ESL, # poem, poetry,

Non-religious funeral readings, poetry and poems are texts that are used to honor and celebrate the life of someone who has passed away, without any reference to God or an afterlife.

They can be chosen by the person who is dying, their family, or their friends, depending on their wishes and preferences.

Non-religious funeral readings can be meaningful, comforting, and uplifting for those who do not follow a specific faith or belief system.

Here are example readings.

Poem: “Remember Me”

In the depths of sorrow, when tears freely flow,
Remember me, not with sadness, but with a gentle glow.
For I have left this earthly plane, but my spirit remains,
In the memories we shared, in the love that sustains.

Remember the laughter, the joy we once knew,
The moments of tenderness, the bond that grew.
Though my physical presence may no longer be,
My essence lingers on, in the hearts of those who see.

Do not mourn my absence, but celebrate my life,
For I walked this path with purpose, through joy and strife.
Remember the lessons, the wisdom I imparted,
Let them guide you forward, when life feels disheartened.

I am the gentle whisper in the wind’s embrace,
The warmth of sunshine, the moon’s gentle grace.
I am the song of birds, the beauty of a flower,
In every tranquil moment, I shall forever shower.

So, when you think of me, let it be with a smile,
For I am now free, no longer bound by time’s guile.
Carry me in your heart, as I carry you in mine,
Our connection eternal, transcending the confines.

And in the tapestry of life, when your journey is through,
We shall reunite again, in a love that’s ever true.
Until then, my dear ones, live each day with zest,
And remember me fondly, for I am eternally blessed.

“Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I 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 hush
I am the swift uplifting rush

Of 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.

“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 day
You tell me of our future that you plann’d:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

“Funeral Blues” by W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

“Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of 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.

“The Dash” by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth,
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

“The Art of Losing” by Elizabeth Bishop

The art of losing isn’t hard to master;
So many things seem filled with the intent
To be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
Of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn’t hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
Places, and names, and where it was you meant
To travel. None of these will bring disaster.

“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 day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.

“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

“Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I 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 hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of 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.

The Dash by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning…to the end
He noted that first came her date of birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know 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 love
and 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 left,
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash…
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Non-religious funeral songs

Here are some examples of non-religious funeral songs that you might like:

• You Raise Me Up by Josh Groba. This is a powerful and uplifting song that expresses gratitude and appreciation for the person who has passed away. It also offers hope and comfort to those who are grieving.
• Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton. This is a heartbreaking and beautiful song that Clapton wrote after the tragic death of his four-year-old son. It reflects on the pain of losing a loved one and the hope of seeing them again in heaven.
• Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran. This is a touching and personal song that Sheeran wrote for his grandmother who died while he was making his album. It describes the small details and memories that he cherishes about her, such as the flowers he bought for her hospital room.
• Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen. This is a classic and haunting song that has been covered by many artists. It is not a religious song, but rather a song about love, loss, and life. It can be interpreted in different ways, but it always evokes a sense of emotion and reverence.
• Let It Be by The Beatles. This is a simple and soothing song that encourages acceptance and peace in times of trouble. It was inspired by a dream that Paul McCartney had of his mother, who died when he was . It can be seen as a message of comfort and guidance from the departed.