While some poems try to take an optimistic approach to death, others focus on the the devastating grief of losing a loved one or the void they leave behind once they’re gone. When selecting a poem to read at a funeral, it’s important to consider what kind of mood you want to create and what you want the focus to be. Do you want to remember their life or try to demonstrate how much you’ll miss them? Would you rather set an optimistic tone or concentrate on the sadness of the occasion?
Selecting a poem to read at a child’s funeral can be extremely difficult. In many cases, a strong sense of injustice is felt by those in mourning and this is often reflected in poems. It’s difficult to avoid the idea that the child has been taken too soon and many readings will reflect on the overwhelming impact this can have on family and friends. Here we take a look at a few popular funeral poems for a child.
‘Painful loss’ funeral poems
The Way I Feel is a poem about how much it hurts to lose a child and how much a child means to their parents. In it, the author argues that, though people may try to understand the pain, no one is able to truly comprehend how the death of a child can affect an individual.
The Way I Feel
They say there is a reason,
They say that time will heal,
But neither time nor reason,
Will change the way I feel,
No-one knows the heartache,
That lies behind my smile,
No-one knows how many times,
I have broken down and cried,
I want to tell you something,
So there won’t be any doubt,
You’re so wonderful to think of,
But so hard to be without.
Please Don’t Ever Tell Me describes the pain a mother goes through upon the death of a child. It asks for the child to be remembered and cared for and that she knew that she was loved. With a simple rhyme scheme that creates strong rhythm, this is an emotive poem that will have a powerful effect on those that hear it.
Please Don’t Ever Tell Me
I’m going to tell you something
I hope you’ll never have to know.
I’ll tell you how a heart can break
And tears can constant flow.
I lost my baby girl you see,
An angel in my eyes
God chose to take her hand one day
And led her to the skies.
But please do not forget my child
She was a person too
And forever she will live
Inside of me and you.
So, please don’t ever tell me
That time will heal my pain
Because not even time
Can bring her back again.
Just tell me she is happy
In that land way up above
She’s snuggled in an angels wings
All wrapped in Mommy’s love.
‘Fortunate to have had the time’ funeral poems
In comparing a child to a butterfly, this poem’s author reminds us that there’s nothing more beautiful in this world than children. Though it comes and goes, the author is appreciative of having seen the butterfly and feels fortunate to have spent time in its presence at all.
A Butterfly Lights Beside Us
A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam, and for a
brief moment its glory and beauty belong to our world:
but then it flies again. And though we wish it could
have stayed, we feel so lucky to have seen it.
Though the loss of a child is undoubtedly heartbreaking, the author of this poem is glad to have been able to love their son and enjoys the beautiful music of hearing his voice. The poem suggests that the memories of the times parent and child spent together are able to help soothe the pain of their loss.
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The mention of my child’s name
May bring tears to my eyes,
But it never fails to bring
Music to my ears.
Let me hear the beautiful music of his name
It soothes my broken heart
And sings to my soul.
‘Still with us’ funeral poems for a child
This lovely poem talks about the mark a young child makes on our lives even if they’re taken early. In it, a parent can see the fingerprints – the unique mark of their child – everywhere and is glad that the child still touches their heart.
Fingerprints – Tom Krause
Your fingerprints are on my heart.
Fingerprints that teach me about caring.
Fingerprints that teach me about love.
Fingerprints that teach me about courage.
Fingerprints that teach me about hope.
Fingerprints that bring me closer to my loved ones.
Fingerprints that bring me closer to myself.
In the time I cared for you my whole life changed —
never to be the same again
All this from tiny fingerprints that touch my heart.
You will live in my heart forever – never to be forgotten.
I will always love you.
You are my child.
Think of Me is a short and simple poem that tries to evoke the idea that a child’s love is always with a parent. The use of the ‘little bird’ metaphor makes for wonderful imagery and has associations with heaven, freedom and a pleasant, carefree existence, making this one of the best funeral poems for a child.
Think of Me
When you’re feeling sad or a little blue,
Look around and you’ll see I’m here with you
I’m the bird who soars so high above
I’m the one who filled your heart with love