Graveside Poems

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.

— Mary Elizabeth Frye

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

— Biblical, KJV

May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face; The rains fall soft upon your fields And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

— Traditional Irish Blessing

Let not your hearts be troubled. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

— Biblical, KJV

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

— Biblical, KJV

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.

— Mark Twain / Robert Richardson

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there; I do not sleep. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there; I did not die.

— Mary Elizabeth Frye

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of 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 voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" And that is dying...

— Henry Van Dyke

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

— Biblical, KJV

Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea, But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home. Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark; For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crost the bar.

— Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Tennyson's final poem, written 1889

Though my soul may set in darkness, It will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too truly To be fearful of the night.

— Sarah Williams

Tread lightly, she is near Under the snow, Speak gently, she can hear The daisies grow. All her bright golden hair Tarnished with rust, She that was young and fair Fallen to dust. Lily-like, white as snow, She hardly knew She was a woman, so Sweetly she grew. Coffin-board, heavy stone, Lie on her breast, I vex my heart alone, She is at rest. Peace, peace, she cannot hear Lyre or sonnet, All my life's buried here, Heap earth upon it.

— Oscar Wilde

We seem to give them back to thee, O God, who gavest them to us. Yet as thou didst not lose them in the giving, so we do not lose them by their return. Not as the world giveth, givest thou, O Lover of souls. What thou givest, thou takest not away, for what is thine is ours also if we are thine. And life is eternal, and love is immortal, and death is only an horizon, and an horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight. Lift us up, strong Son of God, that we may see further; cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly; and draw us closer to thyself that we may know ourselves to be nearer to our loved ones who are with thee. And while thou dost prepare a place for us, prepare us also for that happy place, that where thou art we may also be for evermore.

— Bede Jarrett / William Penn

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide! When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away; Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me. I need Thy presence every passing hour; What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power? Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me. I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness. Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if Thou abide with me. Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies. Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

— Henry Francis Lyte

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of 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. And, just at the moment when someone says, 'There, she is gone,' there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'Here she comes!' And that is dying...

— Henry Van Dyke

May the blessing of light be on you — Light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight shine on you Like a great peat fire, So that stranger and friend may come And warm himself at it. And may light shine out of the two eyes of you, Like a candle set in the window of a house, Bidding the wanderer come in out of the storm. And may the blessing of the rain be on you, May it beat upon your spirit And wash it fair and clean, And leave there a shining pool Where the blue of Heaven shines, And sometimes a star.

— Traditional Irish

Deep peace of the running wave to you, Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Deep peace of the quiet earth to you, Deep peace of the shining stars to you, Deep peace of the gentle night to you, Moon and stars pour their healing light on you, Deep peace of Christ the light of the world to you.

— Traditional Celtic / Fiona Macleod

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

— Biblical, KJV

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

— Biblical, KJV

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

— Biblical, KJV

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

— Biblical, KJV

Fear no more the heat o' the sun, Nor the furious winter's rages; Thou thy worldly task hast done, Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages: Golden lads and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust. Fear no more the frown o' the great; Thou art past the tyrant's stroke; Care no more to clothe and eat; To thee the reed is as the oak: The sceptre, learning, physic, must All follow this, and come to dust. Fear no more the lightning flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; Fear not slander, censure rash; Thou hast finish'd joy and moan: All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! Quiet consummation have; And renowned be thy grave!

— William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act IV, Scene ii

If I should die, think only this of me: That there's some corner of a foreign field That is for ever England. There shall be In that rich earth a richer dust concealed; A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware, Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to wander, A body of England's, breathing English air, Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home. And think, this heart, all evil shed away, A pulse in the eternal mind, no less Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given; Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day; And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness, In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

— Rupert Brooke, 1914 and Other Poems (1915)

An honest man here lies at rest, The friend of man, the friend of beast, If there is another world, he lives in bliss; If there is none, he made the best of this.

— Robert Burns

In the rising of the sun and in its going down, We remember them. In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter, We remember them. In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring, We remember them. In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer, We remember them. In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn, We remember them. In the beginning of the year and when it ends, We remember them. When we are weary and in need of strength, We remember them. When we are lost and sick at heart, We remember them. So long as we live, they too shall live, For they are now a part of us, as we remember them.

— Sylvan Kamens & Jack Riemer

And just at the moment when someone says, 'There, she is gone,' There are other eyes watching her coming, And other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'Here she comes!'

— Henry Van Dyke

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 circling 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.

— Clare Harner

An honest man here lies at rest, The friend of man, the friend of beast, If there is another world, he lives in bliss; If there is none, he made the best of this.

— Robert Burns

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy; My sin was too much hope of thee, loved boy. Seven years thou wert lent to me, and I thee pay, Exacted by thy fate, on the just day. O could I lose all father now! for why Will man lament the state he should envy, To have so soon 'scaped world's and flesh's rage, And, if no other misery, yet age? Rest in soft peace, and asked, say, "Here doth lie Ben Jonson his best piece of poetry."

— Ben Jonson

Do not hurry as you walk with grief; It does not help the journey. Walk slowly, pausing often: Do not hurry as you walk with grief. Be not disturbed by memories that come unbidden. Swiftly or slowly, they will come. Be gentle with the one who walks with grief. If some days you cannot go on, do not worry. It is the road itself that teaches the next step. When you walk with grief It is always one step at a time. Do not hurry as you walk with grief; Be gentle with yourself along the way.

— Unknown (Celtic tradition)

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

— Biblical, KJV

The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

— Biblical, KJV

May the sun bring you new energy by day, May the moon softly restore you by night, May the rain wash away your worries, May the breeze blow new strength into your being. May you walk gently through the world and know Its beauty all the days of your life. May you go now in peace, In the knowledge that you were greatly loved And that you made a difference.

— Unknown (Apache tradition)

Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die. I am the wind that shakes the trees, I am the snow on the mountain top, I am the sun reflecting off the ocean, I am the warm summer breeze. I am the stars that shine at night, I am the first bird to take flight. I am anything beautiful you can see, Because my spirit is now free. So do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. Do not stand at my grave and cry, I am not there, I did not die.

— Unknown

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

— Biblical, KJV

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

— Biblical, KJV