind his soul in the bond of everlasting life.
God is his inheritance and he will rest in peace
And let us say Amen.

El maley rachamim shochen bam’romim
Hamtzey menuchah nechonah al kanfey haschechinah
Bema’alot kedoshim ute’horim
Kezohar harakia me’irim umazhirim
Lenishmat

Shehalach le’olamo
Ba’avur shekol beney hamishpachah, yedidim
Umakirim
Mitpalelim le’iluy nishmato
Began eden tehey menuchato
Lachen ba’al harachamim yastireyhu
Beseter kenafav le’olamim
Veyitzror bitzror hachayim et nismato
Adonai hu nachalato Veyanuach beshalom al Mishkavo
Venomar amen.

Funeral Service Prayer

Heavenly Father,
You have not made us for darkness and death,
But for life with you forever.
Without you we have nothing to hope for;
With you we have nothing to fear.
Speak to us now your words of eternal life.
Lift us from anxiety and guilt
To the light and peace of your presence,
And set the glory of your love before us;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Funeral Prayer

Almighty God,
You love everything you have made
And judge us with infinite mercy and justice.
We rejoice in your promises of pardon, joy and peace
To all those who love you.
In your mercy turn the darkness of death into the Dawn of new life,
And the sorrow of parting into the joy of heaven;
Through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Who died, rose again, and lives for evermore.
Amen.

23rd Psalm Prayer

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.

Amazing Grace

Almighty God, in your great love
You crafted us by your hand
And breathed life into us by your Spirit.
Although we became a rebellious people,
You did not abandon us to our sin.
In your tender mercy you sent your Son
To restore in us your image.
In obedience to your will
He gave up his life for us,
Bearing in his body our sins on the cross.
By your mighty power
You raised him from the grave
And exalted him to the throne of glory.
Rejoicing in his victory
And trusting in your promise
To make alive all who turn to Christ,
We commend to your mercy
And we join with all your faithful people
And the whole company of heaven
In the one unending song of praise:
Glory and wisdom and honour
Be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Christian Funeral Prayer

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, refresh me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Let me never be separated from you.
From the power of darkness defend me.
In the hour of my death, call me
And bid me come to you,
That with your saints I may praise you
For ever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer for Mourners

Father of all mercies and God of all consolation,
You pursue us with untiring love
And dispel the shadow of death
With the bright dawn of life.
Give courage to this family in their loss and sorrow.
Be their refuge and strength, O Lord,
Reassure them of your continuing love
And lift them from the depths of grief
Into the peace and light of your presence.
Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
By dying has destroyed our death,
And by rising, restored our life.
Your Holy Spirit, our comforter,
Speaks for us in groans too deep for words.
Come alongside your people,
Remind them of your eternal presence
And give them your comfort and strength.
Amen.

Sudden Death Prayer

God of hope, we come to you in shock and grief
And confusion of heart.
Help us to find peace in the knowledge
Of your loving mercy to all your children,
And give us light to guide us out of our darkness
Into the assurance of your love,
In Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Funeral Prayer for the Family

O God, you do not willingly grieve
Or afflict your children.
Look with pity on the suffering
Of this family in their loss.
Sustain them in their anguish;
And into the darkness of their grief
Bring the light of your love;
Through Jesus we pray.
Amen.

Lord, in Weakness or in Strength

Lord, in weakness or in strength
We bear your image.
We pray for those we love
Who now live in a land of shadows,
Where the light of memory is dimmed,
Where the familiar lies unknown,
Where the beloved become as strangers.
Hold them in your everlasting arms,
And grant to those who care
A strength to serve,
A patience to persevere,
A love to last
And a peace that passes human understanding.
Hold us in your everlasting arms,
Today and for all eternity;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen.

Living God, You Have Lit the Day with the Sun’s Light

Living God, you have lit the day with the sun’s light
And the midnight with shining stars.
Lighten our hearts with the bright beams
Of the Sun of Righteousness
Risen with healing in his wings,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
And so preserve us in the doing of your will,
That at the last we may shine
As the stars for ever;
Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Eternal God and Father

Eternal God and Father,
We praise you that you have made people
To share life together
And to reflect your glory in the world.
We thank you now for [Name] ,
For all that we saw of your goodness and love
In his/her life
And for all that he/she means to each one of us.
As we too journey towards death
May we do so in the company of Jesus,
Who came to share our life
That we might share the life of eternity.
To him be glory with you and the Holy Spirit
For ever and ever.
Amen.

Psalm of Comfort

As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
So panteth my soul after Thee, O God.
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:
‘When shall I come and appear before God?’
My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say unto me all the day:
‘Where is Thy God?’
These things I remember,
And pour out my soul within me,
How I passed on with the throng,
And led them to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and praise,
A multitude keeping holyday.
Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
And why moanest thou within me?
Hope thou in God;
For I shall yet praise Him for the salvation
Of His countenance.

Catholic Prayer for the Deceased

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed
Through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Amen.

Standard Thank You

Our family would like to thank you for attending the funeral service today. It is a comfort to know that we are surrounded by the love and thoughts of relatives and friends who join with us as we reflect, pay tribute and share our memories of [name of deceased].

Bookmark Thank You’s

When, from time to time you see this in your books remember [name of deceased], his/her beautiful smile and love of nature.
Thank you for the love and thoughts shown to us as we reflect, pay tribute and share
our memories of [name].

[Name of deceased] was a person with a beautiful spirit, she will always be loved and fondly remembered.
When, from time to time you see this in your books, please remember [name] with a smile.

[Name of deceased] was a generous man with a heart of gold, and he saw a new friend
in anyone he met.
When, from time to time you see this in your books, please remember [name] with a smile.

Invitation to Wake or Gathering

Please join the family after the service for light refreshments at 123 Wake Street, Perth.

We would love for you to join us at the conclusion of the service for refreshments at
123 Wake Street, Perth.

Following the service family and friends are invited for refreshments at 123 Wake Street, Perth.

After the service, family and friends are invited to share memories of [name] life at
123 Wake Street, Perth.

You are all warmly invited to gather at 123 Wake Street, Perth, for refreshments at the conclusion
of the service.

Please join us in celebrating [name] life at
123 Wake Street, Perth.

At the conclusion of the service you are invited to share refreshments in the condolence lounge.

We invite you for some light refreshments in the church foyer at the conclusion of the service.

After the service, you are all welcome to join us at
123 Wake Street. Perth, for refreshments.

Please join the family in remembering the life of [name] at 123 Wake Street, Perth.

At the conclusion of the service you are welcome to share refreshments with [name] family at
123 Wake Street, Perth.

Other Thank You Wording

We wish to warmly thank you for your comforting words and genuine acts of kindness in our time of sadness.

Words cannot express how grateful our family is for your generous support, encouraging words, and thoughts and prayers. Thank you for thinking of us in our time of need.

We deeply appreciate your thoughtfulness and thank you most sincerely.

Of great comfort during our sorrow were the expressions of sympathy conveyed to us in many ways. We appreciate your thoughtfulness and thank you most sincerely.

The family wish to express their deep appreciation and sincerely thank you for your kind expressions of sympathy.

We are sincerely grateful to the many family and friends who have given us support and comfort during this time of loss.

Perhaps you sent a lovely card, or sat upon a chair.
Perhaps you sent us beautiful flowers. If so, we saw them there. Perhaps you spoke the kindest words that any friend could say. Perhaps you were not there at all, just thought of us that day.
Whatever you did to console our hearts,
We thank you so much, whatever your part.

To sincerely thank you for your kind expressions of sympathy in our recent bereavement.

Just a note to thank you for your
kindness during our time of need.

With appreciation for your thoughtfulness.

Your kind expression of sympathy during our time of sorrow is greatly appreciated.

Our family acknowledges with grateful appreciation your kind expression of sympathy.

A friendly smile, a casual touch.
These are the things that mean so much.
To know you are with us in our time of sorrow.
Sharing our prayers, today and tomorrow.

The Lord’s My Shepherd

1. The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want;
he makes me down to lie in pastures green;
he leadeth me the quiet waters by.

2. My soul he doth restore again,
and me to walk doth make
within the paths of righteousness,
even for his own name’s sake.

3. Yea, though I walk through death’s dark vale,
yet will I fear none ill;
for thou art with me,
and thy rod and staff me comfort still.

4. My table thou hast furnished
in presence of my foes;
my head thou dost with oil anoint,
and my cup overflows.

5. Goodness and mercy all my life
shall surely follow me;
and in God’s house for evermore
my dwelling-place shall be.

Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer

1. Guide me, O Thou Great Redeemer,
pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty;
hold me with thy powerful hand:
Bread of heaven,feed me now and evermore.

2. Open now the crystal fountain
whence the healing stream doth flow;
let the fiery cloudy pillar
lead me all my journey through:
strong deliverer,
be thou still my strength and shield.

3. When I tread the verge ofJordan,
bid my anxious fears subside;
death of death, and hell’s destruction,
land me safe on Canaan’s side:
songs and praises
I will ever give to thee.

Morning Has Broken

1. Morning has broken, like the first morning;
blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing fresh from the Word!

2. Sweet the rain’s new fall sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness where his feet pass.

3. Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning
born of the one light Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God’s re-creation of the new day!

Lead Us, Heavenly Father

1. Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o’er the world’s tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
if our God our Father be.

2. Saviour, breathe forgiveness o’er us:
all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us,
thou didst feel its keenest woe;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
through the desert thou didst go.

3. Spirit of our God, descending,
fill our hearts with heavenly joy,
love with every passion blending,
pleasure that can never cloy:
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
nothing can our peace destroy.

Amazing Grace

1. Amazing grace (how sweet the sound)
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.

2. ‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;
how precious did that grace appear
the hour I first believed!

3. Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come:
’tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

4. The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

5. Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
and mortal life shall cease:
I shall possess, within the veil,
a life of joy and peace.

6. When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
bright shining as the sun,
we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise,
than when we first begun.

Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.

2. Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy grace receive;
suddenly return, and never,
never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above;
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.

3. Finish then thy new creation:
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee;
changed from glory into glory
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

1. All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

2. Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
he made their glowing colours,
he made their tiny wings:

3. The purple-headed mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset, and the morning
that brightens up the sky:

4. The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
he made them everyone:

5. The tall trees in the greenwood,
the meadows where we play,
the rushes by the water
we gather every day:

6. He gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God almighty,
who has made all things well:

7. All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.

In Heavenly Love Abiding

1. In heavenly love abiding,
no change my heart shall fear;
and safe is such confiding,
for nothing changes here:
the storm may roar without me,
my heart may low be laid;
but God is round about me,
and can I be dismayed?

2. Wherever he may guide me,
no want shall turn me back;
my Shepherd is beside me,
and nothing can I lack:
his wisdom ever waketh,
his sight is never dim,
he knows the way he taketh,
and I will walk with him.

3. Green pastures are before me,
which yet I have not seen;
bright skies will soon be o’er me,
where darkest clouds have been;
my hope I cannot measure,
my path to life is free;
my Saviour has my treasure,
and he will walk with me.

O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go

1. O love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life l owe,
that in thine ocean depths its flow
may richer, fuller be.

2. O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
my heart restores its borrowed ray,
that in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
may brighter, fairer be.

3. O joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
and feel the promise is not vain,
that morn shall tearless be.

4. O cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
and from the ground there blossoms red
life that shall endless be.

Eternal Father, Strong To Save

1. Eternal Father, strong to save,
whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
its own appointed limits keep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

2. O Christ, whose voice the waters heard
and hushed their raging at thy word,
who walkedst on the foaming deep,
and calm amid the storm didst sleep:
o hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

3. O Holy Spirit, who didst brood
upon the waters dark and rude,
and bid their angry tumult cease,
and give, for wild confusion, peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
for those in peril on the sea.

4. O Trinity of love and power,
our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
from rock and tempest, fire and foe,
protect them wheresoe’er they go:
thus evermore shall rise to thee
glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Alleluia

1. Alleluia, sing to Jesus!
His the sceptre, his the throne;
alleluia, his the triumph,
his the victory alone:
hark, the songs of peaceful Sion
thunder like a mighty flood;
Jesus out of every nation
hath redeemed us by his blood.

2. Alleluia, not as orphans
are we left in sorrow now;
alleluia, he is near us,
faith believes, nor questions how:
though the cloud from sight received him
when the forty days were o’er,
shall our hearts forget his promise,
‘I am with you evermore’?

3. Alleluia, bread of angels,
thou on earth our food, our stay;
alleluia, here the sinful
flee to thee from day to day:
Intercessor, Friend of sinners,
earth’s Redeemer, plead for me,
where the songs of all the sinless
sweep across the crystal sea.

4. Alleluia, King eternal,
thee the Lord of lords we own;
alleluia, born of Mary,
earth thy footstool, heaven thy throne:
thou within the veil hast entered,
robed in flesh, our great High Priest ;
thou on earth both Priest and Victim
in the eucharistic feast.

Jesus, Lover Of My Soul

1. Jesus lover of my soul,
let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll,
while the tempest still is high:
hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last.

2. Other refuge have I none,
hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah, leave me not alone,
still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenceless head
with the shadow of thy wing.

3. Thou, O Christ, art all I want;
more than all in thee I find;
raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
false and full of sin I am,
thou art full of truth and grace.

4. Plenteous grace with thee is found,
grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound,
make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art:
freely let me take of thee,
spring thou up within my heart,
rise to all eternity.

A Prayer

The death of someone we love and care about
Is like the death of part of us.
No one else will ever call out from within us
Quite the same responses,
the same feelings or actions or ideas.
Their death is an ending of one part of a story.
Lord as we look back over [name] life
We ask what we have received,
what we can appropriate
And continue on in our own lives
and what must be laid to rest.
Our love for her reminds us
that our sharing In one another’s lives
brings both support and pain.
Our being parted from her reminds us
of our own mortality
And that your love is enduring.
We thank you that our love for [name]
draws us together
And gives us a new appreciation of one another
And of the beauty and fragility of relationships
Which mirror your grace and goodness to us.
Lord, time’s tide may wash his/her footprints
from the shore
But not our love for him/her
nor the influence of his/her life upon our own
Nor the ways in which they will ever be a sign for us
Of those things which really matter which are eternal.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.

When I Die and Leave Behind

When I die and leave behind this earth I love
These trees, this sky, the pounding sea,
The yearly hope of spring, cry not for me,
Rejoice.
My soul has wings and in it’s freedom sings.

Farewell, Sweet Dust

Now I have lost you, I must scatter
All of you on the air henceforth;
Not that to me it can ever matter
But it’s only fair to the rest of the earth.
Now especially, when it is winter
And the sun’s not half as bright as it was,
Who wouldn’t be glad to find a splinter
That once was you, in the frozen grass?
Snowflakes, too, will be softer feathered,
Clouds, perhaps, will be whiter plumed;
Rain, whose brilliance you caught and gathered,
Purer silver have resumed.
Farewell, sweet dust; I never was a miser:
Once, for a minute, I made you mine:
Now you are gone, I am none the wiser
But the leaves of the willow are as bright as wine.

We Let You Go

Into the darkness and warmth of the earth
We lay you down
Into the sadness and smiles of our memories
We lay you down
Into the cycle of living and dying and rising again
We lay you down
May you rest in peace, in fulfilment, in loving
May you run straight home in God’s embrace
Into the freedom of wind and sunshine
We let you go
Into the dance of the stars and the planets
We let you go
Into the wind’s breath and the hands of the star maker
We let you go
We love you, we miss you, we want you to be happy
Go safely, go dancing, go running home.

Let Us Be Contented

Let us be contented with what has happened
and be thankful for all that we have been spared.
Let us accept the natural order of things
in which we move. Let us reconcile ourselves to the mysterious rhythm of our destinies, such as they must be in this world of space and time.
Let us treasure our joys but not bewail our sorrows. The glory of light cannot exist without its shadows. Life is a whole, and good and ill must be accepted together. The journey has been enjoyable and well worth making once.

^{Winston Churchill}

Farewell My Friends

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 heavy with sleep ever moist eyes,
the smile in spite of a lump in the throat and the strings pulling at the heart and soul.

The strong arms that held me up
when my own strength let me down,
each morsel that I was fed with was full of love.

At every turning of my life I came across good friends, Friends who stood by me,
Even when the 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.

^{Gitanjali Ghei}

A Child Loaned

“I’ll 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 year
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 the child to learn.
I’ve looked this wide world over
In my search for teacher’s 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 call
And take him back again?”

I fancied that I heard them say,
“Dear Lord, They will be done,
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
For 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 planned,
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand.”

No Night Without

There is no night without a dawning
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.

A Gaelic Farewell

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
May the rain fall softly upon your fields
Until we meet again,
And may God hold you
In the hollow of his hand.

The Next Place

The next place that I go will be as peaceful and familiar as a sleepy summer Sunday and a sweet untroubled mind.

And yet … it won’t be anything like any place I’ve ever been … or seen … or even dreamed of in the place I leave behind.

I won’t know where I’m going, and I won’t know where I’ve been as I tumble through the always and look back toward the when.

I’ll glide beyond the rainbows. I’ll drift above the sky. I’ll fly into the wonder, without ever wondering why.
I won’t remember getting there. Somehow I’ll just arrive.

But I’ll know that I belong there and will feel much more alive than I have ever felt before.

I will be absolutely free of the things that I held onto that were holding onto me.

The next place that I go will be so quiet and so still that the whispered song of sweet belonging will rise up to fill the listening sky with joyful silence, and with unheard harmonies of music made by no one playing, like a hush upon a breeze.

There will be no room for darkness in that place of living light, where an ever dawning morning pushes back the dying night.

The very air will fill with brilliance, as the brightly shining sun and the moon and half a million stars are married into one.

The next place that I go won’t really be a place at all. There won’t be any seasons -winter, summer, spring or fall – nor a Monday, nor a Friday, nor December, nor July. And the seconds will be standing still … while hours hurry by. I will not be a boy or girl, a woman or a man. I’ll simply be just, simply me.

No worse or better than. My skin will not be dark or light. I won’t be fat or tall. The body I once lived in won’t be part of me at all. I will finally be perfect. I will be without a flaw. I will never make one more mistake, or break the smallest law.

And the me that was impatient, or was angry or unkind, will simply be a memory.
The me I left behind. I will travel empty-handed. There is not a single thing I have collected in my life that I would ever want to bring except … the love of those who loved me, and the warmth of those who cared. The happiness and memories and magic that we shared. Though I will know the joy of solitude … I’ll never be alone. I’ll be embraced by all the family and friends I’ve ever known.

Although I might not see their faces, all our hearts will beat as one, and the circle of our spirits will shine brighter than the sun. I will cherish all the friendship I was fortunate to find, all the love and all the laughter in the place I leave behind.

All these good things will go with me. They will make my spirit glow. And that light will shine forever in the next place that I go.

^{Warren Hanson}

A Reflection on an Autumn Day

I took up a handful of grain and let it slip flowing Through my finders, 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.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking
Along the beach with the Lord,
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints.
Other times there was only one.
This bothered me because I noticed
During the low periods of my life
When I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord,
“You promised me, Lord, that if I followed you,
You would walk with me always.
But I noticed during the most trying periods
Of my life there has only been one set
Of prints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
Have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied,
“the times when you have seen only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

The Book of Wisdom

The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God,
No torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die,
Their going looked like a disaster,
Their leaving us, like annihilation;
But they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as men see it,
Their hope was rich with immortality;
Slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test
And proved them worthy to be with Him;
He has tested them like gold in a furnace,
And accepted them as a holocaust.
When the trine comes for his visitation
They will shine out;
As sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples,
And the Lord will be their king for ever.
They who trust in him will understand the truth,
Those who are faithful will live with him in love;
For grace and mercy await those he has chosen.

What is Dying?

A ship sails and I stand
Watching till she fades on the horizon
And someone at my side says,
“She is gone”.
Gone where?
Gone from my sight, that is all;
She is just as large as when I saw her.
The diminished size and total loss of sight
Is in me, not in her,
And just at the moment
When someone at my side says
“She is gone”
There are others who are watching her coming,
And other voices take up a glad shout
“There she comes!”
And that is dying.

Don’t cry because it’s over,
smile because it happened.
Dr.Seuss

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy.
Eskimo legend

Say not in grief: “He is no more”,
but live in thankfulness that he was.
Hebrew Proverb

The best portion of a good man’s life…His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.
William Wordsworth

In our memories and in our hearts, love lasts forever..
Anon

No longer in our lives to share,
but in our hearts you will stay forever.
Anon

While we are mourning the loss of our friend,
others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil.
James Taylor

It’s hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember.
Anon

To the world you were, but to us you were the world.
Anon

When you are born, you cry, and the world rejoices.
When you die, you rejoice, and the world cries.
Buddhist Saying

What the caterpillar perceives is the end,
to the butterfly is just the beginning.
Anon

Every blade in the field
Every leaf in the forest
Lays down its life in the season
As beautifully as it is taken up.
Thoreau

Death is more universal than life;
everyone dies but not everyone lives.
A. Sachs

The song is ended, but the melody lingers on…
Irving Berlin

Farewell all relations and friends in Christ;
farewell acquaintances and all earthly enjoyments; farewell reading and preaching, praying and believing, wanderings, reproaches, and sufferings.
Donald Cargill

Farewell, dearest friend, never to see one another
any more till at the right hand of Christ.
Donald Cargill

We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it.
James M. Barrie

Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.
William Shakespeare

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal,
love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Anon

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning.
Ivy Baker Priest

He kept at true good humour’s mark,
The social flow of pleasure’s tide:
He never made a brow look dark,
Nor caused a tear, but when he died.
Thomas Love Peacock

Sweet is the sleep that ended the pain,
we would not wake you to suffer again.
Anon

I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.
Gilda Radner

When someone you love becomes a memory,
the memory becomes a treasure.
Anon

Painful though parting be,
I bow to you as I see you off to distant clouds.
Emperor Saga

What we have once enjoyed we can never lose;
all that we love deeply, becomes a part of us.
Helen Keller

If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.
The Crow

Let life be beautiful like summer flowers
and death be like autumn leaves.
Rabindranath Tagore

Your end, which is endless, is as a snowflake dissolving in the pure air.
Buddhist Saying

How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan, Annie

May the road rise up to meet you,
may the wind be ever at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face
and the rain fall softly on your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.
Irish Blessing

Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes.
A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.
And meeting again, after moments or lifetime,
is certain for those who are friends.
Richard Bach

If I had a single flower for every time I think of you,
I could walk forever in my garden.
Claudia Adrienne Grandi

Say not ‘Good-night’ but in some brighter clime,
bid me ‘Good-morning.’
Anna Laetitia Barbauld

I think of Heaven as a garden where I shall find again those dear ones who have made my world.
Minnie Aumonier

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.
It’s the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln

A great soul serves everyone all the time.
A great soul never dies.
It brings us together again and again.
Maya Angelou

I hope you can see how precious you were.
To them, to us, to me.
N. Taylor

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.
Kahlil Gibran

I cannot bring the old days back
Your smile I cannot see
I can only treasure the memories
Of days that used to be.
Anon

Oh heart, if one should say to you that the soul perishes like the body, answer that the flower withers, but the seed remains.
Kahlil Gibran