Funeral slideshow quotes: inspiring words for a photo montage

Are you looking for a fitting quotation for a funeral slideshow? Take a look at these 10 inspiring quotes.



Written in the 1930s, this classic poem by W.H. Auden expresses a common sentiment. How can the world carry on as normal when the one you love has died?

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Familiar to viewers of Four Weddings and a Funeral, this poem is a moving and darkly comic poem that's a popular choice for funerals.

2. "Fear no more the heat o' th' sun" by William Shakespeare

In Shakespeare's song from Cymbeline, the singer focuses on the things the person who died no longer has to contend with:

Fear no more the heat o' th' sun,

Nor the furious winter's rages…

They also reflect on the inevitability of death:

Golden lads and girls all must,

As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

This could be a suitable choice for someone who loved the theatre or poetry.

3. "Do not protect yourself from grief by a fence, but rather by your friends"(Czech proverb)

Funerals are about the living as much as the person who died. At a time of grief, friends and family can provide much-needed support.

This Czech proverb is an eloquent reminder of that. Instead of putting up fences, it's often better to connect with our friends. This could be an especially suitable quote at the funeral of a "people person".

4. "Requiem" by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson is perhaps most famous for creating the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But he also wrote this beautiful, concise poem written from the perspective of a person facing death:

Home is the sailor, home from sea,

And the hunter home from the hill.

This poem is a touching reminder that death can be seen as a homecoming as well as a parting.

5. "The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough" – Rabindranath Tagore

Many people come away from funerals reflecting on how to make the most of their time. This quote from Rabindranath Tagore's Poems on Time makes the case more concisely and beautifully than we ever could.

6. "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard" – A.A. Milne 

This quote from A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh books makes a point that is easy to forget in the high emotion of a funeral.

You wouldn't grieve if you didn't feel that someone was important to you. In time, this can become a source of gratitude as well as sadness: "How lucky I am" as well as "How hard it was to say goodbye".

7. "God Saw You Getting Tired" – Anonymous

This is a touching tribute to someone who died after a long, full life – someone who had, as we say, a good innings. It touches on themes of old age, grief, illness and acceptance.

Different versions of this poem are available. Perhaps the most famous version is the one which ends: "God broke our hearts to prove to us / He only takes the best."

8. "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

Many funeral poems and quotes about death focus on gentle acceptance. This classic poem by Dylan Thomas, however, implores us to "not go gentle into that good night" but "Rage, rage against the dying of the light".

"Old age," Thomas says, "should burn and rave at close of day" – and the poem's repetitions mirror this persistent, angry tone.

This could be a good quote for the funeral of someone known for their strong character.

9. "Death Be Not Proud" by John Donne

This poem, written in the 17th century by English "metaphysical poet" John Donne, is another proud and defiant poem:

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so…

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

While it's not for everyone, this poem could suit the funeral of someone whose faith in God overshadowed their fear of death.

10. "Let Me Go" by Christina Rossetti

Christina Georgina Rossetti is one of the best-loved Victorian poets. Her works include several pieces about death – and "Let Me Go" could be one of the most fitting for a funeral slideshow.

When people are dying, it often pains them to think that their loved ones will suffer. "Let Me Go" reflects this thought, asking people to "Miss me a little, but not for long… Miss me, but let me go."

It's a long poem, so you may want to choose a verse or couple of lines for your slideshow.

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