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Bereavement

Looking for a specific poem / passage for funeral

7 replies

Halle71 · 19/09/2016 19:16

Apologies if this is not in the right place.

My uncle died a week ago and my mum is looking for a poem to read at his funeral. He was disabled and increasingly I'll in recent years, and she would like something that reflects how tough it was for him to have a body that didn't work properly and the daily trauma of a life of pain.
Nothing too glum or religious but acknowledging that he is now free from that physical pain.


Thank you x

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ayeokthen · 19/09/2016 19:18

Look For Me in Rainbows was read at my best friend's funeral, it's really pretty and positive.

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ayeokthen · 19/09/2016 19:18

This is it:

Looking for a specific poem / passage for funeral
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Threetoedsloth · 20/09/2016 11:36

I found this one, brief reference to pain, but non religious and hopefully reasonably upbeat.




We’ve known lots of pleasure,
At times endured pain,
We’ve lived in the sunshine
And walked in the rain.
But now we’re separated
And for a time apart,
But I am not alone
You’re forever in my heart.
Death always seems so sudden,
And it is always sure,
But what is oft’ forgotten
It is not without a cure.
There may be times you miss me,
I sort of hope you do,
But smile when you think of me,
For I’ll be waiting for you.
Now there’s many things for you to,
And lots of ways to grow,
So get busy, be happy, and live your life,
Miss me, but let me go.
Anonymous

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Threetoedsloth · 20/09/2016 12:19

There are a few versions of God seeing that someone's tired and too ill to carry on, but they are no doubt too overtly religious for your mum's requirements. I've taken the liberty of "secularising" the poem, in the hope that it might meet your mum's needs a little better.



We saw you getting tired,

the cure was not to be.

We wrapped you in our loving arms

and whispered "Time to leave."

You suffered much in silence,

your spirit did not bend.

You faced your pain with courage

until the very end.

You tried so hard to stay with us,

your fight was all in vain.

We took you in our loving arms

and wished you free from pain.

A golden heart stopped beating,

two loving hands at rest.

We could not have to stay with us

To be at peace was best.

It's lonely here without you

We miss you more each day

Life doesn't seem the same

Since you've gone away.

When days are sad and lonely

And everything goes wrong

We seem to hear you whisper

'Cheer up and carry on.'

Each time we see your picture

You seem to smile and say

'Don't cry, I'm not so far away

We'll meet again someday.'



Since most sites say author unknown, I hope no-one feels it's inappropriate to adjust the words in this way.

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Halle71 · 21/09/2016 08:36

Thank you both for your suggestions - I am forwarding to my mum.
Threetoedsloth - thank you for adapting the second poem. I weeped on the bus. It's all very raw. He lived far away and none of us saw him as much as we should have in recent years so there is also a lot of guilt. X

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Threetoedsloth · 21/09/2016 15:52

Ah Halle, that's tough for you. We all lead such busy lives with lots of commitments. I am sure your uncle knew you loved and cared for him. Try not to be too hard on yourself.
Hope your mum finds the right words, whatever they may be.

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Halle71 · 22/09/2016 13:42

Thank you.
I have passed them to my mum.
Threetoedsloth, thank you for your adaptation - tears on the bus racing it xx

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