Collection
Grief
There is no right thing to say. There are only words that sit closer to the truth than silence does.
Find your own wordsMost people come looking for words on a hard day — a funeral to speak at, a card to write, an anniversary that arrived without warning. You do not need to find something profound. You need something honest, something you can read aloud without your voice giving way.
The poems and passages here are all published works, out of copyright and safe to read at a service or print in an order of service. Some are short enough for a card. Some take two minutes to read aloud. Where a poem is long, the opening lines are shown; the whole piece is there when you open it.
If none of them say quite what you mean — and often nothing written for someone else does — you can write your own. Tell Quoto who they were and what you want people to understand, and it will help you find the words in your language, not a stranger's.
Write your own words
Say what you actually want to say and Quoto will help you shape it — for a eulogy, a card, a headstone, or just for you.
Questions people ask
What makes a good funeral poem?
Something short enough to read without losing your breath, plain enough that everyone in the room understands it first time, and true to the person rather than to grief in general. A poem you can get through matters more than a poem that impresses.
Can I read these poems at a funeral?
Yes. Everything in this collection is a published work that is out of copyright, so you can read it aloud, print it in an order of service, or share it freely.
What if I want to say something of my own?
Write down what you would say to a friend about them — plainly, in your own words. Quoto will help you order it and find the phrasing, and it will not add memories or details you have not given it.
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