Memorial Card Wording and Poems
Including a poem on a memorial card offers a
beautiful and heartfelt way to honour and remember a loved one. Poems have the power to express emotions
that are often difficult to put into words, adding a personal touch for many families when
creating memorial cards.
Whether you’re looking for a classic poem, a non-religious poem, a spiritual verse, or something more
personalised, a well-chosen poem can capture the essence of the person being remembered.
Please get in touch if you have any questions -
we are here to help.
How to use Irish in a Memorial Card
Feel free to use one or an extract of one of these poems
below or indeed a prayer or blessing of your choice.
I have also created a useful guide for using Irish in a Memorial Card below and some Irish Blessings you may be interested in.
A limited amount of text is best
[approx 700 characters]
for Remember Me Cards.
Jump to FAQs on Poems for Memorial Cards
Non-Religious Memorial Card Wording
Some families prefer simple
and reflective wording without
religious references.
See examples below…
Explore our collection of
Personalised Memorial Card design templates
There is no night without a dawning
No winter without a spring
And beyond the dark horizon
Our hearts will once more sing ….
For those who leave us for a while
Have only gone away
Out of a restless, care worn world
Into a brighter day
- Helen Steiner Rice
Music, When Soft Voices Die
Music, when soft voices die,
Vibrates in the memory -
Odours, when sweet violets sicken,
Live within the sense they quicken.
Rose leaves, when the rose is dead,
Are heap’d for the beloved’s bed;
And so thy thoughts, when thou art gone,
Love itself shall slumber on.
- Percy Bysshe Shelley
Those We Hold Most Dear
Those we hold most dear
never truly leave us.
They live on in
the kindness they showed,
the comfort they shared,
and the love they
brought into our lives.
Thank you for the days
Luke Kelly
Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day, believe me
I bless the light
I bless the light that lights on you, believe me
Now you're gone
You're with me every single day, believe me
I Carry Your Heart With Me
I carry your heart with me (I carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)
BY E.E Cummings
A Song of Living
Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die.
I have sent up my gladness on wings,
to be lost in the blue of the sky.
I have run and leaped with the rain,
I have taken the wind to my breast.
My cheek like a drowsy child
to the face of the earth I have pressed.
Because I have loved life,
I shall have no sorrow to die.
- Amelia Josephine Barr
If I Should Go Tomorrow
If I should go tomorrow
It would never be goodbye,
For I have left my heart with you,
So don’t you ever cry.
The love that’s deep within me,
Shall reach you from the stars,
You’ll feel it from the heavens,
And it will heal the scars.
- Author Unknown
Remember Me
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.
- Christina Rosetti
The Window
Your body is away from me
but there is a window open
from my heart to yours.
From this window, like the moon
I keep sending news secretly.
by Rumi
Intimations of immortality
“That though the radiance which was once so bright
be now forever taken from my sight.
Though nothing can bring back
the hour of splendour in the grass,
glory in the flower. We will grieve not;
rather find strength in what remains behind.”
- William Wordsworth
Miss me but let me go
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little-but not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me-but let me go
For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It’s all part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds
Miss me but let me go.
- Anonymous
When you part
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may
be clearer in his absence,
as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
Afterglow
I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly
down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times and
bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry
before the sun;
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.
- Anonymous
Our Memories
Our Memories Build A Special Bridge
When Loved Ones Have To Part
To Help Us Feel Were With Them Still
And Soothe A Grieving Heart
They Span The Years And Warm Our Lives
Preserving Ties That Bind
Our Memories Build A Special Bridge
And Bring Us Peace Of Mind
- Emily Mathews
Pueblo Blessing
Hold on to what is good even if it is a handful of earth.
Hold on to what you believe even if it is a tree which stands by itself.
Hold on to what you must do even if it is a long way from here.
Hold on to life even when it is easier letting go.
Hold on to my hand even when I have gone away from you.
The Life That I Have by Leo Marks
The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.by Leo Marks
Practical Guidelines for Sending Memorial Cards
I have created a helpful guide of advice on common questions I get from customers when enquiring about creating Memorial Cards for a loved one. You may find answers on this dedicated page of guidelines for sending Memorial cards
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
- Reinhold Niebuhr
Think Deeply
Speak Gently
Love Much
Laugh Often
Work Hard
Give Freely
And be Kind.
Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and
until we meet again
Short verses are often chosen when space is limited on a memorial card.
They may be included on the back of the card or beside a photo.
Short Verses for Memorial Cards
No Goodbyes
There are no goodbyes for us.
Wherever you are, you will
always be in my heart.
- Mahatma GandhiA Life Well Lived
- Love Never Ends -
No one is more cherished in this world
than someone who lightens
the burdens of another.
- Always Missed,
Always Remembered,
Always Loved -
Remembered with great love.
Forever remembered,
forever loved
Loved always,
remembered forever
Those we love
never truly leave us
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
— Reinhold NiebuhrSadly Missed,
Remembered
with Love
Love is how you stay alive,
even after you are gone.
— Mitch AlbomAs long as we live, they too will live;
for they are now are a part of us;
as we remember them.”
— Jewish PrayerTo live in hearts we leave
behind is not to die
— Thomas CampbellMay you continue to inspire us
— John O'DonohueWherever a beautiful
soul has been there
is a trail of beautiful memories
A life remembered with love
A life that touches
others goes on forever.
How to use Irish / Gaielge on a Memorial Card /
Irish Blessings for Memorial Cards
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
May he rest in peace
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam
May she rest in peace
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha
May they rest in peace
The words uasal (noble) or dílis (faithful)
can be used to add emphasis:
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal / dílis
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam uasal / dílis
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha uaisle / dílse
Suaimhneas Síoraí Air
Eternal Rest be Upon Him
Suaimhneas Síoraí Uirthi
Eternal Rest be Upon Her
Suaimhneas Síoraí Orthu
Eternal Rest be Upon Them
Go Raibh Suaimhneas Síoraí Air
Eternal Rest be Upon Him
Go gcastar le chéile arís
May we meet again
Frequently asked questions on various ways to use poems and verses for Memorial Cards
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When choosing poems for memorial cards, it’s best to select those that convey heartfelt emotion and reflection. Traditional, religious, and spiritual poems are popular choices, along with poems that focus on honouring and paying a tribute to a loved one. Consider the tone and message that best honours the memory of the person.
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Yes, you can personalise any poem for a memorial card to make it unique. Many people choose to modify a poem to reflect their loved one’s life, adding names, dates, or special lines that resonate personally. Customized poems create a deeper, more meaningful tribute.
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Poems for memorial cards typically range from short verses to longer, more traditional poems. A shorter poem or verse works well for smaller card designs, while a longer poem may be suitable for a larger format. The key is to choose a length that conveys the right sentiment without overwhelming the card’s layout.
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Generally, it takes about 4-5 days to receive your memorial cards after placing an order. This timeline includes processing, printing, and shipping, so you can expect them to arrive promptly.
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Some of the most requested short poems for memorial cards include “Miss Me But Let Me Go,” “Afterglow,” and “Remember Me.” These poems are heartfelt yet concise, making them suitable for prayer cards, wallet-sized keepsakes, or bookmarks. Their brevity ensures the words stay simple and comforting.
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Of course. What you include on a memorial card is entirely up to you -what matters most is that the words feel right to you and your family. Song lyrics can be just as meaningful as poems or prayers. If a few lines from a song capture your feelings or reflect your loved one’s life, then they are a perfect choice.
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Yes, many families include a “Thank You” message to show their gratitude. A simple “Thank you for your kind expression of sympathy” or “Your support means so much to our family” can be included on the card. This wording is often combined with a short memorial verse or prayer to create a meaningful Memorial Card that also pays tribute to the loved one while acknowledging support given during a time of loss.
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Memorial card verses are short lines chosen to reflect the personality or spirit of your loved one. They may be quotes, poems, or prayers, such as “There is no light without a dawning” or “Love Never Ends.” Including these verses ensures the card offers lasting comfort to family and friends.
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Yes, many families now prefer non religious memorial card poems that celebrate life and capture the essence of your loved one. Options include contemporary writings from John O’Donohue or traditional favourites from Amelia Josephine Barr. These are heartfelt alternatives for those seeking non religious wording that can offer comfort.
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Not every farewell includes religion, prayer, or spiritual language. Increasingly, families are choosing non-religious or humanist funerals, and also memorial cards that reflect a life lived without formal faith.
A non-religious memorial verse allows space for:
- Love rather than belief
- Memory rather than doctrine
- Presence rather than promiseItem description
