Since the dawn, countless beings have been born, lived, died, and placed to rest in graves and tombs. This inevitable aspect of the human condition has inspired the works of many famous poets who have pondered and written poems about life and death. The famous poems about the afterlife by poets like Mary Elizabeth Frye, Emily Dickinson, and so on have influenced readers’ thoughts on death throughout the centuries.
While one can give many beautiful songs, hymns, and quotes at a funeral, it can be comforting to hear funeral poems for mom or funeral poems for a grandma or other deceased family members expressing how remarkable the deceased person was. Let us delve deep into the kinds of poems that talk about death and the passing away of a loved one.
What poems talk about death?
Poems about death are a part of many different cultures and traditions. The poems about death can be found in the Bible, Norse mythology, and ancient Greek poetry.
In poems about dying, poets have managed to convey profound emotions in just a few lines of beautiful prose. Adding short poems about death in condolence messages may be touching. For example, you can quote poems about death of a friend on sympathy cards and send them to the family members of your deceased friend.
So, are you looking for poems about loss or bereavement poems to read at a funeral or memorial service? Or perhaps you’re looking for eulogies, condolence cards, or other writing inspiration regarding poems about death. Whatever you’re looking for, we’ve put together ten famous, comforting, and sad poems about death.
Beautiful Poems About Death
Beautiful poems about death are a lovely illustration of the incredible healing power of words. Poets use beautiful imagery and expressive language to show that death is not all dreadful. Death, like life, is an inevitable component of existence, and comforting poems about death serve as a potent reminder. A famous poem would include:
- ‘Shining Star”– Anon
You may find comfort and peace in the poem “Shining Star” by Anon, one of the most beautiful and unknown poems about death and a loss of a friend poem. This poem will serve as a tender reminder that your friend is at peace after death and is now a shining star in the night sky.
Poems About the Death of a Family Member
Reading beautiful poems about the death of a loved one can help you heal and process your emotions after you experience the loss of a family member. Be it poems about death of a mother or poems about death of a father, the words of these poems can help you express your feelings and heal.
- “If Roses Grow in Heaven”
Every mother is an angel in human form. We can all agree that this loss of a mother poem is the best fitting tribute for a mother. “If Roses Grow in Heaven” is one of the widely known poems for funerals for mothers, and you may find comfort in reading it.
- “His Journey’s just begun”–Ellen Brennaman
The poem is one of the more optimistic goodbye poems about death of a sibling. Here, death is the beginning of something new rather than the end of something old. You may read this loss of a brother poem at religious funerals.
- “When I Must Leave You”–Helen Steiner Rice
One of the most comforting grandma poems for funerals, with its consoling advice to dry our tears and live everyday life, conveys optimism. The words of this memorial poem for the dead grandmother are sure to bring some relief after the loss of a grandparent.
Poems About Dying Young
The saying goes that only good folk have a short life span. Whether or not you agree with the message, poems about dying young perfectly capture the sorrow of untimely death. Famous poems about dying young would include:
- “A Mother’s Lament for the loss of her only son”– Robert Burns
This loss of a son poem is a jarring expression of a mother’s heartbreak over the early loss of her only child. As the poem concludes, the mother desires to embrace “Death” to be with her son again.
- “To an Athlete Dying Young”– A.E Housman
Poet describes a young runner’s praise after winning a race across the town square. Then he details what occurs when that same runner lies in a graveyard. This poem for the dead athlete points out the futility of life.
Poems About Love and Death
The concept of love and death have been pondered by famous poets over time. Popular poems that have long been written about love and death together would include:
- “Love and Death”– Sarojini Naidu
In the sonnet, there is an idealized conception of love that can triumph over anything, even death. While a lover’s undying love for their partner is sincere, it rarely works out that way in reality.
- “Love and Death”– Byron
This poem is a passionate outburst of the poet’s feelings for a love that has remained unrequited. Even in his final moments, when he is likely unable to communicate and filled with remorse for his past mistakes, the dying poet’s “fading thought” is unwaveringly devoted to his loved ones on Earth.
Poems about letting go
During difficult times, even someone who does not like poetry may find that they have a newfound appreciation for a particular poet. A letting go poem delves into the anguish of losing a loved one, while other poems about letting go explore the possibility of forgiveness. A famous poem about letting go would include:
- “In Memoriam A.H.H”– Lord Tennyson
When Alfred Lord Tennyson’s beloved friend died suddenly at age 22, he wrote this lengthy poem in tribute. One of the well-known letting go of someone you love poems of all time, “In Memoriam A.H.H,” may help readers explore a range of emotions associated with loss and may find hope to move on with their lives without their loved ones.
Uplifting Poems About Death
The poems mentioned above about death of a loved one capture the range of emotions that come with such a tragedy. However, not all poetry about death is gloomy. Accepting death can be aided by reading uplifting poems to comfort the grieving. This poetry is uplifting despite its subject matter, such as death, and would provide strength in times of loss of a beloved.
- “Death Be Not Proud”– John Donne
The poem talks about how the author has come to terms with his mortality. He says he is not afraid of death because he knows it will end all his suffering and problems, just like a good night’s sleep would be for someone tired or old. The death be not proud poem is one of the most famous poems that project death from a positive perspective.
10 Famous Poems About Death
The classic poems on death show the poet’s perspectives and beliefs on what happens to us after we die. Additionally, they offer advice on how we might best remember our loved ones who have passed on. These famous poems about death classify under varied categories of poems about grief, poems about loss of love, poetry about letting go, short poems for funerals, and so on.
- “O, Captain, My Captain”- Walt Whitman
- “Because I Could not Stop for Death”- Emily Dickenson
- “Do not Stand at my Grave and Weep”-Elizabeth Frye
- “Do not go gentle into that. Goodnight”- Dylan Thomas
- “Out Out”- Robert Frost
- “The Mower”- Philip Larking
- “Death is Nothing At All”- Henry Scott-Holland
- “When Great Trees Fall”- Maya Angelou
- “But You Didn’t”- Merrill Glass
- “Remember”- Christiana Rossetti
Conclusion
Death is a part of life, but coping with it is challenging. Poems can help us cope with the loss of a loved one and can also be used as a way to honor them. The poems about losing a loved one are often written by those who have had firsthand experience with it, and readers who have grieved the loss of their beloved can resonate with such poetry.
There are numerous poems for loved ones to celebrate life and joy, but poems about death coexisted for centuries though not discussed very often. Whatever your perspective on death, you will find a poem here that speaks to you.
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