There is No Light Without a Dawning by Helen Steiner Rice – Funeral Poem –

Read by Marc Lemezma Funeral Celebrant

A small Easter gift for you. At this time of year, Christians contemplate loss and renewal.

We realise without one there cannot be the other, just as day follows night.

This brief but strong poem by Helen Steiner Rice is often spoken at funerals. It reminds us of that universal truth.

These words will have impact for everyone, no matter what your faith, or even if you have none.

No winter without a spring And beyond the dark horizon

Our hearts will once more sing ….

For those who leave us for a while Have only gone away

Out of a restless, care worn world Into a brighter day.

Poetry is written to be shared, read and heard. Can I share or use this poetry? The poems I share on my website or social media are original or are regularly used at funerals and are presented to aid those researching poetry for use at their loved one's funeral service.. Wherever known, I do give credit and thanks to the author. If you know the author of any I have marked as ‘unknown’, then let me know, and I will amend the page. If you chose to share or use the poetry at a funeral or memorial service, please give the author credit. Many of these poems are original to me; please feel free to share those or use them if they seem right for your service. All I ask is that you give credit to the author.

Visit Marc’s Facebook Page

See the list of other Poems for Funerals

Funeral Poem – Millennial Memorial by Marc Lemezma Celebrant

Read by Marc Lemezma – Funeral Celebrant

About 20 years ago, I first experienced a somewhat prescient dilemma. Nowadays, this problem is more greatly amplified.

I needed to add an important business contact into the phonebook on my old Nokia mobile phone, but I could not! The SIM card could only hold 20 numbers; mine was full.

I looked to see which I could delete; all were for people I needed to call regularly, except one; my sister.

She had died six months earlier, and although her number was by then disconnected, I could not bring myself to delete her entry. It simply felt wrong, like I was dismissing her memory.

Today, our lives are being managed on phones, tablets and apps, leaving the correct way to reach closure just as unclear to many.

Millennial Memorial by Marc Lemezma

I can click and look at your profile picture
I can read your words online
I can hear your tone in your voicemail greeting
I can replay it a thousand times

I can smile at a childish photo filter
I can laugh at the comments you made
I can like what so many said about you
I can replay every level you played

I can plough through unanswered emails
I can delete whole shelves full of spam
I can cancel direct debits and bank transactions
I can see you once fell for a scam

I can re-read each time you texted I love you
I can scroll past where you made me cry
I can hover my finger over the delete all button
But I’ll pause, so I can keep you alive

Poetry is written to be shared, read and heard.

Poetry is written to be shared, read and heard.

Can I share or use this poetry?

The poems I share on my website or social media are original or are regularly used at funerals and are presented to aid those researching poetry for use at their loved one's funeral service.. Wherever known, I do give credit and thanks to the author. If you know the author of any I have marked as ‘unknown’, then let me know, and I will amend the page.

If you chose to share or use the poetry at a funeral or memorial service, please give the author credit.

Many of these poems are original to me; please feel free to share those or use them if they seem right for your service. All I ask is that you give credit to me as the author.

Visit Marc’s Facebook Page

See the list of other Poems for Funerals

Introduction

The act of scattering ashes is a deeply personal and symbolic gesture that represents the final farewell to a loved one. The poem “Where Did I Go – I’m in My Element” reflects on the journey of our loved ones after they have passed, inviting us to ponder their presence in nature and the lasting connection we share with them. It is a beautiful reminder that their essence remains with us, enriching our lives and the world around us.

The Poem

“Do you ever look up and wonder, where did I go
Do I drift with the clouds in the sky
Or should I dance with the birds in wild murmuration
Do their wings form my image as they fly

Did I rush down the head-race and into the stream
Am I caught in cold current flow
Or shall I drift in a pool in warm saturation
Where my essence feeds the reeds as they grow

Or can I be felt in the ground that you walk on
Am I where ashes haphazardly lie
Or should I hide in the ground at your chosen location
And enrich the soil with my life

You know; you saw; those curtains did close
And when I go, that moment brings sorrow
Should I see this as my last contribution
To the cycle of life that we follow

But there is no need to search; I float all around you
I lived in your life from my start
Perhaps you could see this as just a migration
I’m in my element, and I live in your heart”

Reflection

This poem uses vivid imagery to explore the various ways in which the essence of our loved ones may continue to exist in nature. Whether they are part of the clouds, the birds, the water, or the earth, their presence is felt in the world around us. It offers comfort by suggesting that even in death, they contribute to the cycle of life and remain close to our hearts.

Use in Memorial Services

“Where Did I Go – I’m in My Element” is a touching addition to any memorial service, offering solace and a sense of continuity. Its gentle and reflective tone makes it suitable for readings, eulogies, or printed programs. It can help mourners find peace in the thought that their loved ones’ essence is ever-present and that their final journey is one of transformation and ongoing connection.

Scattering ashes is a profound act of letting go and celebrating the life of a loved one. This poem provides a comforting perspective on this process, reminding us that our loved ones’ essence lives on in the natural world and within our hearts. It is a beautiful tribute to those we have lost and a source of comfort for those who remai

Funeral Poem – Pardon Me for Not Getting Up By Kelly Roper

Read by Marc Lemezma – Funeral Celebrant

A fun poem, but one also tinged with sadness. Enjoy!

Oh dear, if you’re reading this right now,
I must have given up the ghost.
I hope you can forgive me for being
Such a stiff and unwelcoming host.

Just talk amongst yourself my friends,
And share a toast or two.
For I am sure you will remember well
How I loved to drink with you.

Don’t worry about mourning me,
I was never easy to offend.
Feel free to share a story at my expense
And we’ll have a good laugh at the end.

Poetry is written to be shared, read and heard.

Can I share or use this poetry?

The poems I share on my website or social media are original or are regularly used at funerals and are presented to aid those researching poetry for use at their loved one's funeral service.. Wherever known, I do give credit and thanks to the author. If you know the author of any I have marked as ‘unknown’, then let me know, and I will amend the page.

If you chose to share or use the poetry at a funeral or memorial service, please give the author credit.

Many of these poems are original to me; please feel free to share those or use them if they seem right for your service. All I ask is that you give credit to me as the author.

Visit Marc’s Facebook Page

See the list of other Poems for Funerals

Funeral Poem for Mum – Anonymous

Read by Marc Lemezma – Funeral Celebrant

This is a lovely poem that a client has recently chosen to to read at a funeral, dedicated to their late mother. I can’t trace the author, so if you do know who it is – let me know 🙂

I would say this is probably more likely to be read by a daughter, I have chosen to add it to my collection today on Mother Day!

The beautiful nurse featured in the opening is my late Mother, Joan.

I hope you enjoy.

You were someone I could talk to;
That no one can replace.
You were someone I could laugh with;
‘Til tears ran down my face.
You were someone I could turn to;
When I needed a helping hand;
You were someone I could count on;
To advise and understand.
You were someone I thought more of;
As each year came to an end.
You were my dearest mother;
And also my dearest friend.
Thank you for the memories;
That are yours and mine alone;
For they recall so many special moments;
That you and I have known.

Poetry is written to be shared, read and heard.

Can I share or use this poetry?

The poems I share on my website or social media are original or are regularly used at funerals and are presented to aid those researching poetry for use at their loved one's funeral service.. Wherever known, I do give credit and thanks to the author. If you know the author of any I have marked as ‘unknown’, then let me know, and I will amend the page.

If you chose to share or use the poetry at a funeral or memorial service, please give the author credit.

Many of these poems are original to me; please feel free to share those or use them if they seem right for your service. All I ask is that you give credit to me as the author.

Visit Marc’s Facebook Page

See the list of other Poems for Funerals

Funeral Poem My Journey’s Just Begun by Ellen Brenneman

Read by Marc Lemezma – Funeral Celebrant

This lovely poem is another message to the living from a person who has passed away. This time it is a reminder of more than life simply going on. It tells of a new existence and relationship, founded on the love that existed in life.

Don’t think of me as gone away
My journey’s just begun
Life holds so many facets
This earth is but one

Just think of me 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 I must be wishing
That you could know today
How nothing but your sadness
Can really go away

And think of me as living
In the hearts of those I touched
For nothing loved is ever lost
And I know I was loved so much

Poetry is written to be shared, read and heard.

Can I share or use this poetry?

The poems I share on my website or social media are original or are regularly used at funerals and are presented to aid those researching poetry for use at their loved one's funeral service.. Wherever known, I do give credit and thanks to the author. If you know the author of any I have marked as ‘unknown’, then let me know, and I will amend the page.

If you chose to share or use the poetry at a funeral or memorial service, please give the author credit.

Many of these poems are original to me; please feel free to share those or use them if they seem right for your service. All I ask is that you give credit to me as the author.

Visit Marc’s Facebook Page

See the list of other Poems for Funerals