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 Yorkshire are perfect for people from Yorkshire, or for those who loved and epitomised it during their life.
Badge Of A Yorkshireman
Author Unknown
With a nod of the head, or a grip of the hand,
He will give you his bond, that for ever will stand,
And nothing much safer you’ll find in the land;
For that is the badge of a Yorkshireman.
He may be reserved in his manner and speech,
And hide the fine graces of which pedants preach;
But he is kind and sincere when his heart you once reach,
For that is the badge of a Yorkshireman.
In his pastimes and sports he will try all the way,
And, back to the wall, make his greatest display;
He asks not for favours, but only fair play,
For that is the badge of a Yorkshireman.
I have met him away from his own native dales,
In cities and lands where strange language prevails;
Yet a breath of his county he always exhales,
and thus you will know he’s a Yorkshireman.
Sing A Song Of Yorkshire
by Doreen Brigham
Sing a song of Yorkshire, from the Humber to the Tees,
Of horses, wool, and terriers, of pudding and of cheese.
I know no other county where the land is quite so fine:
England’s lovely county, and I’m proud to call it mine.
Where shining purple heather stretches far across the moor,
And the lapwing’s cry above me takes the place of traffic roar,
And peace comes drifting gently, there’s no place I’d rather be:
Than this land of hills and valleys, from the Pennines to the sea.
So when I’ve done my roaming, and when my step grows slow;
When heart and mind assure me that the time has come to go,
Then let me rest in Yorkshire, for it’s there I want to lie,
‘Neath sun and wind and heather, and a gleaming Yorkshire sky.
A Yorkshireman’s Farewell
by Mark Gregory
The air is fresh as kisses; I am Yorkshire through and through,
The dales have held my memories, my eyes have seen such views,
I know each hedge and dry stone wall, each field and beck and tree,
Now here I stand with suitcase packed: Yorkshire, farewell to thee.
From moor to coast, from town to dale, I’ve wandered far and wide,
In every blade of grass I saw my county’s tender pride.
The winds that swept across the moors, the songs the rivers sang,
In every stone and weathered barn, my Yorkshire spirit rang.
But now the time has come to leave, to bid a fond goodbye,
Yet as I step away from home, a tear escapes my eye.
For Yorkshire isn’t just a place: it’s more than mere terrain;
It’s woven deep within my soul, and will forever reign.
So though I travel far and wide, and lands afar I see,
Yorkshire will remain my heart: its spirit lives in me.
And if I cross the threshold, and if my time is near,
Let Yorkshire be my final thought, the last word that I hear.
Farewell, my dearest Yorkshire: the land that shaped my heart,
Though life may draw me far away, we’ll never be apart.
For in each breath, and in each step, in all I say and do,
My Yorkshire roots will guide me on, forever proud and true.
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.
