Poem for my brother's funeral

Old 01-02-2008, 08:50 PM
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Poem for my brother's funeral

Hey all,

Thanks so much for all of the kind words and prayers. I truly appreciate it. The past two days seem like they have lasted two weeks, and the upcoming days are sure to get even harder.

We made arrangements today for Paul's funeral, and tomorrow we're going to pick out a plot and make the arrangements for the mass.

I have been looking for a good poem relating to addiction and death, but am coming up short. Does anyone have anything that might be appropriate? I have found some that have come close, but am looking for one that's "just right".

My nine year-old son heard me reading some poems last night, and when I asked my husband to stand with me for the eulogy, he wanted to be up there too. I asked him if he wanted to say anything, and he proceeded to write a page and a half about his uncle, and is going to read it at Paul's funeral mass. That kid has always been such an empathetic soul, and we're all so touched at his thoughtfulness. God love him.

Thanks,
Jenny
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Old 01-02-2008, 09:10 PM
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In Memory

We have all lost someone that we love today

One that we all wish

was never taken from us this way

But god thought it was their time to leave

Ans now this is the moment

For us their friends and family to grieve

We keep asking ourselves why

Why do the good die young?

Why don't we ever get a warning

To when our day will come?

We were all just having birthdays and having so much fun

Tell us why you had to take them

I mean our lives have just begun

It hurts so much to think

That they are no longer here

When we keep seeing their face

Through each falling tear

Now knowing that their memory will never disappear

Although we keep pleading that this tragic ordeal

Is anything but real

We are demanding the pain we feel

Of our hearts breaking and tearing from the seams

To somehow just be one heart rendering bad dream

Though as we awaken and realize it is not

We can remember the good times we had with them

And forget about the times we all fought

There for please cherish all the memories

And never forget their laugh

Because we all have a piece of them with in us

And that is how the love they had

For everyone will forever last

We hope that you knew

How many people truly cared about you

And that in your passing you have taught us

That we should always stand tall

And that we have to try to make the best of it all

Hopefully through this tragedy we all will wake up & see

That life can be short and taken from us so easily

You all truly will be missed by so many

We are grateful for knowing you

And lucky to have been part of your lives

We know that Heaven's gates

Have been opened up for you

The Angel's have given you your wings

So that you all may watch over us

And push us so we may strive to do better things

A poem written by Elizabeth Mooney

I wrote this poem after a real good friend lost his battle to this disease. This really helped me through the struggles I was facing and I hope that it may bring some piece to you as well. My father also wrote a poem that might be helpful you can go to our website at merrychristmasfromheaven.com
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Old 01-02-2008, 11:01 PM
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The Plan of the Master Weaver

My life is but a weaving
between the Lord and me,
I may not choose the colors,
He knows what they should be;
For He can view the pattern
Upon the upper side
While I can see it only
On this, the under side.

Sometimes He weaveth sorrow,
Which seemeth strange to me;
But I will trust His judgment,
And work on faithfully;
'Tis He who fills the shuttle,
And He knows what is best,
So I shall weave in earnest,
Leaving to Him the rest.

Not till the loom is silent
and the shuttles cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas
And explain the reason why--
The dark threads are as needed
In the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned.

Author unknown
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Old 01-03-2008, 05:22 AM
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just sending more prayers up for you & your family. you are a very strong lady. continue to hang in there. i can not even imagine your moms pain. big hugs to you,
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Old 01-03-2008, 05:57 AM
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~ I am in the Light ~

A shadow of joy flickered; it is me.
I told you I wouldn't leave.
My memories, my thoughts are imbedded deep in your heart.
I still love you.
Do not for one moment think that you have been abandoned.
I am in the Light.
In the corner, in the hall, the car, the yard ...
these are the places I stay with you.
My spirit rises every time you pray for me,
but my energy comes closer to you.
Love does not diminish; it grows stronger.
I am the feather that finds you in the yard,
the dimmed light that grows brighter in your mind,
I place our memories for you to see.
We lived in our special way,
a way that now has its focus changed.
I still crave your understanding
and long for the many words of prayer
and good fortune for my soul.
I am in the Light.
As you struggle to adjust without me,
I watch silently.
Sometimes I summon up all the strength of my new world
to make you notice me.
Impressed by your grief,
I try to impress my love deeper into your consciousness.
As you should, I call out to the Heavens for help.
You should know that the fountain of youth does exist.
My soul is now healthy.
Your love sends me new found energy.
I am adjusting to this new world.
I am with you and I am in the Light.
Please don't feel bad that you can't see me.
I am with you wherever you go.
I protect you, just as you protected me so many times.
Talk to me and somehow I will find a way to answer you.
Mother, Father, son or daughter, it makes no difference.
Brother, sister, lover, husband or wife, it makes no difference.
Whatever our connection, friend or even foe ...
I see you with my new eyes.
I am learning to help wherever you are, wherever I am needed.
This can be done because I am in the Light.
When you feel despair, reach out to me ... I will come.
My love for you truly does transcend from Heaven to Earth.
Finish your life with the enthusiasm and zest that you had
when we were together in the physical sense.
You owe this to me, but more importantly,
you owe it to yourself.
Life continues for both of us.
I am with you because I love you
and I am in the Light.

~ Author Unknown ~


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Old 01-03-2008, 08:39 AM
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Funeral Blues


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.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

W.H. Auden
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Old 01-03-2008, 11:02 AM
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Not a peom, but a great prayer.

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the woman who cut us off in
traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and
is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and
spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man
who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college
student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of
not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the
same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to
addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares .

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through
the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this
moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week,
this will be the last year that they go shopping together .

Heavenly Father , remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us,
the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with
those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to
us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive,
show patience, empathy and love.

God Bless,
Colleen
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Old 01-03-2008, 02:09 PM
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These are all beautiful. I read and reread the lyrics to In the Arms of the Angels by Sara McLauglin following my daughter's overdose. A poem that gave me comfort too was A Parable of Immortality, by Henry Van Dyke.


You and your family are in my thgouths and prayers. This is such a difficult time; be as gentle as you can with yourself.
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