It seems utterly strange that at the time when we have lost a loved one, we are also expected to plan a funeral service which celebrates their life and serves as a tribute to them.

Of course, it’s possible to have a quiet funeral service and plan a memorial service some weeks or even months later, when you’ve had time to grieve and plan just what it is that you want to say about your loved one.

Even so, it can be difficult to find or write the right words that will express your thoughts, feelings and love.

Just how do you deliver a eulogy speech that pays tribute to an entire life?

This is the point at which some people ask for advice from friends and relative, call in the services of a speech writer or make use of the well-loved writings and poems of poets.

How could one fail to be moved by poems like “Do not go gentle into that good night” (Dylan Thomas) or “Remember Me, when I am gone away ” (Christina Rossetti) ?

Another poem made famous in the film “Four Weddings and a Funeral” starts with the words “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone” and was written by English poet, WH Auden.

There is a wealth of moving words that can be used in this way – from those written hundreds of years ago, to the lines of Shakespeare, the war poets who knew loss in such a terrible way, to more modern readings by writers like CS Lewis.

What easier and better way to pay tribute than by using these eloquent, well-written words that have been loved by thousands over the years?

About the Author

Jen Carter runs Special Moments which offers information on funerals & planning. You can find 50 best-loved funeral poems and readings at her website.

You can find more funeral and eulogy poems at Poem4Today.