Uplifting Poems & Quotes for a Funeral

Reading or listening to poems and quotes at a funeral can be incredibly touching. Poems and quotes allow you to express your emotions through words and connect with others around you.

Whilst many funeral poems have a sombre tone, uplifting poems are also popular. In this blog, we’ll explore what uplifting funeral poems are often about and which are the most popular ones.

What are uplifting funeral poems & quotes about?

Although funerals are a time to grieve, they’re also a time to celebrate the life of a loved one. And that’s exactly what uplifting funeral poems do. These poems offer a happier undertone and comfort for those who have lost someone special. Uplifting poems often reference themes of hope, love and peace and aim to provide solace during a difficult time. 

Some uplifting funeral poems even sprinkle a touch of humour within their words. When choosing a poem or quote for a funeral, it’s always important to consider what your loved one would have liked and how best you can represent them. If they enjoyed a laugh and a joke, why not include a poem with a touch of humour? Find out more on this topic on our guide regarding how to write a tribute for a loved one’s funeral.

Non-religious/humanist uplifting poems & quotes

A humanist funeral is a non-religious ceremony led by a humanist celebrant. This type of funeral focuses on the celebration of the individual’s life. Personal stories, achievements, and the impact the person had on others will all be shared, giving a true reflection of their life.

Whilst some humanist funerals have a sombre tone, others are upbeat to reflect a positive celebration of the individual’s life. Non-religious music, poems and quotes are often a key part of humanist funerals.

Some of the most popular uplifting and non-religious poems and quotes include:

• ‘Death (If I Should Go)’  — by Joyce Grenfell
• ‘Afterglow’  — by Anon
• ‘One at Rest’ — by Anon
• ‘The Dash’ — by Linda Ellis
• ‘Pardon Me for Not Getting Up’ — by Anon
• ‘Because I Love You So’ — by Anon
• ‘When I Am Dead My Dearest’ — by Christina Rossetti 
• ‘The Life That I Have’ — by Leo Marks
• ‘Play Jolly Music at My Funeral’ — by Richard Greene
• Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep — by May Elizabeth Frye

Short Uplifting Poems & Quotes

Poems come in all lengths and formats, short and long. Understandably, funerals can be incredibly emotional making it difficult to read out longer poems. For this reason, short poems and quotes can be a heartfelt way to put your emotions into words. You can also take a read of our guide to short memorial quotes for loved ones.

Some of the most popular short and uplifting poems and quotes include:

• ‘Tis Better To Have Loved and Lost’ — by Alfred Lord Tennyson
• ‘If I should go tomorrow’ — by Anon
• ‘May Time Soften Your Pain’ — by Anon
• ‘A Song of Living’ — by Amelia Josephine Barr
• ‘There Is No Night Without A Dawning’ — by Helen Steiner Rice
• ‘Turn Again To Life’ — by Mary Lee Hall
• ‘Remember Me’ — by David Harkins
• ‘Let Me Go’ — by Christina Rossetti
• ‘Don’t Cry For Me’ — by Anon
• ‘As Long As Hearts Remember’ — by Anon

Long Uplifting Poems & Quotes

If you’re looking for a longer funeral poem, there are plenty of popular ones with a positive or hopeful undertone. The longer the poem, the more emotions you can express or stories you can convey.

Uplifting poems that are longer in length include:

• ‘Death is Nothing at All’ — by Henry Scott-Holland
• ‘The Road Not Taken’ — by Robert Frost
• ‘Farewell My Friends’ — by Rabindranath Tagore
• ‘All Is Well’ — by Henry Scott Holland
• ‘Let Me Go’ — by Christina Rosetti
• ‘Footprints on the Sands of Time’ — by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
• ‘Letter From Heaven’ — by Ruth Ann Mahaffey
• ‘Successful Life’ — by Eugene Grinman
• ‘Now When the Number of My Years’ — by Robert Louis Stevenson
• ‘The Pilot’ — by Edwin Arlington Robinson

So if you’re looking for a poem that will bring feelings of hope and peace to those around you, why not choose one of the uplifting examples within this blog? There’s no right or wrong way to choose a poem for a funeral, it all depends on the emotions you wish to convey and the loved one you wish to represent.