Funerals can truly be augmented by a poem that is apt and fitting for the person you have just lost. The following list of funeral poems about letting go are for mourners who may be struggling to let go of the person they have lost.
Don’t Cry For Me
by Deborah Garcia Gaitan
Don’t cry for me.
I will be okay.
Heaven is my home now,
and this is where I’ll stay.
Don’t cry for me.
I’m where I belong.
I want you to be happy
and try to stay strong.
Don’t cry for me.
It was just my time,
but I will see you someday
on the other side.
Don’t cry for me.
I am not alone.
The angels are with me
to welcome me home.
Don’t cry for me,
for I have no fear.
All my pain is gone,
and Jesus took my tears.
Don’t cry for me.
This is not the end.
I’ll be waiting here for you
when we meet again.
His Journey’s Just Begun
by 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 of how he must be wishing
That we could know today
How nothing but the immediate 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!
Let Me Go
by Christina Rossetti
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 must go alone.
It’s all part of the master plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick at heart
Go to the friends we know.
Laugh at all the things we used to do
Miss me, but let me go.
Time Will Ease The Hurt
Author Unknown
The sadness of the present days is locked and set in time,
and moving to the future is a slow and painful climb.
But all the feelings that are now so vivid and so real
can’t hold their fresh intensity as time begins to heal.
No wound so deep will ever go entirely away
yet every hurt becomes a little less from day to day.
Nothing can erase the painful imprints on your mind
but there are softer memories that time will let you find.
Though your heart won’t let the sadness simply slide away
the echoes will diminish even though the memories stay.
When I Must Leave You
by Helen Steiner Rice
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 gallant smile;
And for my sake and in my name
Live on and do all 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 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!
You’ve Just Walked On Ahead Of Me
by Joyce Grenfell
You’ve just walked on ahead of me
And I’ve got to understand
You must release the ones you love
And let go of their hand.
I try and cope the best I can
But I’m missing you so much
If I could only see you
And once more feel your touch.
Yes, you’ve just walked on ahead of me
Don’t worry I’ll be fine
But now and then I swear I feel
Your hand slip into mine.
To access our full list of funeral poems, click here.
All poems featured on this website are free to use during any ceremony, although it is good practice to make sure the author is mentioned, if known. Should you require a celebrant for your ceremony, be it a funeral, a wedding, a naming ceremony or something else, feel free to get in touch. I am a double award-nominated Family and Funeral Celebrant covering the entire UK, and would be happy to help you commemorate in a meaningful and personal way.
