preparing the funeral service

[buickmackane]

Hello all, I've been sat looking through poems to try to find something appropriate for my dads funeral. Nothing seems right, so I wondered if I could ask if anyone can help (again)

He wasn't religious. he was warm, kind, loving, generous. I wanted something more general than a "dad" poem so everyone can relate to it.

Its hard because I can't imagine him happy at not being with us. He felt robbed and cheated when he got his terminal diagnosis.

I'm trying to soothe myself with how lucky I was to have him. I want to do right by him.

Hi buickmackane

I'm so sorry for the loss of your dear dad.

My dad also wasn't religious (we had a beautiful humanist ceremony)
I also wanted something a bit different from the usual funeral poems.

In the end I chose to read Desiderata as I felt it summed up the way my dad was; calm and gentle but with an inner strength.

You will do right by your dad because you are doing this with love.

I quite like this one.

We had a humanist ceremony for my mum last week - we didn't have any poetry - it was more the story of her life.

Hi buick - I'm so sorry. I had trouble finding appropriate poetry too.

This is what we read at my father's interrment:

His Journey's Just Begun - Ellen Brenneman

Don't think of him as gone away
his journey's just begun,
life holds so many facets
this earth is only one.

Just think of him as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years.

Think how he must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away.

And think of him as living
in the hearts of those he touched...
for nothing loved is ever lost
and he was loved so much.

*

Daddy, if tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to heaven
And bring you home again
------

Wishing you strength x