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 music are perfect for those who had a passion for music during their life, whether as a DJ, singer, or simply music-lover.
And Rest
by Rev. Anthea Ballam
There is a moment
In musical rehearsal
When all the players
The choir
The woodwind and brass
The strings and percussion
The entire orchestra
Stops
And there is peace
The conductor says two words
‘And rest’
Voices cease to sing
The woodwind put down oboes and clarinets
The brass lay down trumpets and trombones
Others do the same
Because the music is over
There is no audience
There is no applause
In that moment
Quietness reigns
Yet the quiet that follows
Remains harmonious
There is a certain silence
A space
For reflection and repose
The music is remembered
And so we contemplate
The highs
The lows
The passage of melody
Sometimes we feel sad
Because the chords
Have drifted away
Finished
Completed
Some will feel loss
Others experience relief
And others deep sadness
Together
We share
That moment of closure
When the conductor
Says
‘And rest.’
Funeralissimo
by Michael Ashby
The musical notes stood in lines
Discordant in their grief
Before regaining their composure
As black tears in embossed relief
The instruments played this salutation
To a musician of note and much more
At the end, everyone stamped their feet
Encore, Encore, Encore!
The Gift To Sing
by James Weldon Johnson
Sometimes the mist overhangs my path,
And blackening clouds about me cling.
But, oh, I have a magic way
To turn the gloom to cheerful day—
I softly sing.
And if the way grows darker still,
Shadowed by Sorrow’s sombre wing,
With glad defiance in my throat,
I pierce the darkness with a note,
And sing, and sing.
I brood not over the broken past,
Nor dread whatever time may bring;
No nights are dark, no days are long,
While in my heart there swells a song,
And I can sing.
My Trumpet Is Silent
Author Unknown
My trumpet is silent
As it is with my life too
No more shall I play for you
There is nothing left to do.
Don’t be sad for me today
For me please do not weep
Call upon your memories
They are yours to keep.
The band upstairs is striking up
For me they now await
To play again I now can do
As I pass through heaven’s gate.
The audience is waiting
Familiar faces all around
Once again the baton strikes
And I hear that familiar sound.
It’s grand to be reunited
With band members both old and new
We start to play it sounds so good
Just perfect like I expected it would.
Reflections Of A Boomer
Author Unknown
I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain
I’ve been through a desert on a horse with no name
I’ve gone to Kansas City, I sang in the sunshine
I’ve been on the road again, with Georgia on my mind
Like a rolling stone, I’ve given peace a chance
I’ve put a camel to bed and danced the last dance
Mr Tambourine Man played a song for me
I’ve whispered words of wisdom, let it be
I’ve fallen into a burning ring of fire and walked the line
To all the girls I’ve loved before, you were always on my mind
I’ve been everywhere, I’ve been so lonesome I could cry
I’ve driven my Chevy to the levee when the levee was dry
I’ve been to Itchy Coo Park in a yellow submarine
I’ve made the scene in a time machine
I’ve done the Hokey Pokey and turned myself around
I’ve welcomed baby back to the poor side of town
I‘ve followed the tracks of my tears down a long and winding road
I’ve kept on searching for a heart of gold
I’ve sought shelter from the storm, I’ve sat on the dock of the bay
I’ve rocked around the clock, on a sunshiny day
I’ve knocked on Heaven’s door, while blowing in the wind
Joy to the world those were the days my friend
Lay lady lay, in crimson and clover
It’s been a hard day’s night, the party’s over.
Songbird
by Georgia Lound
Every songbird has its own unique song
And yours is my favourite.
Would my first steps be as hasty if not for its tempo?
Would my spirits be as high if not for its key?
Your song walked with me as I grew up
Like an underscore, lifting me.
And I have always listened, and I always will.
For no matter how quiet your tune gets,
As the years go on and time passes,
Even if it fades out to a gentle hum,
The echo of your melody will continue to guide me
And shape me into the (wo)man that I will become.
So, although you aren’t here to sing it,
The beat of your song will continue in our hearts.
Its steady rhythm will keep us on track.
And now every time I hear a songbird’s song,
I will think of you, and I will sing back.
Where Words Fail, Music Speaks
by Lucy Rudman
Where words fail,
music speaks.
It speaks of the pain,
of the sorrow,
of the lost,
of the life we live.
It shares emotions.
It’s a way to connect,
to understand
what others feel.
Where words fail,
music speaks.
It tells the truth
whether you want it to or not.
Music shares the souls
of those we’re around,
of those in the world
that we’re living.
I wish to share
my music with you
So you can understand
the pain I feel,
so I can share my soul with you,
so you can understand
What I’m going through.
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.
