Losing a sister is an indescribable sorrow, and finding the right words to express this grief can be overwhelming. Poems for a sister’s funeral offer a way to articulate these deep emotions, providing comfort and a means to honor her memory.
Below is a curated collection of 30 heartfelt poems, including works by renowned poets, to help you commemorate the life and legacy of your sister.
The Power Of A Poem For A Sister’s Funeral
Poems for a sister’s funeral hold the power of allowing us to express our feelings when words can’t put into context the true feeling of loss and sorrow. For a sister’s funeral, a poem has the ability to capture the love, laughter, and the connection that defined her life.
A well-chosen poem for a sister’s funeral allows mourners to reflect on shared memories and the irreplaceable role she played in the lives of her loved ones. By selecting a poem that resonates with your relationship, you can create a deeply personal and meaningful tribute.
Poems that Celebrate a Sister’s Life
Choosing the right poem for a sister’s funeral depends on the tone you want to create at the funeral. Whether you want to honor her kindness, her sense of humor, or her wisdom, the poem you pick should reflect her character.
Here are some suggestions for poems that encapsulate various aspects of a sister’s life:
1. A Poem for a Sister’s Compassionate Heart
Sisters share a special bond of compassion, care, and understanding. A poem that highlights these qualities can remind those in attendance of the selfless love your sister showed during her lifetime.
“You were the light, so warm and kind,
A heart that always seemed to find
A way to heal, to comfort, and to care,
A love like yours is beyond compare.”
2. A Poem For A Sister’s Funeral That Shows Her Strength
If your sister was known for her resilience and inner strength, a poem that celebrates her courage can be the perfect poem for her funeral. This type of tribute can offer reflection on how well your sister handled difficult or straining situations and overcame challenges.
“In every storm, you stood so tall,
With strength unshaken, you faced it all.
A warrior’s heart, you led with grace,
And now you rest in a peaceful place.”
3. A Poem for a Sister’s Funeral That Shows Her Sense of Humor
If your sister’s sense of humor was a defining trait, this poem will evoke laughter and fond memories, helping those grieving to remember the joyful moments they shared with her.
“With a laugh so loud, it filled the air,
You brought us joy beyond compare.
Your jokes, your smile, your playful way,
Remains in our hearts, each and every day.”
4. A Poem for a Sister’s Unbreakable Bond
For many, the bond between sisters is one of the strongest relationships in life. A poem about this connection speaks to the enduring love that will continue even after death.
“Though you’re gone, you’re always near,
In every tear, in every cheer.
Our bond, unbroken, strong and true,
I’ll carry it with me, forever with you.”
Famous Poets and Their Poems for a Sister’s Funeral
You may want to use a well known poem for your sister’s funeral. We have curated some funeral poems written by renowned poets who have written touching pieces that may perfectly capture the emotions surrounding the loss of a sister. Here are a few examples:
1. “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” by Mary Elizabeth Frye
This poem speaks to the eternal nature of love, offering comfort to those mourning the loss of a loved one. Its gentle reassurance can be particularly fitting for a sister’s funeral.
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
2. “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson
Dickinson’s iconic poem is a beautiful reflection on death and the passage of time. Its haunting beauty and introspective tone can help capture the sorrow and acceptance that comes with loss.
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—
Or rather—He passed us—
The Dews drew quivering and chill—
For only Gossamer, my Gown—
My Tippet—only Tulle—
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground—
The Roof was scarcely visible—
The Cornice—in the Ground—
Since then—’tis Centuries—and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses’ Heads
Were toward Eternity—
3. “The Dash” by Linda Ellis
This modern poem focuses on the concept of the dash between birth and death, encouraging those left behind to celebrate the life lived rather than the death itself. It can be a powerful way to remind mourners of your sister’s accomplishments and character.
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning to the end.
He noted first came the date of the birth and spoke the following date with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between the years.
For that dash represents all the time that they spent life on Earth.
And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own, the cars, the house, the cash.
What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.
So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real, and always try to understand the way other people feel.
Be less quick to anger and show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s actions to rehash, would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?
The Role of Funeral Poems in the Healing Process
Grief is a deeply personal journey, and funeral poems can provide a space for healing. They serve as a way to honor the departed while also allowing mourners to process their emotions. Here’s how funeral poems contribute to the healing process:
- Providing Emotional Release: Writing or reading a poem allows individuals to express their emotions in a constructive way, helping them to release pent-up grief.
- Creating a Sense of Connection: A well-written poem can create a sense of shared experience, helping family and friends feel connected through their mourning.
- Offering Comfort and Solace: Funeral poems can offer reassurance that your sister’s memory will live on, bringing peace to those who are struggling with the loss.
30 Examples Of Funeral Poems For A Sister’s Funeral
We have curated a list of 30 funeral poems for a sister’s funeral that you can use at your sister’s funeral or memorial.
1. “To My Sister” by William Wordsworth
It is the first mild day of March:
Each minute sweeter than before,
The redbreast sings from the tall larch
That stands beside our door.
There is a blessing in the air,
Which seems a sense of joy to yield
To the bare trees, and mountains bare,
And grass in the green field.
My sister! (’tis a wish of mine)
Now that our morning meal is done,
Make haste, your morning task resign;
Come forth and feel the sun.
Edward will come with you;—and, pray,
Put on with speed your woodland dress;
And bring no book: for this one day
We’ll give to idleness.
No joyless forms shall regulate
Our living calendar:
We from to-day, my Friend, will date
The opening of the year.
Love, now a universal birth,
From heart to heart is stealing,
From earth to man, from man to earth:
—It is the hour of feeling.
One moment now may give us more
Than years of toiling reason:
Our minds shall drink at every pore
The spirit of the season.
Some silent laws our hearts will make,
Which they shall long obey:
We for the year to come may take
Our temper from to-day.
And from the blessed power that rolls
About, below, above,
We’ll frame the measure of our souls:
They shall be tuned to love.
Then come, my Sister! come, I pray,
With speed put on your woodland dress;
And bring no book: for this one day
We’ll give to idleness.
2. “Sister’s Sleep” by Christina Rossetti
She fell asleep on Christmas Eve:
At length the long-ungranted shade
Of weary eyelids overweigh’d
The pain nought else might yet relieve.
Our mother, who had lean’d all day
Over the bed from chime to chime,
Then raised herself for the first time,
And as she sat her down, did pray.
Her little work-table was spread
With work to finish. For the glare
Made by her candle, she had care
To work some distance from the bed.
Without, there was a cold moon up,
Of winter radiance sheer and thin;
The hollow halo it was in
Was like an icy crystal cup.
Through the small room, with subtle sound
Of flame, by vents the fireshine drove
And redden’d. In its dim alcove
The mirror shed a clearness round.
I had been sitting up some nights,
And my tired mind felt weak and blank;
Like a sharp strengthening wine it drank
The stillness and the broken lights.
Twelve struck. That sound, by dwindling years
Heard in each hour, crept off; and then
The ruffled silence spread again,
Like water that a pebble stirs.
Our mother rose from where she sat:
Her needles, as she laid them down,
Met lightly, and her silken gown
Settled: no other noise than that.
“Glory unto the Newly Born!”
So, as said angels, she did say;
Because we were in Christmas Day,
Though it would still be long till morn.
Just then in the room over us
There was a pushing back of chairs,
As some who had sat unawares
So late, now heard the hour, and rose.
With anxious softly-stepping haste
Our mother went where Margaret lay,
Fearing the sounds o’erhead—should they
Have broken her long watch’d-for rest!
She stoop’d an instant, calm, and turn’d;
But suddenly turn’d back again;
And all her features seem’d in pain
With woe, and her eyes gazed and yearn’d.
For my part, I but hid my face,
And held my breath, and spoke no word:
There was none spoken; but I heard
The silence for a little space.
Our mother bow’d herself and wept:
And both my arms fell, and I said,
“God knows I knew that she was dead.”
And there, all white, my sister slept.
Then kneeling, upon Christmas morn
A little after twelve o’clock
We said, ere the first quarter struck,
“Christ’s blessing on the newly born!”
3. “Dirge” by James Shirley
The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still:
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to death.
The garlands wither on your brow;
Then boast no more your mighty deeds:
Upon death’s purple altar now
See where the victor-victim bleeds:
Your heads must come
To the cold tomb:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.
4. “Remember” by Christina Rossetti
Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption
5. “A Sister’s Love”
A sister’s love is pure and true,
A guiding light the whole life through.
She shares your joys, she feels your pain,
And lifts you up through storm and rain.
Though fate may part or time may fade,
The bond we share will never fray.
In memories bright, in whispered dreams,
She stays with me in moonlight beams.
I hear her voice in rustling trees,
I feel her touch in autumn’s breeze.
Though gone from sight, she lives inside,
My sister dear, my heart’s own guide.
6. “Gone Too Soon”
You were the light that filled my days,
The warmth that shone in gentle rays.
Now darkness lingers in your space,
A sister lost—a heart displaced.
Your laughter echoes in the night,
A whisper soft, a glow so bright.
Though death has called, you still remain,
In love, in dreams, in joy, in pain.
I close my eyes, I hear your song,
The melody where you belong.
Though gone too soon, you live in me,
My sister’s love, eternally.
7. “To My Sister, In the Stars”
I look to the sky and whisper your name,
The stars blink softly, they know my pain.
I trace constellations with trembling hands,
Seeking the warmth where your spirit stands.
You dance in the heavens, yet near you stay,
Watching, guiding, lighting my way.
Though life has parted, though time moves fast,
Our love remains—forever will last.
8. “A Sister’s Promise”
I promise to carry your laughter each day,
To speak your name in my quietest way.
Though life has parted our hands apart,
You live forever inside my heart.
No shadow can steal the love we knew,
No distance can fade the bond so true.
My sister, my light, my guiding star,
You are with me, no matter how far.
9. “Always By My Side”
Through childhood days and golden years,
We shared our dreams, our joys, our tears.
Hand in hand, we faced the tide,
My dearest sister, always by my side.
Though now you walk a path unknown,
I feel you still—I’m not alone.
In every sunset, in each bright star,
My sister’s love is never far.
10. “Beyond the Veil”
Sister, I whisper your name in the night,
Hoping you hear me beyond the light.
Though time may pass and days may wane,
Love is a thread that won’t break or strain.
I see you in colors, in songs, in the sea,
You are the breath that still sings in me.
No distance can steal what we once knew,
My sister, my heart, my love so true.
11. “Gone But Not Forgotten”
Your hands are gone, your voice is still,
Yet in my heart, you whisper still.
Though fate has drawn the lines apart,
You live in echoes of my heart.
I see your face in morning’s light,
I hear your voice in dreams at night.
Though time moves on and days go fast,
Our sisterhood will always last.
12. “A Silent Goodbye”
No farewell hug, no last embrace,
Just empty space, an unseen place.
But in the winds, I hear you near,
A whisper soft, a voice so clear.
You never left, you never could,
Love lingers where we once stood.
Sister, dear, though time may fly,
My heart still sings a soft goodbye.
13. “In Every Season”
In spring’s first bloom, I think of you,
In summer’s warmth, your laughter too.
In autumn leaves, I hear your name,
In winter’s snow, you feel the same.
No season passes where you are gone,
You live in every dusk and dawn.
Sister dear, though life may change,
Love’s embrace will never wane.
14. “A Bond Unbroken”
Sister, though the world may turn,
My heart for you will always burn.
Though you are gone from sight and sound,
In love and memory, you are found.
No loss can steal the love we share,
No time can change how much I care.
Beyond the stars, beyond the sea,
Your soul still walks this path with me.
15. “Sister’s Hands”
Your hands once held me, safe and strong,
Guiding me when days seemed long.
Now only memories touch my skin,
But love still burns where you have been.
No matter where, no matter when,
You are my sister, now and then.
Hands of kindness, hands of grace,
Forever held in love’s embrace.
16. “For My Sister in Heaven”
Above the clouds where angels sing,
You spread your laughter, soft as spring.
Though tears may fall and nights grow cold,
Your love remains in stories told.
Sister, though the stars divide,
I know you walk right by my side.
In every breeze, in every light,
You shine within my soul so bright.
17. “Sister’s Song”
I hear your song upon the air,
A melody beyond compare.
A sister’s love, a lullaby,
That never fades, that never dies.
The echoes ring in morning’s hue,
In golden dusk, I sing for you.
Though time has stilled your earthly voice,
Your spirit sings—I have no choice.
18. “Soft Goodbye”
A whispered prayer, a tear-stained kiss,
A sister’s love that we still miss.
Though life may part, though days may end,
My heart remembers, my soul defends.
No parting word, no last farewell,
Just endless love—forever held.
In dreams, in light, in sky so wide,
My sister’s love will never hide.
19. “My Sister, My Friend” by Gillian McKay
Your sister is the one person you can confide your whole self to,
The one person who understands.
She is the person who will stand by your side until the very end.
She has and always will be there for you during all the times in your life,
Whether they be happy or sad.
A sister is someone who knows you better than you know yourself.
She is someone you can’t imagine your life without,
And just the thought of it makes you want to cry.
— Gillian McKay
20. “Our Hearts Are Broken Forever” by Grace Bourke
You were always there when we needed you,
No task too great or small.
With loving heart and willing hands,
For us you did them all.
Look around your garden, Lord,
And when she turns and smiles,
Put your arms around her,
And hold her for a while.
— Grace Bourke
21. “High Flight” by John Gillespie Magee Jr.
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew—
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— John Gillespie Magee Jr.
22. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by W.B. Yeats
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet’s wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart’s core.
— W.B. Yeats
23. “Unbreakable Sisterhood”
Through laughter and tears, we walked the miles,
Shared our dreams, our fears, our smiles.
Though fate has taken you away,
In my heart, you forever stay.
Your guiding hand, your tender care,
The bond we had beyond compare.
My sister, my friend, my confidante true,
Life dims without the light of you.
— Anonymous
24. “Heartfelt Departure”
Sister, your journey has begun,
Beyond the realms of moon and sun.
Yet in our hearts, you still reside,
Our love for you we cannot hide.
Your laughter echoes in the halls,
Your spirit dances through the walls.
Though we part in flesh and bone,
In soul and memory, you’re never alone.
— Anonymous
25. “Forever in My Heart”
Time may heal, but scars remain,
A sister’s love, a sweet refrain.
In dreams, I see your smiling face,
In waking hours, I feel your grace.
Though death has come to take you away,
In my heart, you’ll always stay.
My sister dear, my eternal friend,
Our bond and love will never end.
— Anonymous
26. “If I Be the First of Us to Die”
If I be the first of us to die,
Let grief not blacken long your sky.
Be bold yet modest in your grieving.
There is a change but not a leaving.
For just as death is part of life,
The dead live on forever in the living.
And all the gathered riches of our journey,
The moments shared, the mysteries explored,
The steady layering of intimacy stored,
The things that made us laugh or weep or sing,
The joy of sunlit snow or first unfurling of the spring,
The wordless language of look and touch,
The knowing,
Each giving and each taking,
These are not flowers that fade,
Nor trees that fall and crumble,
Nor are they stone,
For even stone cannot the wind and rain withstand
And mighty mountain peaks in time reduce to sand.
What we were, we are.
What we had, we have.
A conjoined past imperishably present.
So when you walk the wood where once we walked together
And scan in vain the dappled bank beside you for my shadow,
Or pause where we always did upon the hill to gaze across the land,
And spotting something, reach by habit for my hand,
And finding none,
27. “A Sister’s Love” by Mary C. Williams
A sister’s love, so pure and kind,
A treasure that no time can bind.
Though life may part us, worlds apart,
You’ll forever live within my heart.
Through every trial, joy, and fear,
I feel your presence, always near.
A bond that death can never sever,
A sister’s love, eternal forever.
— Mary C. Williams
28. “Sister’s Eternal Light” by Emily Dickinson
Forever to the sisters’ bond,
No earthly hand can sever,
For though the years may come and go,
The love endures forever.
In every sunrise, in every sigh,
In each day we stand apart,
I hold you near, I see you still,
A sister’s love in my heart.
— Emily Dickinson
29. “Death is Nothing at All” by Henry Scott-Holland
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference into your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effort, without the ghost of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity.
What is this death but a negligible accident?
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well.
Nothing is past, nothing is lost.
One brief moment and all will be as it was before—only better.
Infinitely happier. We will all be one together forever.
— Henry Scott-Holland
30. “Sisters Are Forever”
Sisters may fight, and sisters may part,
But a sister’s love is a work of art.
No distance too great, no time too long,
The bond we share is forever strong.
You are a mirror of my soul,
A sister’s love, making me whole.
In moments of sorrow, in times of glee,
You’ll forever be a part of me.
My dear sister, my endless friend,
Our love will last beyond the end.
We will meet again, that much I know,
For love like ours will always grow.
