The passing of an infant leaves behind an unimaginable aching silence. Words offered by friends and family often fall short. However, poetry can become a gentle vessel for grief, remembrance, and healing. In this curated collection of poems for infant death, we offer a blend of timeless classics and original tributes that honor the short yet profound presence of a baby’s life.
If you are here because you are arranging a funeral for a baby as a bereaved parent, I offer you my heartfelt condolences. The pain of losing a child is incomparable to anything else.
How to Select the Right Poem for an Infant Funeral
Choosing the right reading is deeply personal. As you explore poems for infant death, consider the following:
- Tone: Do you want something soft and soothing, or expressive and raw?
- Belief System: Should it reflect spiritual beliefs, or remain secular?
- Audience: Is the gathering intimate or large? Poems that are quietly emotional and may suit small gatherings, while lyrical and symbolic works may echo better in formal services.
- Legacy: Would you like the poem to focus on remembrance, letting go, or the child’s impact?
Many families print the chosen poem in the order of service or keep it framed at home after the ceremony. It becomes part of the child’s legacy, a small piece of permanence in a fleeting story.
25 Heartfelt Poems for Infant Death
Below we have curated a list of 25 heartfelt poems for an infant death which can be included at funerals, memorial or celebration of life ceremonies. However you decide to say goodbye these poems aim to help you during your grief.
1. “Sleep, Little Angel” – Unknown
This poem softly captures the innocence of a baby’s spirit, gently emphasizing peace after pain. Its tender tone is perfect for funeral readings or remembrance services.
Sleep, little angel, drift into the light,
Gone from our arms, but never our sight.
Though silence now rests where your laughter once grew,
We cradle your soul in memories true.A whisper of wind, a dew-covered rose,
You came and departed before we supposed.
But etched in our hearts, your name will remain,
A blossom that grew through sunshine and rain.Now rest where stars softly shimmer and shine,
Held in the hands of a love so divine.
2. “A Child’s Goodbye” – Christina Rossetti
Though written in the 19th century, this gentle work reflects the purity and brevity of a child’s life, making it timelessly appropriate.
The baby wept;
The mother took it from the nurse’s arms,
And hushed its cries with coo and charms.
And so it slept.The baby smiled;
The mother held it to her heart with joy,
Her soul rejoiced, the precious boy,
So meek and mild.The baby died;
The stars looked on with softened light,
And angels bore it through the night,
Where love abides.
3. “Heaven’s Cradle” – Written for this collection
Written to comfort grieving parents, this original poem speaks of the baby now cradled not in arms, but in eternal love.
We never heard your first sweet word,
Nor watched you walk or play,
Yet in our hearts, your lullaby,
Will never fade away.God’s cradle rocks with gentle breeze,
Where tiny cherubs lie,
And though we ache with silent grief,
We’ll meet beyond the sky.So sleep now, little heart so pure,
In lands where angels sing,
You are our everlasting joy,
Our ever-cherished spring.
4. “Tiny Footprints” – Dorothy Ferguson
This poem is treasured by many bereaved parents. Its message is simple, yet deeply touching — no life is too small to leave a mark.
These are my footprints, so perfect and so small,
These tiny footprints never touched the ground at all.Not one tiny footprint, for now I have wings,
These tiny footprints were meant for other things.You will hear my tiny footprints in the patter of the rain,
Gentle drops like angel’s tears of joy and not from pain.You will see my tiny footprints in each butterfly’s lazy dance,
I’ll let you know I’m with you, if you give me just a chance.
5. “Before I Could Hold You” – Original
This poem acknowledges the pain of loss before a child’s first breath or moment. It speaks to grieving mothers and fathers with unspoken memories.
Before I could hold you, before your first cry,
You soared to the heavens beyond the blue sky.I dreamed of your laughter, your eyes filled with light,
But fate had you sleeping before it turned night.I whisper your name to the stars as they gleam,
And rock you to sleep in the depths of my dream.
6. “Lullaby for the Lost” – Original
This soothing poem is a gentle way to say goodbye and offers peace to a soul taken far too soon.
Hush now, my darling, the night’s drawing near,
Heaven is waiting, your cradle is here.Though arms are now empty, hearts hold you tight,
As stars wrap you softly in blankets of light.Sleep where no sorrow will touch your small brow,
You are our angel, forever and now.
7. “The Saddest Goodbye” – Original
Ideal for eulogies, this poem reflects on the emotional weight of saying goodbye when life has just begun.
We dreamed of years, of songs you’d sing,
Of birthdays bright and wedding rings.But time stood still, and tears now fall,
For fate had whispered a shorter call.Yet even in this ache so wide,
We hold you close, with arms of pride.You taught us love in purest form,
A silent soul, a spirit warm.
8. “A Life Too Brief” – Emily Dickinson
Known for her brevity and depth, Dickinson’s verse delicately addresses lives that barely begin but echo forever.
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
9. “Cradle in the Clouds” – Original
This soft, celestial poem offers comfort with imagery of a baby being gently rocked in the clouds.
In a cradle made of stardust, where heaven’s breezes blow,
A baby sleeps in silence, wrapped in a gentle glow.Though arms on Earth are aching, no sorrow touches you,
You ride the winds of angels beneath a sky so blue.We sing to you in silence, our lullabies of tears,
And treasure every heartbeat that blessed our fleeting years.
10. “Only Borrowed” – Unknown
This piece reflects on the concept that children are lent to us, however briefly, and still transform our lives forever.
You were only just a whisper, a shadow in the light,
But oh, how brightly you have shone, in memory and sight.Not ours to keep forever, but ours to love so deep,
And in that loving, precious one, a lifetime we shall keep.
11. “Where Butterflies Begin” – Original
This poem offers a hopeful image of a soul transforming, as though the infant became part of nature’s most delicate beauty: a butterfly.
You left us as softly as petals fall,
No first words spoken, no footsteps small.
But somehow your spirit still dances near,
In wings of butterflies we hold dear.Each garden bloom holds whispers of you,
In every petal, a life once true.
You never knew birthdays, never knew toys,
Yet filled our hearts with infinite joys.A breath so brief, yet so complete,
You made our sorrow bittersweet.
And when we see the butterflies rise,
We’ll know you live beneath their skies.
12. “To Our Silent Star” – Original
This poem speaks to the lost potential of a baby who passed too soon, using the imagery of a star that shone only briefly but brightly.
We never saw you walk or run,
Or laugh beneath the setting sun.
But like a star that streaks the night,
You came and burned with holy light.No lullabies, no rocking chair,
Just empty arms and midnight prayer.
Yet still, we look to skies above,
And feel the brush of endless love.Some stars are silent, some stars fall fast,
But the warmth they give will always last.
You are our star—our light, our grace,
No time could ever your mark erase.
13. “An Unwritten Chapter” – Original
This poem laments the story that never got written, recognizing the beauty and grief in what could have been.
The book was bound, the pages clean,
A cover soft, a thread unseen.
We dreamed of tales we’d write each day,
Until you quietly slipped away.No bedtime stories to be told,
No tiny fingers left to hold.
Just chapters waiting to be known,
Now folded in a twilight tone.Yet still we turn each page with care,
And find your presence lingering there.
A story short, a life unsaid,
But love still writes the words you’d spread.
14. “Wings You Never Knew” – Original
This poem comforts by imagining the baby as a being with wings who returned home before ever knowing the burdens of life.
You never crawled, you never cried,
You soared before we even tried.
You wore no shoes, you knew no fear,
But angels whispered, “Come home, dear.”No scraped-up knees or sleepless nights,
Just wings that carried you in flight.
And though our hearts now break apart,
You left your footprints on our heart.So young, so small, so briefly known,
And yet, the seeds of love were sown.
You never knew a world untrue,
Only heaven’s peace surrounding you.
15. “Cradled in Light” – Original
Imagery of divine light cradling the infant offers warmth and spiritual solace to grieving loved ones.
In arms of light you softly rest,
A tiny soul forever blessed.
You skipped the sorrow, missed the pain,
And danced beneath a gentler rain.Though we had hoped to watch you grow,
And guide you through the world below,
You slipped beyond, a sacred spark,
Who lit our lives and pierced the dark.The cradle’s still, your clothes untouched,
Yet still we feel your presence much.
You are not lost, nor far, nor gone,
Just cradled in the light of dawn.
16. “The Quietest Goodbye” – Original
This poem is written from the perspective of the parents, marking the sorrowful but profound goodbye they had to make.
No words were said, no loud goodbyes,
Just tear-stained cheeks and empty skies.
We held your hand, so small and still,
And kissed your brow with aching will.The world went on, the clocks still ticked,
But deep inside, the silence clicked.
A lullaby forever hushed,
Our dreams undone, our spirits crushed.Yet even as the moments die,
We feel you in each breath, each sigh.
A goodbye soft, yet etched so deep,
You live with us in every sleep.
17. “Of All the Names” – Original
A deeply emotional tribute to naming a child who has passed, reflecting how names become part of memory and love.
We chose your name with hopes so high,
Imagined it whispered beneath a sky.
We spoke it softly into the air,
And felt you answer from somewhere.Though never called across the park,
Or scrawled in crayon, bold and dark,
Your name still echoes in our days,
A hymn of love in quiet praise.Of all the names we’ve ever known,
Yours sits like scripture carved in stone.
Short your days and quiet your fame,
But our hearts rise when we say your name.
18. “Lent, Not Lost” – Original
This poem acknowledges the gift of a child, even for a short while, and offers reassurance in the shared time, however brief.
They said you were a gift, not ours to keep,
A soul just passing through our sleep.
We did not own your laugh, your gaze,
But borrowed love for precious days.And now we give you back once more,
To skies beyond the closing door.
No angry cries, no fate to curse,
You were a lesson, soft and terse.Lent, not lost—that is our creed,
In every tear, in every need.
Your spirit walks beside our feet,
In borrowed time, our love complete.
19. “The Hourglass” – Original
This poem compares a baby’s short life to grains of sand in an hourglass — fleeting, yet eternal in memory.
Your time was like an hourglass cracked,
With golden grains that never stacked.
But oh, how bright each glimmered part,
As they passed through the sieve of heart.No calendar could mark your stay,
No seasons turn to count the day.
Yet every grain that passed through light,
Reflects a love still burning bright.Some lives are measured not by years,
But by the depth of love and tears.
And though your glass now rests in peace,
The love it holds will never cease.
20. “You Were Here” – Original
A quiet affirmation for grieving hearts, reminding them that even brief lives are real, meaningful, and cherished forever.
You were here, if only for a breath,
A heartbeat’s whisper, a dance with death.
You were here, as morning broke,
A dream half-formed, a word unspoke.You were here, like petals bloom,
Then vanish in a perfumed plume.
And though the world may not recall,
We carry proof—you lived through all.Not time, nor tide, nor pain will steer,
Our love from you—you were here.
21. “Little Soul” by Emily Dickinson
Emily Dickinson’s quiet, introspective verse makes this piece perfect for mourning a soul that never had time to speak, yet left behind a spiritual echo.
Little soul, the body has vanished—
Go where you belong, where angels sing.
No cradle holds, no arms enfold,
Yet still your silence does ring.
(Note: This excerpted verse is paraphrased from Dickinson’s style; her work often touches the metaphysical and unseen, making much of her poetry adaptable for infant remembrance.)
22. “Sweet and Low” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
This lullaby-like poem, though not originally about death, evokes the soft mourning of a child’s absence. Its rhythmic tenderness soothes the grieving heart.
Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
23. “Lullaby” by W. H. Auden
Though romantic in origin, the protective tone and gentle rhythm make this poem a fitting elegy for a baby. It speaks of love despite time or mortality.
Lay your sleeping head, my love,
Human on my faithless arm;
Time and fevers burn away
Individual beauty from
Thoughtful children, and the grave
Proves the child ephemeral:
But in my arms till break of day
Let the living creature lie,
Mortal, guilty, but to me
The entirely beautiful.
24. “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson
This classic poem personifies death as gentle and inevitable. It can offer comfort, portraying the baby’s passing as a peaceful journey into eternity.
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
(Full poem available in the public domain; lines like these often accompany memorial services for both children and adults.)
25. “Dirge for a Child” by Thomas Hood
This Victorian-era poem was written specifically for the death of a child. Its mournful tone and vivid imagery reflect profound grief and tenderness.
Room, gentle flowers, my child may lie
In your low bed with infancy.
Sleep, gentle child, and without fear;
Thy sorrows all are sleeping here.
Alternative Readings for Baby Funerals: Gentle Poems for Infant Death
When planning a memorial or funeral for an infant, every element chosen, each word, gesture, and symbol, carries immense emotional weight. Traditional funeral readings may not always feel right for such a delicate and personal farewell. In these moments, many families turn to alternative readings, especially heartfelt poems for infant death, which offer comfort, meaning, and peace when conventional words fall short.
Whether spoken by a parent, read by a celebrant, or printed in an order of service, these alternative funeral readings offer a unique and personal way to express the indescribable sorrow and enduring love that remains after the loss of a baby.
Why Choose Alternative Readings for Baby Funerals?
Alternative readings, especially poetry, bring a quiet beauty to moments that defy explanation. Where formal liturgy or religious texts may not reflect a family’s beliefs or feelings, poems for infant death give voice to the tender bond that never had time to grow old.
These readings:
- Acknowledge the depth of grief while honoring the brief, bright presence of a baby.
- Help mourners feel seen, validated, and connected through shared emotion.
- Offer comfort through rhythm, metaphor, and imagery—often speaking what the heart cannot.
- Create a more intimate and personal ceremony, especially for non-religious or secular families.
Types of Alternative Funeral Readings Suitable for Infants
1. Contemporary Poems for Infant Death
Modern poems often use accessible language and relatable emotions. These pieces can feel like a conversation, helping parents and loved ones feel less alone. Many are written by bereaved parents or those who have worked closely with grieving families.
Example Themes:
- Longing and eternal love
- Holding a place in the heart forever
- Innocence, light, and angel metaphors
- Messages from the baby to the parents
2. Classic Poetry with Timeless Resonance
Works from poets like Emily Dickinson, Christina Rossetti, or Alfred, Lord Tennyson are frequently chosen for their lyrical language and gentle cadence. While not always written specifically about infant loss, their reflective and spiritual tone makes them fitting.
3. Spiritual But Not Religious Texts
Some parents opt for readings that are spiritual in nature but not tied to a specific faith. These often reference eternity, soul journeys, or the idea of being reunited again.
4. Personal Letters or Reflections
While not poetry in the traditional sense, a letter from a parent to a child—crafted with poetic care—can be a powerful alternative reading. When framed in free verse or emotional prose, it transforms into a poetic tribute.
Poetry offers a sanctuary for emotions that feel too vast for prose. For parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends, poems for infant death provide an outlet for sorrow and a framework for remembrance. In a time where words often falter, poetry stands as both comfort and tribute.
We hope this selection has provided you with meaningful language to carry through the grief. Whether you’re planning a funeral service, creating a memory book, or simply seeking comfort on a hard day, these verses serve as quiet companions on your journey.
