For the loved ones in your life who are gone but never forgotten, keep reading for 100 meaningful and heartwarming celebration of life poems.
100 Celebration of Life Poems
1. “The Life That I Have” by Leo Marks
The life that I haveIs all that I haveAnd the life that I haveIs yoursThe love that I haveOf the life that I haveIs yours and yours and yours.A sleep I shall haveA rest I shall haveYet death will be but a pauseFor the peace of my yearsIn the long green grassWill be yours and yours and yours.
2. “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye
Do not stand at my grave and weepI am not there. I do not sleep.I am a thousand winds that blow.I am the diamond glints on snow.I am the sunlight on ripened grain.I am the gentle autumn rain.When you awaken in the morning’s hushI am the swift uplifting rushOf quiet birds in circled flight.I am the soft stars that shine at night.Do not stand at my grave and cry;I am not there. I did not die.
3. “Warm Summer Sun” by Walt Whitman
Warm summer sun,Shine kindly here,Warm southern wind,Blow softly here.Green sod above,Lie light, lie light.Good night, dear heart,Good night, good night.
4. “funeral” by rupi kaur
when i go from this placedress the porch with garlandsas you would for a wedding day my dearpull the people from their homesand dance in the streetswhen death arriveslike a bride at the aislesend me off in my brightest clothingserve ice cream with rose petals to our gueststhere’s no reason to cry my deari have waited my whole lifefor such a beauty to takemy breath awaywhen i golet it be a celebrationfor i have been herei have livedi have won at this game called life
5. “Life” by Charlotte Brontë
Life, believe, is not a dreamSo dark as sages say;Oft a little morning rainForetells a pleasant day.Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,But these are transient all;If the shower will make the roses bloom,O why lament its fall?Rapidly, merrily,Life’s sunny hours flit by,Gratefully, cheerilyEnjoy them as they fly!What though Death at times steps in,And calls our Best away?What though sorrow seems to win,O’er hope, a heavy sway?Yet Hope again elastic springs,Unconquered, though she fell;Still buoyant are her golden wings,Still strong to bear us well.Manfully, fearlessly,The day of trial bear,For gloriously, victoriously,Can courage quell despair!
6. “Risk” by Anais Nin
And then the day came,when the riskto remain tightin a budwas more painfulthan the riskit tookto blossom.
7. “Farewell my Friends” by Rabindranath Tagore
It was beautifulas long as it lastedthe journey of my life.I have no regretswhatsoever savethe pain I’ll leave behind.Those dear heartswho love and careand the heavy with sleepever moist eyes.The smile, in spite of a lump in the throatand the strings pullingat the heart and soul.The strong armsthat held me upwhen my own strengthlet me down.Each morsel that I wasfed with was full of love divine.At every turning of my lifeI came acrossgood friends.Friends who stood by meeven when the time raced by.Farewell, Farewellmy friends.I smile and bid you goodbye.No, shed no tears,for I need them notAll I need is your smile.If you feel sadthink of mefor that’s what I’d like.When you live in the heartsof those you love,remember then…you never die.
8. “All Is Well” by Henry Scott Holland
Death is nothing at all,I have only slipped into the next roomI am I and you are youWhatever we were to each other, that we are still.Call me by my old familiar name,Speak to me in the easy way which you always usedPut no difference in your tone,Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrowLaugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.Let my name be ever the household word that it always was,Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.Life means all that it ever meant.It it the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,Just around the corner.All is well.
9. “Your Spirit” by Tram-Tiara T. Von Reichenbach
I know that no matter whatYou will always be with me.When life separates usI’ll know it is only your soulSaying goodbye to your bodyBut your spirit will be with me always.When I see a bird chirping on a nearby branchI will know it is you singing to me.When a butterfly brushes gently by me so care freelyI will know it is you assuring me you are free from pain.When the gentle fragrance of a flower catches my attentionI will know it is you reminding meTo appreciate the simple things in life.When the sun shining through my window awakens meI will feel the warmth of your love.When I hear the rain pitter patter against my window sillI will hear your words of wisdomAnd will remember what you taught me so wellThat without rain trees cannot growWithout rain flowers cannot bloomWithout life’s challenges I cannot grow strong.When I look out to the seaI will think of your endless love for your family.When I think of mountains, their majesty and magnificenceI will think of your courage for your country.No matter where I amYour spirit will be beside meFor I know that no matter whatYou will always be with me.
10. “When I Die I Want Your Hands on My Eyes” by Pablo Neruda
When I die I want your hands on my eyes:I want the light and the wheat of your beloved handsto pass their freshness over me one more timeto feel the smoothness that changed my destiny. AD I want you to live while I wait for you, asleep,I want for your ears to go on hearing the wind,for you to smell the sea that we loved togetherand for you to go on walking the sand where we walked. I want for what I love to go on livingand as for you I loved you and sang you above everything,for that, go on flowering, flowery one, so that you reach all that my love orders for you,so that my shadow passes through your hair,so that they know by this the reason for my song.
11. “There Is No Light Without a Dawning” by Helen Steiner Rice
No winter without a springAnd beyond the dark horizonOur hearts will once more sing…For those who leave us for a whileHave only gone awayOut of a restless, care worn worldInto a brighter day
12. “Let Me Die a Young Man’s Death” by Roger McGough
Let me die a young man’s deathnot a clean and inbetweenthe sheets holy water deathnot a famous-last-wordspeaceful out of breath death When I’m 73and in constant good tumourmay I be mown down at dawnby a bright red sports caron my way homefrom an allnight party Or when I’m 91with silver hairand sitting in a barber’s chairmay rival gangsterswith hamfisted tommy guns burst inand give me a short back and insides Or when I’m 104and banned from the Cavernmay my mistresscatching me in bed with her daughterand fearing for her soncut me up into little piecesand throw away every piece but one Let me die a young man’s deathnot a free from sin tiptoe incandle wax and waning deathnot a curtains drawn by angels borne’what a nice way to go’ death
13. “The Dash” by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speakAt the funeral of a friendHe referred to the dates on the tombstoneFrom the beginning… to the end He noted that first came the date of birthAnd spoke the following date with tears,But he said what mattered most of allWas the dash between those years For that dash represents all the timeThat they spent alive on earth.And now only those who loved themKnow what that little line is worth For it matters not, how much we own,The cars… the house… the cash.What matters is how we live and loveAnd how we spend our dash. So, think about this long and hard.Are there things you’d like to change?For you never know how much time is leftThat can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enoughTo consider what’s true and realAnd always try to understandThe way other people feel. And be less quick to angerAnd show appreciation moreAnd love the people in our livesLike we’ve never loved before. If we treat each other with respectAnd more often wear a smile,Remembering this special dashMight only last a little while So, when your eulogy is being readWith your life’s actions to rehash…Would you be proud of the things they sayAbout how you spent YOUR dash?
14. “She Is Gone” by David Harkins
You can shed tears that she is goneOr you can smile because she has livedYou can close your eyes and pray that she will come backOr you can open your eyes and see all that she has leftYour heart can be empty because you can’t see herOr you can be full of the love that you shared
15. “A Long Cup of Tea” by Michael Ashby
Death is too negative for meSo I’ll be popping off for a long cup of teaDo splash out on two bags in the potAnd for my God’s sake keep the water hot
16. “You’ve Just Walked on Ahead of Me” by Joyce Grenfell
I try and cope the best I canBut I’m missing you so muchIf I could only see youAnd once more feel your touch.Yes, you’ve just walked on ahead of meDon’t worry I’ll be fineBut now and then I swear I feelYour hand slip into mine.
17. “Sanctum” by Beulah B. Malkin
I built a tiny gardenIn a corner of my heart.I kept it just for lovely thingsAnd bade all else depart. And ever was there music,And flowers blossomed fair;And never was it perfectUntil you entered there.
18. “The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?Who made the swan, and the black bear?Who made the grasshopper?this grasshopper, I mean—the one who has flung herself out of the grass,the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down—who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.I do know how to pay attention, how to fall downinto the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,which is what I have been doing all day.Tell me, what else should I have done?Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?Tell me, what is it you plan to dowith your one wild and precious life?
19. “In Memoriam” by William Morecomb
For a second you were flyingLike you always wanted toNow you’ll fly foreverIn skies of azure blueWe’ll see your smile in every rayOf sunshine after rainAnd hear the echo of your laughterOver all the painThe world’s a little quieter nowThe colours have lost their hueThe birds are singing softlyAnd our hearts are missing youEach time we see a little cloudOr a rainbow soaring highWe’ll think of you and gentlyWipe a tear from our eye.
20. “A Song of Living” by Amelia Josephine Burr
I give a share of my soul to the world where my course is run.I know that another shall finish the task I must leave undone.
21. “Success” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
What is success?To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!
22. “Remembered in Thy Full Bloom” by Robert J. Lindley, Teppo Gren, and Michael P. Clark
Thou art remembered in thy full bloom, a rose grown within my garden of life. Thou art lost to me and this my doom, Gone the tender love of my precious wife. Ill wind had blown, poisoned arrows of fate, love lost, ever I cry, we reunite. Tho’, should such be only at Heaven’s gate, illuminated, in true love’s precious flight. Thine effect so lives in my lonesome cast as I meander in my ruthless path, in darkened dust of my ill-fated past, dying to break free from this endless wrath. Yet memories sighs they recall our love, when we did caress love’s fiery desires. In wondrous passions our hearts flew above, Thou art memories ghost, kindling love’s fires. Pray I, your dream-winds soft and fair tonight, eager heart leaps to melt in beauty’s glows. With yellow-moon kisses, all could be right, our love’s truth, written in destiny’s scrolls. As lonely spirits found love’s true accord, thy gentle soul caressed my heart with joy. It was thy gracious beauty I adored, for endless days thy soft caress enjoy. Thou comest beloved, love for to bring, thy wondrous beauty, darkness doth dispel. In divinity thy heart it doth sing, one moment of joy my heart did foretell. Within each heart’s spirit, desire to come pray future treasures that announce their glow. Thy touch, paradise in love’s kingdom, may we with grace, beg our romance to grow. The light of life returned from dust to dust be it not my destiny to abide, and side with mortal ways in life unjust, with a forlorn dream to be by my side. Now back to the terror of my dark night, once more into the pits of hell I fall. Despair and sorrow darken God’s bright light, Deaths promised joys shall come, I hear death call. Pray true, warmth and true color to the rose, return pure gleam that sent my heart to thee. Wherein all time, forever thee I chose, thou art ripest flower, I thy lone bee. Rejoice in death to treasure thine embrace as end is nigh, with courage to depart. A halo uncovers thy beauty’s grace to cast celestial light, and mend my heart. And now doth come my end, I see death’s light, death doth touch my heart, now eternal love. My beloved, I see thee shining bright, I now praise death as I ascend above. As my life’s last shadow so swiftly falls, pray I, this aching soul hears thy dear voice. Ancient echoes whisper love words, thy calls, now dear wife, I fly forth, your love my choice. In heaven‘s garden thy rose blooms in trine, as love’s eternal bond in sacred love is cast beyond the faith of God’s design, and prayers of truth are whispered up above.
23. “Requiem” by Robert Louis Stevenson
Under the wide and starry sky,Dig the grave and let me lieGlad did I live and gladly I die,And I laid me down with a willThis be the verse you grave for me:Here he lies where he longed to be;Home is the sailor, home from sea;And the hunter home from the hill.
24. “Care” by Barrie Davenport
The world spins and turnsSlowly—but without mercyOr care. A leaf falls.
25. “The Guest House” by Rumi
This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meanness,some momentary awareness comesas an unexpected visitor.Welcome and entertain them all!Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,who violently sweep your houseempty of its furniture,still, treat each guest honorably.He may be clearing you outfor some new delight.The dark thought, the shame, the malice.meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.Be grateful for whatever comes.because each has been sentas a guide from beyond.
26. “God’s Garden” by Melissa Shreve
God looked around his garden and found an empty placeHe then looked down upon the Earth and saw your tired faceHe put his arms around you and lifted you to restWith the help of his angels they flew you to your heavenly place Gods garden must be beautiful, he always takes the bestHe knew you were suffering, he knew you were in painHe knew that you would never get well on Earth again He saw the road was getting rough and the hills too hard to climbHe closed your weary eyelids and whispered “Peace be Thine”It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn’t go aloneFor part of us went with you the day God called you home.
27. “I Have Not Gone” by Unknown
You think I’ve gone, that I am dead, and life has lost its will,But look around, I am right there, living with you stillI watch your tears, I feel your pain – I see the things you doI weep as well, each time you cry, my soul, it lives with you It gives such joy to hear you laugh, and do the things you doAnd when you smile o’er by gone days, I smile right with you tooFor we’re still one, just you and me, one mind, one soul, one beingWalking forward into life, though only you are seen And in the stillness of the night, when the pain it really startsStretch out a little with your mind and draw me to your heartFor I am always right in there, always by your sideFor you have been, all my life’s days, my joy, my love my pride.
28. “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,I go and lie down where the wood drakerests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.I come into the peace of wild thingswho do not tax their lives with forethoughtof grief. I come into the presence of still water.And I feel above me the day-blind starswaiting with their light. For a timeI rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
29. “When At Your Heart Should Be Sad” by Sir Walter Raleigh
When at heart you should be sad,Pondering the joys we had,Listen and keep very still.If the lowing from the hillOr the toiling of a bellDo not serve to break the spell,Listen: you may be allowedTo hear my laughter from a cloud.
30. “To Those I Love” by Isla Pachal Richardson
If I should ever leave you whom I loveTo go along the Silent Way, grieve not,Nor speak of me with tears, but laugh and talkOf me as if I were beside you there,(I’d come… I’d come, could I but find a way!But would not tears and grief be barriers?)And when you hear a song or see a bird I loved,Please do not let the thought of me be sad…For I am loving you just as I always have…You were so good to me!There are so many things I wanted still to do…So many things to say to you…Remember that I did not fear…It was just leaving you that was so hard to face…We cannot see Beyond… But this I know;I loved you so…‘Twas heaven here with you!
31. “Death Is a Journey” by Sri Chinmoy
Death is at onceThe end of the body’sOld journeyAnd the beginning of the soul’sNew journey.
32. “Is My Soul Asleep” by Antonio Machado
Is my soul asleep?Have those beehives that workin the night stopped? And the water—wheel of thought, is itgoing around now, cupsempty, carrying only shadows? No, my soul is not asleep.It is awake, wide awake.It neither sleeps nor dreams, but watches,its eyes wide openfar-off things, and listensat the shores of the great silence.
33. “Pardon Me For Not Getting Up” by Kelly Roper
Oh dear, if you’re reading this right now,I must have given up the ghost.I hope you can forgive me for beingSuch a stiff and unwelcoming host.Just talk amongst yourself my friends,And share a toast or two.For I am sure you will remember wellHow 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 expenseAnd we’ll have a good laugh at the end.
34. “Epitaph” by Merrit Malloy
When I diegive what’s left of me awayto childrenand old men that wait to die. And if you need to cry,cry for your brotherwalking the street beside you.And when you need me,put your armsaround anyoneand give themwhat you need to give to me. I want to leave you something,something betterthan wordsor sounds. Look for mein the people I’ve knownor loved,and if you cannot give me away,at least let me live on your eyesand not on your mind. You can love me mostby lettinghands touch hands,by lettingbodies touch bodies,and by letting goof childrenthat need to be free. Love doesn’t die,people do.So, when all that’s left of meis love,give me away. I’ll see you at homein the earth.
35. “Away” by James Whitcomb Riley
I cannot say and I will not sayThat he is dead, he is just away.With a cheery smile and a wave of handHe has wandered into an unknown land;And left us dreaming how very fairIts needs must be, since he lingers there.And you — oh you, who the wildest yearnFrom the old-time step and the glad return —Think of him faring on, as dearIn the love of there, as the love of hereThink of him still the same way, I say;He is not dead, he is just away.
36. “Remember Me—I Will Love Forever” by Robert N. Test
The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital; busily occupied with the living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped. When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don’t call this my deathbed. Let it be called the bed of life, and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives. Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby’s face or love in the eyes of a woman. Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain. Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play. Give my kidneys to the one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week. Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk. Explore every corner of my brain. Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that, someday a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window. Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow. If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weakness and all prejudice against my fellow man. Give my sins to the devil. Give my soul to God. If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever.
37. “Remember Me” by Margaret Mead
To the living, I am gone,To the sorrowful, I will never return,To the angry, I was cheated,But to the happy, I am at peace,And to the faithful, I have never left. I cannot speak, but I can listen.I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea,As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity,Remember me. Remember me in your heart:Your thoughts, and your memories,Of the times we loved,The times we cried,The times we fought,The times we laughed.For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.
38. “She’s In the Sun, the Wind, the Rain” by Christy Ann Martine
She’s in the sun, the wind, the rain,she’s in the air you breathewith every breath you take.She sings a song of hope and cheer,there’s no more pain, no more fear.You’ll see her in the clouds above,hear her whisper words of love,you’ll be together before long,until then, listen for her song.
39. “There Is No Death” by Unknown
There is a plan far greater than the plan you know;There is a landscape broader than the one you see.There is a haven where storm-tossed souls may go—You call it death—we, immortality. You call it death—this seemingly endless sleep;We call it birth—the soul at last set free.‘Tis hampered not by time or space—you weep.Why weep at death? ‘Tis immortality. Farewell, dear Voyageur—’twill not be long.Your work is done—now may peace rest with thee.Your kindly thoughts and deeds—they will live on.This is not death—’tis immortality. Farewell, dear voyageur—the river winds and turns;The cadence of your song wafts near to me,And now you know the thing that all men learn:There is no death—there’s immortality.
40. “Remember When You Go” by Rebecca Puig
Remember when you go into the world tokeep your eyes and ears wide open.And be kind.Love one another.Take care of each other.Tell the truth.Always do your best.Listen to the big people and the little people.Explore new paths and have fun.Know that you are loved like crazy.Give thanks for all your blessings.Above all else,Love and you will dowonderful things in this world.
41. “How Grateful I Would Be to Have Just One More Day” by Kathy J. Parenteau
If I could have just one more day andwishes did come true,I’d spend every glorious momentside by side with you.Recalling all the years we sharedand memories we made,how grateful I would beto have just one more day.Where the tears I’ve shed arenot in vain and only fall in bliss,so many things I’d let you knowabout the days you’ve missed.I wouldn’t have to make pretendyou never went away,how grateful I would be tohave just one more day.When that day came to a closeand the sun began to set,a million times I’d let you knowI never will forget.The heart of gold you left behindwhen you entered Heaven’s gate,how grateful I would be tohave just one more day.
42. “When Tomorrow Starts Without Me” by David M. Romano
When tomorrow starts without me and I am not here to seeIf the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for meI know how much you love me as much as I love youAnd each time you think of me I know you’ll miss me too. But when tomorrow starts without me please try to understandThat Jesus came and called my name and took me by the hand.He said my place is ready in heaven far aboveAnd that I have to leave behind all those I dearly love. But as I turned to walk away a tear fell from my eyeFor all my life I’d always thought it wasn’t my time to die.I had so much to live for and so much yet to doIt seems almost impossible that I was leaving you. I thought of all the yesterdays the good ones and the badI thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had.If I could have stayed for just a little whileI’d say goodbye and kiss you and maybe see you smile. But then I fully realize that this could never beFor emptiness and memories would take the place of me.And when I thought of worldly things that I’d miss come tomorrowI thought of you and when I did my heart was filled with sorrow. But when I walked through Heaven’s gate and felt so much at homeAs God looked down and smiled at me from his great golden throne.He said This is eternity And all I’ve promised youToday your life on earth is past but here it starts anew. I promise no tomorrow but today will always lastAnd since each day’s the same here there’s no longing for the past.So when tomorrow starts without me don’t think we’re far apart,For every time you think of me I’m right here in your heart.
43. “Last Journey” by Timothy Coote
There is a train at the stationWith a seat reserved just for meI’m excited about its destinationAs I’ve heard it sets you free The trials and tribulationsThe pain and stress we breatheDon’t exist were I am goingOnly happiness I believe I hope that you will be thereTo wish me on my wayIt’s not a journey you can join inIt’s not your time today There’ll be many destinationsSome are happy, some are sadEach one a brief reminderOf the great times that we’ve had Many friends I know are waitingWho took an earlier trainTo greet and reassure meThat nothing has really changed We’ll take the time togetherTo catch up on the pastTo build a new beginningOne that will always last One day you’ll take your journeyOn the train just like meAnd i promise that I’ll be thereAt the station and you will see That Life is just a journeyEnriched by those you meetNo one can take that from youIt’s always yours to keep’ But now as no seat is vacantYou will have to muddle throughMake sure you fulfill your ambitionsAs you know I’ll be watching you And if there’s an occasionTo mention who you knewSpeak kindly of that personAs one day it will be you Now i can’t except this endingAnd as it’s time for me to leavePlease make haste to the receptionTo enjoy my drinks, they’re free!
44. “I Am Standing Upon the Seashore” by Henry Van Dyke
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and startsfor the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speckof white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then, someone at my side says, ‘There, she is gone’ Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,hull and spar as she was when she left my side.And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me—not in her.And, just at the moment when someone says, ‘There, she is gone,’there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voicesready to take up the glad shout, ‘Here she comes!’ And that is dying… Death comes in its own time, in its own way.Death is as unique as the individual experiencing it.
45. “When I Must Leave You” by Helen Steiner Rice
When I must leave youFor a little while;Please do not grieveAnd shed wild tearsAnd hug your sorrow to youThrough the years, But start out bravelyWith a gallant smile;And for my sakeAnd for my nameLive on and doall things the same, Feed not your lonelinessOn empty days,But fill each waking hourIn useful ways, Reach out your handIn comfort and in cheerAnd I in turn will comfort youAnd hold you near; And never, neverBe afraid to dieFor I am waiting for you in the sky!
46. “He Is Gone (Remember Me)” by David Harkins
You can shed tears that he is gone,Or you can smile because he lived,You can close your eyes and pray that he will come back,Or you can open your eyes and see all that he has left. Your heart can be empty because you can’t see himOr you can be full of the love that you shared,You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember him and only that he is goneOr you can cherish his memory and let it live on,You can cry and close your mind be empty and turn your back,Or you can do what he would want: smile, open your eyes,love and go on.
47. “The Broken Chain” by Ron Tranmer
We little knew the day thatGod was going to call your name.In life we loved you dearly,In death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose youBut you didn’t go alone.For part of us went with youThe day God called you home. You left us peaceful memories.Your love is still our guide,And though we cannot see youYou are always at our side. Our family chain is brokenand nothing seems the same,but as God calls us one by onethe chain will link again.
48. “They That Love Beyond the World” by William Penn
They that love beyond the world cannot be separated by it,death cannot kill what never dies.Nor can spirits ever be divided that loveand live in the same divine principle,the root and record of their friendship.If absence be not death, neither is theirs.Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas;they live in one another still.For they must needs be present,that love and live in that which is ominipresent.In this divine glass, they see face to face;and their converse is free as well as pure.This is the comfort of friends,that though they may be said to die,yet their friendship and society are,in the best sense, ever present, because immortal.
49. Excerpt from House on Pooh Corner, Chapter 10 by A.A. Milne
Christopher Robin was going away. Nobody knew why he was going, nobody knew where he was going; Nobody even knew why he knew that Christopher Robin was going away. But somehow or other everybody in the Forest felt that it was happening at last…
50. “A Meeting” by Edith Wharton
On a sheer peak of joy we meet;Below us hums the abyss;Death either way allures our feetIf we take one step amiss. One moment let us drink the blueTranscendent air together—Then down where the same old work’s to doIn the same dull daily weather. We may not wait . . . yet look below!How part? On this keen ridgeBut one may pass. They call you—go!My life shall be your bridge.
51. “To Those Whom I Love & Those Who Love Me” by Unknown
When I am gone, release me, let me go.I have so many things to see and do,You mustn’t tie yourself to me with too many tears,But be thankful we had so many good years. I gave you my love, and you can only guessHow much you’ve given me in happiness.I thank you for the love that you have shown,But now it is time I traveled on alone. So grieve for me a while, if grieve you must,Then let your grief be comforted by trust.It is only for a while that we must part,So treasure the memories within your heart. I won’t be far away for life goes on.And if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can’t see or touch me, I will be near.And if you listen with your heart, you’ll hear,All my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you come this way alone,I’ll greet you with a smile and a ‘Welcome Home.’
52. “One” by Shawnee Kellie
One word can spark a moment,One flower can wake the dream;One tree can start a forest,One bird can herald Spring. One smile can bring a friendship,One handclasp can lift a soul;One star can guide a ship at sea,One cheer can obtain a goal. One vote can change a Nation,One sunbeam can lift a room;One candle wipes out darkness,One laugh will conquer gloom.One look can change two lives;One kiss can make love bloom. AD One step must start each journey,One word must start each prayer;One hope can raise our spirits,One touch can show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom,One heart can know what’s true;One life can make a difference,One life is me and you…
53. “Make Me Feel” by Mariah Chandan
Take my heart; I’ll give it with ease.Take my hand and walk this journey with me.Take these scars and heal them all up.Take these fears and make them vanish when things get tough.Take this smile and make it stretch so wide.Take these arms and hold me oh so tight.Take these feelings and make them real.At the end, show me how to feel.
54. “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in)” by e.e. cummings
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywherei go you go, my dear;and whatever is doneby only me is your doing,my darling)i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meantand whatever a sun will always sing is youhere is the deepest secret nobody knows(here is the root of the root and the bud of the budand the sky of a tree called life;which growshigher than soul can hope or mind can hide)and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars aparti carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
55. “When Great Trees Fall” by Maya Angelou
When great trees fall,rocks on distant hills shudder,lions hunker downin tall grasses,and even elephantslumber after safety. When great trees fallin forests,small things recoil into silence,their senseseroded beyond fear. When great souls die,the air around us becomeslight, rare, sterile.We breathe, briefly.Our eyes, briefly,see with a hurtful clarity.Our memory, suddenly sharpened,examines,gnaws on kind wordsunsaid,promised walksnever taken. Great souls die andour reality, bound tothem, takes leave of us.Our souls,dependent upon theirnurture,now shrink, wizened.Our minds, formedand informed by theirradiance, fall away.We are not so much maddenedas reduced to the unutterable ignorance ofdark, coldcaves. And when great souls die,after a period peace blooms,slowly and alwaysirregularly. Spaces fillwith a kind ofsoothing electric vibration.Our senses, restored, neverto be the same, whisper to us.They existed. They existed.We can be. Be and bebetter. For they existed.
56. “Not, How Did He Die, But How Did He Live?,” Unknown
Not, how did he die, but how did he live?Not, what did he gain, but what did he give?These are the units to measure the worthOf a man as a man, regardless of his birth.Nor what was his church, nor what was his creed?But had he befriended those really in need?Was he ever ready, with words of good cheer,To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,But how many were sorry when he passed away?
57. “After Glow” by Unknown
I’d like the memory of meto be a happy one.I’d like to leave an after glowof smiles when life is done.I’d like to leave an echowhispering softly down the ways,Of happy times and laughing timesand bright and sunny days.I’d like the tears of those who grieve,to dry before the sunof happy memoriesthat I leave when life is done
58. “#34” by rupi kaur
most importantly lovelike it’s the only thing you know howat the end of the day all thismeans nothingthis pagewhere you’re sittingyour degreeyour jobthe moneynothing even mattersexcept love and human connectionwho you lovedand how deeply you loved themhow you touched the people around youand how much you gave them
59. “Epitaph on my Own Friend” by Robert Burns
An honest man here lies at rest,As e’er God with His image blest:The friend of man, the friend of truth;The friend of age, and guide of youth:Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d,Few heads with knowledge so inform’d:If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;If there is none, he made the best of this.
60. “All Is Not Lost”
The moments of birthA slick baby cries in awe:No, all is not lost…
61. “His Journey’s Just Begun” by Ellen Brenneman
Don’t think of him as gone awayhis journey’s just begun,life holds so many facetsthis earth is only one. Just think of him as restingfrom the sorrows and the tearsin a place of warmth and comfortwhere there are no days and years. Think how he must be wishingthat we could know todayhow nothing but our sadnesscan really pass away. And think of him as livingin the hearts of those he touched…for nothing loved is ever lostand he was loved so much.
62. “The White Chariot” by Julie Johnson
During your journey on your final flight home.White wings will carry you and you will be flown.To the pearly gates of Heaven, where they will usher you in.To the feet of your Lord, your Saviour, and your friend.He will hold you in his arms and the angels will sing.As another one of His children is delivered by white wings.
63. “A Silent Tear” by Gaynor Llewellyn
Just close your eyes and you will seeAll the memories that you have of meJust sit and relax and you will findI’m really still there inside your mindDon’t cry for me now I’m goneFor I am in the land of songThere is no pain, there is no fearSo dry away that silent tearDon’t think of me in the dark and coldFor here I am, no longer oldI’m in that place that’s filled with loveKnown to you all, as “UP ABOVE”.
64. “Death” by Joe Brainard
Death is a funny thing. Most people are afraid of it, and yetthey don’t even know what it is. Perhaps we can clear this up.What is death?Death is it. That’s it. Finished. ‘Finito.’ Over and out. Nomore. Death is many different things to many different people. Ithink it is safe to say, however, that most people don’t like it. Why?Because they are afraid of it.Why are they afraid of it?Because they don’t understand it.I think that the best way to try to understand death is to think about it a lot. Try to come to terms with it. Try to really understand it. Give it a chance! Sometimes it helps if we try to visualize things.Try to visualize, for example, someone sneaking up behindyour back and hitting you over the head with a giant hammer. Some people prefer to think of death as a more spiritual thing. Where the soul somehow separates itself from the messand goes on living forever somewhere else. Heaven and hell beingthe most traditional choices. Death has a very black reputation but, actually, to die is aperfectly normal thing to do.And it’s so wholesome: being a very important part ofnature’s big picture. Trees die, don’t they? And flowers?I think it’s always nice to know that you are not alone. Evenin death. Let’s think about ants for a minute. Millions of ants dieevery day, and do we care? No. And I’m sure that ants feel thesame way about us. But suppose—just suppose—that we didn’t have to die.That wouldn’t be so great either. If a 90-year-old man can hardlystand up, can you imagine what it would be like to be 500 yearsold? Another comforting thought about death is that 80 years orso after you die nobody who knew you will still be alive to miss you. And after you’re dead, you won’t even know it.
65. “If I Should Go” by Joyce Grenfell
Weep if you must,Parting is Hell,But life goes onSo sing as well
66. “Darling” by Jackie Kay
You might forget the exact sound of her voice, Or how her face looked when sleeping. You might forget the sound of her quiet weeping Curled into the shape of a half moon, When smaller than her self, she seemed already to be leaving Before she left, when the blossom was on the trees And the sun was out, and all seemed good in the world. I held her hand and sang a song from when I was a girl— Heil Ya Ho Boys, Let her go Boys And when I stopped singing she had slipped away, Already a slip of a girl again, skipping off, Her heart light, her face almost smiling. And what I didn’t know, or couldn’t see then, Was that she hadn’t really gone. The dead don’t go till you do, loved ones. The dead are still here holding our hands.
67. “When I Die” by Rumi
When my coffin is being taken outyou must never thinkI am missing this world Don’t shed any tearsDon’t lament orFeel sorryI’m not fallingInto a monster’s abyss When you seeMy corpse is being carriedDon’t cry for my leavingI’m not leavingI’m arriving at eternal love When you leave meIn the graveDon’t say goodbyeRemember a grave isOnly a curtainFor the paradise behind You’ll only see meDescending into a graveNow watch me riseHow can there be an endWhen the sun sets orThe moon goes down It looks like the endIt seems like a sunsetBut in reality it is a dawnWhen the grave locks you upThat is when your soul is freed Have you ever seenA seed fallen to earthNot rise with a new lifeWhy should you doubt the riseOf a seed named human Have you ever seenA bucket lowered into a wellComing back emptyWhy lament for a soulWhen it can come backLike Joseph from the well When for the last timeYou close your mouthYour words and soulWill belong to the world ofNo place no time.
68. “My Symphony” by William Henry Channing
To live content with small means;to seek elegance rather than luxury,and refinement rather than fashion,to be worthy, not respectable,and wealthy, not rich;to study hard, think quietly,talk gently, act frankly,to listen to stars and birds,to babes and sages,with open heart,to bear all cheerfully,to all bravely await occasions,hurry never.In a word, to let the spiritual unbiddenand unconscious grow up through the common.This is to be my symphony.
69. “They Are Not Dead” by Unknown
They are not dead,Who leave us this great heritageOf remembered joy.They still live in our hearts,In the happiness we knew,In the dreams we shared.They still breathe,In the lingering fragrance windblown,From their favourite flowers.They still smile in the moonlight’s silverAnd laugh in the sunlight’s sparkling gold.They still speak in the echoes of words.We’re heard them say again and again.They still move,In the rhythm of waving grasses,In the dance of the tossing branches.They are not dead;Their memory is warm in our hearts,Comfort in our sorrow.They are not apart from us,But a part of usFor love is eternal,And those we love shall be with usThroughout all eternity.
70. “The Gardener LXI (Peace My Heart)” by Rabindranath Tagore
Let the last touch of your hands begentle like the flower of the night.Stand Still, O Beautiful End, for amoment, and say your last words insilence.I bow to you and hold up my lampto light you on your way.
71. “I Will Love Death” by Sri Chinmoy
I know I will love death.Why?Because death tooIs God’s creationAnd because death reminds meOf the existence of her sister:Infinity’s Life immortal.
72. “When I’m Gone” by Lyman Hancock
When I come to the end of my journeyAnd I travel my last weary mileJust forget if you can, that I ever frownedAnd remember only the smile Forget unkind words I have spokenRemember some good I have doneForget that I ever had heartacheAnd remember I’ve had loads of fun Forget that I’ve stumbled and blunderedAnd sometimes fell by the wayRemember I have fought some hard battlesAnd won, ere the close of the day Then forget to grieve for my goingI would not have you sad for a dayBut in summer just gather some flowersAnd remember the place where I lay And come in the shade of eveningWhen the sun paints the sky in the westStand for a few moments beside meAnd remember only my best.
73. “For Katrina’s Sun Dial” by Henry Van Dyke
Time is too slow for those who wait,Too swift for those who fear,Too long for those who grieve,Too short for those who rejoice,But for those who love, time isEternity.
74. “High Flight” by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of EarthAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirthOf sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred thingsYou have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swungHigh in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flungMy eager craft through footless halls of air. . . . Up, up the long, delirious burning blueI’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy graceWhere never lark, or ever eagle flew—And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trodThe high untrespassed sanctity of space,Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
75. “The New Life’s Salutation” by Anna Barabauld
Life, we’ve been long togetherThrough pleasant and through cloudy weather;‘Tis hard to part when friends are dear,Perhaps ’twill cost a sigh, a tear;Then steal away, give little warning,Choose thine own time:Say not ‘Good night,’ but in some brighter climeBid me ‘Good morning.’
76. “A Parting Guest” by James Whitcomb Riley
What delightful guests are theyLife and Love!Lingering I turn away,This late hour, yet glad enoughThey have not witheld from meTheir high hospitality.So with face lit with delightAnd all gratitude, I stayYet to press their hands and say,‘Thanks. So fine a time! Goodnight.’
77. “Intimations of Immortality” by William Wordsworth
What though the radiance which was once so brightBe now forever taken from my sight,Though nothing can bring back the hourOf splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;We will grieve not, rather findStrength in what remains behind.
78. “I Fall Asleep” by Samuel Butler
I fall asleep in the full and certain hopeThat my slumber shall not be broken;And that though I be all-forgetting,Yet shall I not be forgotten,But continue that life in the thoughts and deedsof those I loved.
79. “How Do I Love Thee?” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and heightMy soul can reach, when feeling out of sightFor the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’sMost quiet need, by sun and candle-light.I love thee freely, as men strive for right.I love thee purely, as they turn from praise. I love thee with the passion put to useIn my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.I love thee with a love I seemed to loseWith my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,I shall but love thee better after death.
80. “He That Is Down Needs Fear No Fall” by John Bunyan
He that is down needs fear no fall,He that is low, no pride;He that is humble ever shallHave God to be his guide.I am content with what I have,Little be it or much;And, Lord, contentment will I crave,Because Thou savest such.Fullness to such a burden isThat go on pilgrimage:Here little, and hereafter bliss,Is best from age to age.
81. “When I am Dead, My Dearest” by Christina Rossetti
When I am dead, my dearest,Sing no sad songs for me;Plant thou no roses at my head,Nor shady cypress tree:Be the green grass above meWith showers and dewdrops wet;And if thou wilt, remember,And if thou wilt, forget. I shall not see the shadows,I shall not feel the rain;I shall not hear the nightingaleSing on, as if in pain:And dreaming through the twilightThat doth not rise nor set,Haply I may remember,And haply may forget.
82. “Death” by Sean Hughes
I want to be crematedI know how boring funerals can beI want people to gathermeet new peoplehave a laugh, a dance, meet a loved one
83. “My Angel” by CJR
I wake up in the morning,And I look up to the sky.I wonder why he took you,before I said good-bye. I look up to the stars at night,And know you’re looking down.I’d like to think you’re proud of me,But I’m just stumbling round. I crawl in bed and close my eyes,And realize that you’re gone.Then comes the fears and then the tears,And life just seems so wrong. I glance up at the heavens,And I know you’re flying by.My Angel’s watching over me,I’m happy as I cry.
84. “Turn Again to Life” by Mary Lee Hall
If I should die andLeave you here awhileBe not like others sore undone,Who keep long vigilsBy the silent dust and weep.For my sake turn againTo life and smileNerving thy heartAnd trembling hand to doSomething to comfortOther hearts than thine.Complete these dearUnfinished Tasks of mine,And I, perchanceMay therein comfort you.
85. “Fallen Limb” by Unknown
A limb has fallen from the family tree.I keep hearing a voice that says, “Grieve not for me”.Remember the best times, the laughter, the song.The good life I lived while I was strong. Continue my heritage, I’m counting on you.Keep smiling and surely the sun will shine through.My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest.Remembering all, how I truly was blessed. Continue traditions, no matter how small.Go on with your life, don’t worry about fallsI miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin.Until the day comes we’re together again.
86. “How Wonderful Is Death” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
How wonderful is Death,Death, and his brother Sleep!One, pale as yonder waning moonWith lips of lurid blue;The other, rosy as the mornWhen throned on ocean’s waveIt blushes o’er the world;Yet both so passing wonderful!
87. “On Death” by Kahlil Gibran
Then Almitra spoke, saying, We would ask now of Death.And he said:You would know the secret of death.But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open you heart wide unto the body of life.For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.
88. “Should You Go First” by A.A. Roswell
Should you go first and I remainto walk the road aloneI’ll live in memory’s garden, dearwith happy days we’ve knownin Spring I’ll wait for roses red,when fades the lilacs blue,in early fall, when brown leaves callI’ll catch a glimpse of you Should you go first, and I remainfor battles to be fought,each thing you’ve touched along the waywill be a hallowed spotI’ll hear your voice;I’ll see your smile,though blindly I may gropethe memory of your helping handwill buoy me on with hope Should you go first and I remainto finish with the scroll,no length’ning shadows ahall creep into make this life seem drollWe’ve known so much of happinesswe’ve had our cup of joy,and memory is one gift of Godthat death cannot destroy Should you go first and I remain,one thing I’d have you do;walk slowly down that long, lone path,for soon I’ll follow youI’ll want to know each step you takethat I may walk the same,for some day down that lonely roadyou’ll hear me call your name
89. “Last Will and Testament” by Max Scratchman
And as I sit upon my cloud and look down at the earth,I’ll watch you use my worldly goods fo festival and mirth,And that will make me smile a smile, and have a laugh quite hearty.
90. “It Was Like This: You Were Happy” by Jane Hirshfield
It was like this:you were happy, then you were sad,then happy again, then not.It went on.You were innocent or you were guilty.Actions were taken, or not.At times you spoke, at other times you were silent.Mostly, it seems you were silent—what could you say?Now it is almost over.Like a lover, your life bends down and kisses your life.It does this not in forgiveness—between you, there is nothing to forgive—but with the simple nod of a baker at the momenthe sees the bread is finished with transformation.Eating, too, is a thing now only for others.It doesn’t matter what they will make of youor your days: they will be wrong,they will miss the wrong woman, miss the wrong man,all the stories they tell will be tales of their own invention.Your story was this: you were. happy, then you were sad,you slept, you awakened.Sometimes you ate roasted chestnuts, sometimes persimmons.
91. “And Death Shall Have No Dominion” by Dylan Thomas
And death shall have no dominion.Dead man naked they shall be oneWith the man in the wind and the west moon;When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,They shall have stars at elbow and foot;Though they go mad they shall be sane,Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;Though lovers be lost love shall not;And death shall have no dominion. And death shall have no dominion.Under the windings of the seaThey lying long shall not die windily;Twisting on racks when sinews give way,Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;Faith in their hands shall snap in two,And the unicorn evils run them through;Split all ends up they shan’t crack;And death shall have no dominion. And death shall have no dominion.No more may gulls cry at their earsOr waves break loud on the seashores;Where blew a flower may a flower no moreLift its head to the blows of the rain;Though they be mad and dead as nails,Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,And death shall have no dominion
92. “Our Memories Build a Special Bridge” by Emily Mathews
When loved ones have to partTo help us feel were with them stillAnd soothe a grieving heartThey span the years and warm our livesPreserving ties that bindOur memories build a special bridgeAnd bring us peace of mind.
93. “Inside Our Dreams” by Jeanne Willis
Where do people go to when they die?Somewhere down below or in the sky?‘I can’t be sure,’ said Grandad, ‘but it seemsThey simply set up home inside our dreams.’
94. “A Happy Man” by Edwin Arlington Robinson
When these graven lines you see,Traveller, do not pity me;Though I be among the dead,Let no mournful word be said.
95. “Consolation” by Robert Louis Stevenson
Though he, that ever kind and true,Kept stoutly step by step with you,Your whole long, gusty lifetime through,Be gone a while before,Be now a moment gone before,Yet, doubt not, soon the seasons shall restoreYour friend to you. He has but turned the corner — stillHe pushes on with right good will,Through mire and marsh, by heugh and hill,That self-same arduous way —That self-same upland, hopeful way,That you and he through many a doubtful dayAttempted still. He is not dead, this friend — not dead,But in the path we mortals treadGot some few, trifling steps aheadAnd nearer to the end;So that you too, once past the bend,Shall meet again, as face to face, this friendYou fancy dead. Push gaily on, strong heart! The whileYou travel forward mile by mile,He loiters with a backward smileTill you can overtake,And strains his eyes to search his wake,Or whistling, as he sees you through the brake,Waits on a stile.
96. “All Nature Has a Feeling” by John Clare
All nature has a feeling: woods, fields, brooksAre life eternal: and in silence theySpeak happiness beyond the reach of books;There’s nothing mortal in them; their decayIs the green life of change; to pass awayAnd come again in blooms revivified.Its birth was heaven, eternal it its stay,And with the sun and moon shall still abideBeneath their day and night and heaven wide.
97. “Love Lives on” by Unknown
Those we love remain with usfor love itself lives on,and cherished memories never fadebecause a loved one’s gone.Those we love can neverbe more than a thought apart,far as long as there is memory,they’ll live on in the heart.
98. “Farewell” by Emily Brontë
Farewell to Thee! But not farewellTo all my fondest thoughts of Thee;Within my heart they still shall dwellAnd they shall cheer and comfort me.Life seems more sweet that Thou didst liveAnd men more true Thou wert one;Nothing is lost that Thou didst give,Nothing destroyed that Thou hast done.
99. “Alive” by Winifred Mary Letts
Because you live, though out of sight and reach,I will, so help me God, live bravely too,Taking the road with laughter and gay speech,Alert, intent to give life all its due.I will delight my soul with many things,The humours of the street and books and plays,Great rocks and waves winnowed by seagulls’ wings,Star-jewelled Winter nights, gold harvest days. I will for your sake praise what I have missed,The sweet content of long-united lives,The sunrise joy of lovers who have kissed,Children with flower-faces, happy wives.And last I will praise Death who gives anewBrave life adventurous and love—and you.
100. “Remember” by Christina Rossetti
Remember me when I am gone away,Gone far away into the silent land;When you can no more hold me by the hand,Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.Remember me when no more day by dayYou tell me of our future that you plann’d:Only remember me; you understandIt will be late to counsel then or pray.Yet if you should forget me for a whileAnd afterwards remember, do not grieve;For if the darkness and corruption leaveA vestige of the thoughts that once I had,Better by far you should forget and smileThan that you should remember and be sad. Next up, 25 funny poems for a good laugh.
