From my brother

[piskieinboots]

My delightful brother sent me this, I shall read it out at FiLs funeral

The Next Room

Death is nothing at all:
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you;
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone:
Wear no forced air or solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the
little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
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 around the corner. All is well.

[kernowyon]

that is very moving, lovely, who is it by?

[kirsty b]

Thats a lovely one Piskie.
Steve and I looked through masses of poems to read out when we had his dad's ashes interred and I remember reading that one.
Hope it all goes well and he gets the send off he deserves.

[janeyo]

That's lovely, I read something similar at my Grandma's funeral.

Makes a refreshing change from 'Stop All The Clocks..'

[piskieinboots]

that is very moving, lovely, who is it by?

Canon Henry Scott-Holland, 1847-1918, Canon of St Paul's Cathedral

[Rhona]

Oh Piskie, I've just got an all-over-body-shiver (never a bad thing)... my mother hung that on her wall after my father died...'tis a lovely, lovely poem, and sounds just right for your FIL, as you described him. x

[bramble]

Piskie,
I have a framed photo, of my late father with this poem beside it.
Its called Togetherness and goes the same as yours as far as the line,
Pray for me.
It then continues,
Let it be spoken without the shadow of a ghost in it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
What is death but a negligable accident.
Why should I be out of yourmind because I am out of your sight.
All is well, nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before.

[Hans Mum]

appropriate works Piskie, am sure folks will appreciate them, hope tomorrow goes as well as these things can and your planned send off for your FIL goes smoothly x

[Flummery]

Lovely.
I read a bit from Kahlil Gibran at my dad's funeral. You need uplifting at times like that.

[jackie j]

That is a nice poem. At my sisters funeral a bil read the one about ships or sea ? I will have to look it up as cant remember it.
Will be thinking of you on tuesday its not easy reading at a close one's funeral have a back up just in case you cant do it on the day. No one will mind if you falter my son did at his gran's funeral ( my mum ).

[HeyWayne]

Like it.

I find lots of odes and poems read out at funerals are religious in nature - and as a result mean little to me. That however, would get me sobbing.

Hope everything goes ok.

[MaureenHall]

It's got me sobbing too. It's beautiful

[OverWyreGrower]

This was read at my dad's funeral too, I think it's a lovely poem...

As HW said, most poems intended for things like this are religious in nature, so wouldn't have suited dad's funeral

[lainey lou]

sounds perfect.

[Sanjo]

Beautiful and very appropriate. Will be thinking of you both on Tuesday. I always think funerals are for the living, not the dead. It gives us time to get together and share the memories that everyday life pushes to the background. My dad died a couple of years ago and my sisters decided I was the best one to do the eulogie. I got through it (just) by asking each of them (5 in all) for one happy memory that I could mention to show the kind of man he was. It made it very personal but very poingnant too. Best wishes to both of you.