Poems About the Circle of Life for a Wedding Have you ever thought about your legacy? How do you want others to think of you after you die? In “Afterwards” by Thomas Hardy, the speaker thinks about what he wants his friends and neighbors to say about him after he’s gone. This section ends with the line, “All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses, And to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.”Īlthough this is not a typical funeral poem, it is one to reflect upon when thinking about the circle of life. He thinks about the deceased buried beneath the ground and wonders about the person who could have fertilized the soil for the grass to grow. In Walt Whitman’s masterpiece, “Leaves of Grass,” there is a short section where the speaker ponders the leaves of grass beneath his feet. “A Child Said, ‘What is Grass?’” by Walt Whitman Regardless, this poem, which is based on this famous phrase, reminds us that we will eventually return to the earth. Even though there is mention of ashes in the Bible, this phrase was first used in this form in a prayer book. Most people think that the phrase “ashes to ashes, dust to dust” appears in the Bible. “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust” by Kev Elmer The deceased is the speaker in this poem, and the deceased asks mourners to look for reminders of their lives while spending time in nature.
Even though the phrase “circle of life” does not appear in the poem, it has a somewhat uplifting view of death. One of the most common funeral poems is this one by Mary Elizabeth Frye. “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye Change the pronoun to reflect the appropriate gender of your loved one. The best line in this poem about death is: “You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.” This poem is often used at funerals. Honor your loved one, share funeral details, and collect memories and tributes. Instead of focusing on its power over our loved ones, why not celebrate a life well lived? Here are some poems about death that have a more positive perspective than most. Poems About the Circle of Life for a Funeral or Memorial Serviceĭeath is inevitable. We will also include some that you might want to use for a wedding or other occasion. Here are some “circle of life” funeral poems. Instead, you can choose a poem for your eventual funeral service (or one for your loved one who recently passed) that focuses more on the fact that death is a natural part of life.
It may be counterintuitive, but poetry about death doesn’t have to be sad.