Funeral sympathy poems for the loss of a loved one

Simon Edward • 29 September 2026

Do you want to show a grieving person that you care? Are you experiencing grief and want some comfort? Try these 9 funeral sympathy poems.

Funeral sympathy poems are about showing that you care.

That might be because you're grieving and want to let others know they're not alone. Or maybe you're consoling a friend or relative. While you might not feel their pain directly, a well-chosen poem can show you understand the gravity of grief.

In this guide, we list nine sympathy poems for the loss of a loved one. You could read one at the funeral service, share it in a sympathy card or letter, or simply read it to yourself for comfort.

We've organised the poems by relation (parent, spouse, sibling, etc.). However, this is just a guide – not a rule. If you feel a poem would be a good fit for a person's funeral, that's what matters.

Sympathy poems for a mother or father's death

'For Grief' by John O'Donohue

'For Grief' stands out as a funeral poem because it's not about a person who has died. Instead, it speaks directly to those who are still alive and feeling the sharp pain of grief.

The core message is that grief follows its own timetable. We shouldn't ask a person to 'move on' because grief is a process – not just a feeling. Eventually, however, 'when the work of grief is done, the wound of loss will heal'.

Read 'For Grief' in full.

'The Uses of Sorrow' by Mary Oliver

This is a very short sympathy poem that would work in a sympathy card or as a sign-off to a funeral speech. It's even short enough to write on a funeral flower card.

Despite its length, it says a lot: dark times are painful, but they're all part of living, learning and being human.

Read 'The Uses of Sorrow' in full.

'A Blessing for the Brokenhearted' by Jan Richardson

Even though people are trying to help, words of sympathy can sometimes feel empty.

That's what Jan Richardson captures in 'A Blessing for the Brokenhearted'. It rejects the idea that pain 'makes us stronger' or that 'time will heal the wound'. Instead, shouldn't we focus on the impressive fact that a heart so broken can go on beating?

Read 'A Blessing for the Brokenhearted' in full.

Sympathy poems for the loss of a brother or sister

'What the Living Do' by Marie Howe

'What the Living Do' is a poem about losing a brother. However, it's not what you'd expect from a typical sympathy poem.

Rather than talking directly about death, it mentions everyday – even boring – things like unclogging drains, spilling coffee and parking cars.

But that's the point: these are things the living do. They need to be done. But going on living and doing those things isn't the same as forgetting.

Read 'What the Living Do' in full.

Sympathy poems for the loss of a husband or wife

'The Thing is' by Ellen Bass

Carrying the weight of grief can make it feel as if life has left you. How can someone love life – or even live life – when the hugeness of grief is weighing them down so much?

This beautiful poem is about breaking through and accepting life once more. 'Then you hold life like a face between your palms… and you say, yes, I will take you / I will love you, again.'

Read 'The Thing Is' in full.

'Otherwise' by Jane Kenyon

'Otherwise' is a memento mori – a reminder that one day, we all will die.

However, it doesn't dwell on death. Instead, it talks about the small things – dog walks, candlelit dinners and ripe peaches. The speaker knows these things won't last forever. However, by mentioning them, they remind us to make the most of every special moment, no matter how small.

Read 'Otherwise' in full.

'Let Evening Come' by Jane Kenyon

Here's another poem by Jane Kenyon. It takes quite a different approach from 'Otherwise'.

In 'Let Evening Come', Kenyon's message is that everything happens in its own time. Daylight fades. Animals return to their shelters. Stars appear in the sky.

But we shouldn't be afraid. 'God does not leave us comfortless,' Kenyon writes, 'so let evening come.' All changes – even death – are all part of God's grand plan.

Read 'Let Evening Come' in full.

Sympathy poems for a grandparent's death

'The Patience of Ordinary Things' by Pat Schneider

'The Patience of Ordinary Things' isn't a typical sympathy poem. It doesn't talk about death at all. Instead, the speaker focuses on ordinary objects – chairs, windows and cups of tea. Aren't they reliable? Patient? Generous, even?

For someone who is grieving, even something as small as a cup of tea can be powerfully soothing. That's what makes this poem so well-suited to sympathy cards.

Read 'The Patience of Ordinary Things' in full.

'The Peace of Wild Things' by Wendell Berry

Nature can be very comforting. It certainly is for the speaker of this poem, who finds peace among 'still water', 'day-blind stars' and magnificent birds.

These things aren't worried about life, death or grief. They just are.

You might want to share 'The Peace of Wild Things' with a nature lover who has lost someone close. It would also suit the funeral of a person who loved gardening, nature walks or simply the peace and quiet of the Great Outdoors.