The death of a mother can be hard at any age. Many funeral poems for mothers capture the depth of emotion people feel after this loss, which makes them a good source of inspiration for sympathy cards, obituaries, and eulogies.
Finding the right words to say goodbye can be difficult when a friend or loved one loses a mother. If you’d like to include a poem in the funeral program, here are a few ideas for inspiration. We’ve included a few lines from some of our favorite poems and included links for you to read the poems in their entirety.
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How Do I Write A Tribute To My Mother At Her Funeral?
The most important thing about writing your own funeral poem, tribute, or eulogy for your mother is that it comes from the heart. It should capture her spirit and personality and be a reflection of how she lived and would want to be remembered. It should help attendees, and you, remember your mom fondly and give them peace as they say their final farewells.
If you’re struggling to write a traditional eulogy for your mother’s funeral or memorial service, there’s nothing wrong with reading a short funeral poem in tribute to her instead. There are many beautiful funeral poems written specifically for the loss of a mother.
What Do You Say To Someone At Their Mother’s Funeral?
The loss of a mother can be a devastating and traumatic experience for many people. It can be difficult to know what to say to them or how to comfort them, especially at the funeral service when they are grieving.
What you say to a person who loses their mother depends on your relationship with them and their mom. If you’re there for your best friend, you will likely play a larger role in supporting her throughout the service. You will feel more comfortable talking openly with her and expressing your condolences. If you’re there for a co-worker’s mother’s funeral, you will probably keep your condolences briefer and more general.
Remember that the family has a lot on their plate on the day of the funeral or memorial service. They have to speak with a lot of people and hear words of sympathy over and over. Keep it simple and succinct yet sincere. Here are a few things you can say:
“I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. Please reach out if there’s anything we can do for you.”
“Your mother was so loved, and she left an amazing legacy with us all.”
“I hope your family finds peace in the wonderful memories made with your mom. I’m so sorry you’re going through this right now.”
If you want to be more practical and helpful, follow up an “I’m sorry” with an offer, such as:
“I’m ordering food after the service tonight. What can I bring you?”
“Can I help make any phone calls or run any errands for you?”
“I’m happy to help coordinate delivering the flower and food gifts to your family’s homes.”
“Do you need a minute to yourself? I can make sure no one disturbs you.”
What Is A Poem For A Mother?
There are countless known poems written to honor what it means to be a mother. Some are written from the perspective of a child or grown child, reflecting on how their mom shaped their lives. Some are written from the perspective of a doting spouse to show how much they appreciate and respect her. And some are written from the perspective of a mother, reminding her children how much they are cherished and her dreams for their future.
Instead of a funeral poem that talks about death, you might choose to use a different Mother’s Day poem that is more of a celebration of life, like “A Mother’s Love” by Helen Steiner Rice.
A Mother’s love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may,
…
Another simple but touching poem is “Wonderful Mother” by Patrick O’Reilly. This is an appropriate poem for a religious funeral, as it talks about how God made a wonderful mother and “gave that dear mother to me.” It’s a reminder of how lucky a child is when blessed with the best mom they could have.
God made a wonderful mother,
A mother who never grows old;
He made her smile of the sunshine.
And He moulded her heart of pure gold;
In her eyes He placed bright shining stars,
In her cheeks fair roses you see;
God made a wonderful mother,
And He gave that dear mother to me.
What Are Some Poems For Funerals For Mothers
If you choose to use memorial poems, there are many touching and lovely poems specifically written to help us say goodbye to a mother.
“If Roses Grow in Heaven” by Dolores M. Garcia is beautiful and simple. It’s written in plain language that anyone can understand, even small children, making it an appropriate funeral reading from a child to their mother.
If roses grow in heaven,
Lord, please pick a bunch for me,
Place them in my Mother’s arms
and tell her they’re from me.
Tell her I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for a while.
Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
but there’s an ache within my heart
that will never go away.
How Can You Use Part Of A Poem For Sympathy Messages Or Eulogies?
Any line from a poem that speaks to you can be excerpted and included in a funeral speech, eulogy, or sympathy card. Here are a few of our favorite lines just from the poems in this article:
“A Mother’s love is something that no one can explain.”
“God made a wonderful mother.”
“Your mother lives inside your laughter. She’s the place you come from, your first home.”
“Nothing loved is ever lost, and she was loved so much.”
Examples
There are many other funeral poems for moms you can use. Here are a few excerpts from different styles of poems.
“She Shall be Praised”
A twist on a traditional poem, some people choose to read Bible verses about mothers.
“She Shall be Praised” Proverbs 31: 10 and 25-31
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.
…
“Your Mother Is Always With You”
Sometimes it’s not a child or spouse delivering the eulogy speech. If a friend or family member speaks, “Your Mother Is Always With You” by Deborah Culver is a comforting poem shared with grieving children (young or adults). It reminds us that our mother is our first home, that she lives in everything around us, and that nothing can separate us — even death.
She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.
She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers you pick, the fragrance of life itself.
…
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She’s the place you come from, your first home.
…
But nothing on Earth can separate you.
Not time.
Not space.
Not even death.
“Her Journey’s Just Begun”
For those who see death as simply the next phase of life, “Her Journey’s Just Begun” is a lovely poem that reminds us that our time on Earth is fleeting and the next journey is one of warmth, comfort, and rest. And that a mother will live on forever in our hearts because “nothing loved is ever lost.”
Don’t think of her as gone away-
her journey’s just begun,
life holds so many facets-
this earth is only one
…
And think of her as living
in the hearts of those she touched
for nothing loved is ever lost-
and she was loved so much.
…