KEV67 Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 Which poem would you like read out at your funeral? It's the done thing these days. Obviously you don't ask a question like this without having an answer of your own. Mine is The Rolling English Road by G.K. Chesterton, which combines my love of country with my love of boozing: Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode, The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road. A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire, And after him the parson ran, the sexton and the squire; A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head. I knew no harm of Bonaparte and plenty of the Squire, And for to fight the Frenchman I did not much desire; But I did bash their baggonets because they came arrayed To straighten out the crooked road an English drunkard made, Where you and I went down the lane with ale-mugs in our hands, The night we went to Glastonbury by way of Goodwin Sands. His sins they were forgiven him; or why do flowers run Behind him; and the hedges all strengthening in the sun? The wild thing went from left to right and knew not which was which, But the wild rose was above him when they found him in the ditch. God pardon us, nor harden us; we did not see so clear The night we went to Bannockburn by way of Brighton Pier. My friends, we will not go again or ape an ancient rage, Or stretch the folly of our youth to be the shame of age, But walk with clearer eyes and ears this path that wandereth, And see undrugged in evening light the decent inn of death; For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen, Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 The Mahabharata. The whole damn thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted August 28, 2021 Share Posted August 28, 2021 A bit morbid this, isn't it? Anyway, I'm fervently hoping that by the time I go nobody will be there to arrange a funeral so it won't matter a bit but I'd like: Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep 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 glint on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you wake in the morning hush, I am the swift, uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circling flight. I am the soft starlight at night. 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!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 The one you posted, Luna, was the first one that came to my mind too, but I rather like this one by Henry Scott-Holland (I don't really expect anyone to read a poem at my funeral, though ) Death Is Nothing At All Death is nothing at all.It does not count.I have only slipped away into the next room.Nothing has happened.Everything remains exactly as it was.I am I, and you are you,and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.Call me by the old familiar name.Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.Put no difference into your tone.Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.Life means all that it ever meant.It is the same as it ever was.There is absolute and unbroken continuity.What is this death but a negligible accident?Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?I am but waiting for you, for an interval,somewhere very near,just round the corner.All is well.Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.One brief moment and all will be as it was before.How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 14 hours ago, Raven said: The Mahabharata. The whole damn thing. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a condition of your will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted August 29, 2021 Share Posted August 29, 2021 38 minutes ago, poppy said: The one you posted, Luna, was the first one that came to my mind too, but I rather like this one by Henry Scott-Holland (I don't really expect anyone to read a poem at my funeral, though ) Death Is Nothing At All Death is nothing at all.It does not count.I have only slipped away into the next room.Nothing has happened.Everything remains exactly as it was.I am I, and you are you,and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.Call me by the old familiar name.Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.Put no difference into your tone.Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.Life means all that it ever meant.It is the same as it ever was.There is absolute and unbroken continuity.What is this death but a negligible accident?Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?I am but waiting for you, for an interval,somewhere very near,just round the corner.All is well.Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.One brief moment and all will be as it was before.How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again! I like that one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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