Five Good Funeral Poem Ideas
If you are planning the funeral service of a loved one, then here at Newrest Funerals, we will be with you every step of the way. Whether this means getting our advice about undertakers in your area, dealing with floral tributes, planning the eulogy or anything else, we are on hand to share our wealth of professional experience. This includes what to do about readings at funeral services these days including, if you want one, a suitable poem.
Of course, there are many poems that are not suited to funeral services so what should you do if you want to include one or the main funeral organiser has asked you to find one and to read it at the service? Here are our top five funeral poem ideas.
Search Online or at Your Library
In the internet age, it is relatively easy to find published poems that would be suited to a funeral service. Of course, the web isn’t the only resource so consider what your local lending library may have to offer, too. There are some anthologies of poems in print that are aimed at people who are arranging funeral services. Some feature just one or two poets while others – like online searches – will offer you a much broader set of results.
Keep it Short
If you look for funeral poetry, then the likelihood is that the poems you will come across will be quite short. Just a few short verses are about average for poetry of this sort. However, there are some much longer poems around, too. Think about the service itself and remember that at most funerals, readings won’t need to be more than a few minutes at most. If you like some lines of a long poem, then you could always just read an excerpt.
Find a Suitable Poem for the Deceased
Unless you are a poet yourself and can write your own words, you will probably end up finding a funeral poem that has been read at services before. Note that some poems that are popular at funerals are only really suited to certain people, however. For example, some funeral poems refer to ‘mum’ or ‘grandad’. Read the poem you are considering in full to make sure it is appropriate to the sort of person the deceased was in life.
Consider Religious Poetry
Religious poetry isn’t for everyone. We understand that very well at Newrest Funerals where we deal with all sorts of secular and religious services. That said, there are numerous religious poets with something to say about funeral rites and spirituality. Remember that oblique references to spirituality exist in all sorts of funeral poems, such as Christina Rossetti’s famous work, Miss Me But Let Me Go, which refers to ‘the Master’s plan’ but doesn’t mention God directly.
Read Poems Naturally
When it comes to the reading itself, take a big breath and say to yourself that you need to go slowly. If you rush your words, then they won’t sound natural and might not even be heard by everyone in the room. Although poems often have a strict structure and meter – or rhythm – read the sentences as whole ones moving from line to line fluidly. This will make your reading more effective and less like a nursery rhyme recital.
