Suggestions for readings
Readings of poetry or extracts from religious or philosophical writings are a common feature of funeral and memorial ceremonies. I have listed one or two favourite pieces here. Some people find it comforting to write their own poems to commemorate their lost pet, as well.
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 awake in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of birds circling in flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
(Traditional, author unknown)
I Think I Could Turn And Live With Animals
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are
so placid and self - contain'd,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their
sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the
mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived
thousands of years ago,
Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole
earth.
So they show their relations to me and I accept them,
They bring me tokens of myself, they evince them
plainly in their possession.
(Walt Whitman)
Love Lives Beyond The Tomb
Love lives beyond the tomb,
And earth, which fades like dew!
I love the fond,
The faithful, and the true.
Love lives in sleep:
'Tis happiness of healthy dreams:
Eve's dews may weep,
But love delightful seems.
'Tis seen in flowers,
And in the morning's pearly dew;
In earth's green hours,
And in the heaven's eternal blue.
'Tis heard in Spring
When light and sunbeams, warm and kind,
On angel's wing
Bring love and music to the mind.
And where's the voice,
So young, so beautiful, and sweet
As Nature's choice,
Where Spring and lovers meet?
Love lives beyond the tomb,
And earth, which fades like dew!
I love the fond,
The faithful, and the true
(John Clare)
RAINBOW BRIDGE
It's said that there's a place called Rainbow Bridge, where pets go when they die.
It's a happy place and a safe one, where they are fully restored to health and strength, they can run in the fields or bask in the sunshine. But though there's plenty to eat and an endless playtime, the pets do not forget the ones they loved and left behind. And it's said that sooner or later, we will all be reunited with the pets we loved at Rainbow Bridge.
There are several different prose and poetry versions of Rainbow Bridge, some specifically for dogs, others for cats, so it's a matter of choosing the variation that you find the most appropriate if you wish to include this in your ceremony.
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 awake in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of birds circling in flight.
I am the stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there. I do not sleep.
(Traditional, author unknown)
I Think I Could Turn And Live With Animals
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are
so placid and self - contain'd,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their
sins,
They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
Not one is dissatisfied, not one is demented with the
mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived
thousands of years ago,
Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole
earth.
So they show their relations to me and I accept them,
They bring me tokens of myself, they evince them
plainly in their possession.
(Walt Whitman)
Love Lives Beyond The Tomb
Love lives beyond the tomb,
And earth, which fades like dew!
I love the fond,
The faithful, and the true.
Love lives in sleep:
'Tis happiness of healthy dreams:
Eve's dews may weep,
But love delightful seems.
'Tis seen in flowers,
And in the morning's pearly dew;
In earth's green hours,
And in the heaven's eternal blue.
'Tis heard in Spring
When light and sunbeams, warm and kind,
On angel's wing
Bring love and music to the mind.
And where's the voice,
So young, so beautiful, and sweet
As Nature's choice,
Where Spring and lovers meet?
Love lives beyond the tomb,
And earth, which fades like dew!
I love the fond,
The faithful, and the true
(John Clare)
RAINBOW BRIDGE
It's said that there's a place called Rainbow Bridge, where pets go when they die.
It's a happy place and a safe one, where they are fully restored to health and strength, they can run in the fields or bask in the sunshine. But though there's plenty to eat and an endless playtime, the pets do not forget the ones they loved and left behind. And it's said that sooner or later, we will all be reunited with the pets we loved at Rainbow Bridge.
There are several different prose and poetry versions of Rainbow Bridge, some specifically for dogs, others for cats, so it's a matter of choosing the variation that you find the most appropriate if you wish to include this in your ceremony.