Poems for Scattering Ashes That Offer Comfort & Peace

When a loved one passes away, it’s only natural for their friends and relatives to want to honour their memory as they scatter their ashes. One way of doing this is to give a reading or a speech fitting to the individual who has died. Many choose to read short poems for ash scattering ceremonies, and there are many beautiful pieces of writing out there written especially for loved ones who have died.

Key takeaways:

• Poems can provide comfort and closure when scattering ashes, offering a way to honour a loved one.
• Various poems exist to suit different personalities and relationships, from short verses to longer pieces.
• Both religious and non-religious poems are available, including options themed around nature or specific family members.
• Readings, quotes, and other words can be used alongside or instead of poems during an ash scattering ceremony.
• Personalisation is key, and choosing words that resonate with the individual and their mourners is most important.

The meanings of poems for scattering ashes

Different funeral poems will provide different meanings depending on who your loved one is and who is reading the poem. Everyone grieves in their own way, and you may find that some ash-scattering poems resonate more than others. This may depend on the personality of the reader, the circumstances of the death, and the type of person you are mourning. Some mourners will want to express their deep sadness, while others may wish to talk about the love and joy they shared with the person they’re mourning. 

Why we use ashes of interment poems

Poems for the interment of ashes, or scattering ashes, can help you express your feelings of love, grief, and sadness through the words used, the rhythm those words create, and the imagery that they bring to the mind’s eye. The words chosen by the writer can have more than just literal meaning; in fact, the emotions they can evoke can be extremely touching and meaningful to the reader or listener. Likewise, the imagery may remind mourners of their loved one and bring back powerful memories, while the tone may reflect the mood of the ceremony or the personality of the person you are remembering. Reading or hearing such meaningful words can sometimes provide an extra source of comfort for loved ones and can feel like a personal way to say goodbye.

Choosing the right interment of ashes poem

When choosing scattering ashes prayers and poems, it can help to think first about the person you are grieving. Were they gregarious and outgoing? Or perhaps they were a quiet, gentle soul? Considering the individual’s personality can help you find a piece of poetry with a tone well suited to them. Many people, like Aura’s founder Paul Jameson, express a wish for their funeral to be a celebration of life rather than a grieving of death, and if this is the case, then a more uplifting poem may be more appropriate than one that only depicts sadness and grief. Religious individuals may wish for a poem reflective of their faith, whilst others may prefer non-religious funeral poems, or even request a water-related poem for scattering ashes at sea.

Short poems for scattering ashes

Poems for the interment of ashes can come in many different shapes and sizes. There are long epic poems and short poems for scattering ashes; quotes as short as a couple of sentences can also ring true for some of us. A shorter poem is not a lesser poem; it is really the content that is important — the meaning it holds for both the loved one and those they’ve left behind. Words are such powerful things that deep emotions can be conveyed in only a few words.

Simple & heartfelt interment of ashes poems

There is a broad range of short poems for the interment of ashes, and you may well find one that resonates with the memories you hold of your loved one. For some, short and sweet makes the most sense and there are certainly some beautiful yet simple words for scattering ashes out there. 

A Brief Candle by Charles Daniels is one such example that you may wish to read: 

A brief candle; both ends burning

An endless mile; a bus wheel turning

A friend to share the lonesome times

A handshake and a sip of wine

So say it loud and let it ring

We are all a part of everything

The future, present and the past

Fly on proud bird

You’re free at last.

Others may find solace in an uplifting poem in the form of ‘Afterglow’ by Helen Lowrie Marshall. She uses bright and happy sunshine imagery alongside her words: 

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.

I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.

I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways,

Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.

I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun;

Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.

Short poems for scattering ashes can be adapted because they can be used as standalone readings or as part of longer eulogies. This is very much a matter of personal choice. Someone giving a eulogy and talking about the life and death of a loved one may find that a short poem or scattering ashes quote fits in well with the rest of their message. However, a poem can be just as powerful if you prefer to use it on a standalone basis. Taking time to reflect may help you decide how you want to proceed. 

Non-religious poems for scattering ashes

Many people in modern society are not religious, yet it may seem that the majority of poems to say when scattering ashes hold religious connotations. For many non-religious individuals, this is not a problem and they are happy to use them if they resonate, but for others, it is important to use non-religious funeral poems for scattering ashes so that their wishes are respected. This is very much a personal decision. Secular themes for interment of ashes poems include nature, love, memory, and the essence of time. 

A popular non-religious poem for ash scattering is When I Am Dead, My Dearest by Christina Rossetti, which focuses on natural imagery and the message that one must grieve as they see fit and not concern themselves with mourning customs typically followed in British funeral traditions.

The first verse is as follows:

When I am dead, my dearest,

Sing no sad songs for me;

Plant thou no roses at my head,

Nor shady cypress tree:

Be the green grass above me

With showers and dewdrops wet;

And if thou wilt, remember,

And if thou wilt, forget.

The poem ‘Funeral Blues’ by W. H. Auden begins with a famous first stanza, quite accurately depicting the feelings of bitterness and despair that so many feel when their loved ones are gone: 

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.

Taking a moment to sit and reflect may help you process how you feel about your choice of poem. 

Ashes interment poems for close loved ones

When we lose a loved one, a large part of our grief will be determined by their relationship to us. Coping with the death of a parent may feel very different to the loss of a sibling or spouse; not more or less, but different nonetheless. When remembering a loved one and scattering ashes, prayers and poems may also be chosen with a particular relationship in mind if that is what you wish. For example, if you are looking for particular words to say when scattering your mum’s ashes, there is some beautiful poetry out there that may fit perfectly.

Mum & Dad scattering ashes poems

A touching example of a poem for ashes interment for a mother is ‘My Mother’ by Carol Bodenham, where the poet writes of her mother looking down from the stars and how she’ll always be there: 

You’ve all come here to say your farewell,

But for me it’s not goodbye.

If I want to see her, all I have to do

Is look up to the sky.

Sweet dreams, Mam

At a scattering ashes ceremony, words can have a huge impact on the mood and nature of the event, but there doesn’t need to be lots of them. A simple quote can be just as powerful as a long poem, as shown by the Susan Wiggs quote: “There is something about losing a mother that is permanent and inexpressible – a wound that will never quite heal.” 

Likewise, when burying a much-loved father, scattering ashes poems can take various forms. The poem ‘Silent Strong Dad’ by Karen K. Boyer speaks of a reliable, sturdy father figure who puts his family first and ends with the following verse: 

A true friend we can turn to

When times are good or bad

One of our greatest blessings,

The man that we call Dad

‘Life Lessons’ by Joanna Fuchs depicts a lifetime of lessons learned from a father who imparted strong values on his child; she says:

You built a strong foundation

No one can take away.

I’ve grown up with your values,

And I’m very glad I did;

So here’s to you, dear father,

From your forever grateful kid.

Selecting a poem to read is a personal decision and one you may wish to make at your own pace. 

Words for scattering ashes of a spouse or partner

The relationship one has with their partner or spouse is unique and many people look for a poem or quote that specifically reflects this. The individual left behind has lost the person they intended to spend their life with and may wish to use only the most romantic words that depict the lifelong love and devotion they shared. John P. Read’s ‘My Soulmate’ begins with these sorrowful words:

I still say I love you,
But now there’s no reply.
I always feel your presence
As if you never left my side.

I remember your comforting voice.
Now there’s not a sound.
Only echoes from the past
Follow me around.

Scattering ashes for siblings

Our siblings are our first friends, and for many, they remain best friends for life. Losing someone who experienced the same upbringing as you and shares the same childhood memories as you can be a uniquely painful experience that only specific words can express. A short but incredibly powerful verse is ‘Love Lives On’ (Anon), reflecting on the very special nature of the relationship between brothers: 

You went away so suddenly

We did not say goodbye

But brothers can never be parted

Precious memories never die.

For a sister, you may wish to consider To My Sister by Allison Chambers Coxsey: 

I’m blessed to call you sister,

I also call you friend;

You’ve loved me unconditionally,

And stood through thick and thin.

Ashes interment poems for a friend

Choosing poems for ashes interment for a friend may be done by reflecting on your own unique friendship with them and also by considering their personality and character. A friend who was the life and soul of the party might warrant a different type of poem than a friend whose strengths were kindness and reliability, for example. 

A poem might also reflect the type of friendship you had, whether that may have been a close but long-distance one or one of daily contact and frequent adventures. ‘All is Well’ by Henry Scott-Holland speaks from the point of view of the friend who is gone, who tells his friend that everything is fine and just as it should be, and asks to be thought and spoken of in the usual way: 

Death is nothing at all,

I have only slipped into the next room

I am I and you are you

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

‘If Tears Could Build a Stairway’ (Anon) is a shorter verse, yet you may find it just as powerful, seeing death from a different point of view and wishing for the dead to return from Heaven: 

If tears could build a stairway,

and memories a lane

We would walk right up to Heaven

and bring you back again.

Famous poems for scattering ashes

There are many famous poems for interment of ashes, and it may be that the individual whose ashes are being scattered had one in mind that they requested be recited at their interment. Or possibly a loved one knows of one that has always resonated with them and now seems apt for the occasion.

Classic poems of remembrance

A classic funeral poem is ‘Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep’ by Mary Elizabeth Frye, which is meant as a message of comfort to those left behind that their loved one is all around them: 

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.

Christina Rossetti authored ‘Remember Me’, urging those left behind to be happy and not get so caught up in grief that they forget to live

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad.

Mark Twain’s ‘Warm Summer Sun’ is an uplifting take on death, reminding us of hope and the beauty of life, even in death:

Warm summer sun,

Shine kindly here,

Warm southern wind,

Blow softly here.

Green sod above,

Lie light, lie light.

Good night, dear heart,

Good night, good night.

Nature-themed poetry for ash scattering

Some of us prefer to think of death as the return to earth, the reunion of the body with nature, and so nature-themed poems may be a fitting choice for scattering ashes. ‘Seven Poems’ by John Masefield speaks at length of nature’s ability to help him feel the presence of his loved one: 

I went down by the waters, and a bird

Sang with your voice in all the unknown tones

Of all that self of you I have not heard,

So that my being felt you to the bones.

In Henry Van Dyke’s ‘Gone From My Sight’, his loved one may as well just be out at sea, as she is not dead, merely out of his sight:

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me — not in her.

Inspirational & uplifting poetry

Whilst funerals and ash scattering ceremonies are traditionally a time of grieving, it is becoming more and more popular to shift the focus onto celebrating the life of the person who has died, and readings of inspirational and uplifting poetry are a part of this. 

Emily Dickinson’s ‘Because I Could Not Stop for Death’ is well-known for depicting death as a kindly gentleman, making the journey into death seem like a simple ride with a good friend:

Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me;

The carriage held but just ourselves

And Immortality.

‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost, while not traditionally seen as a funeral poem, is often chosen for its account of a life lived with a sense of adventure and purpose: 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

Spiritual & religious poems for scattering ashes

Finding poems with religious and spiritual meaning may help you process the loss of a loved one in a way that you find fitting. 

Christian & biblical verses

Mourners for a follower of Christianity may wish to read poems relating to God and the Bible. There are a lot of options and there may well be one or two that resonate. Some are more traditional, whilst others are more modern. ‘Come With Me’ by Rhonda Braswell is an emotional tribute to a loved one that talks of love, grief, and God:

God saw you getting tired

And a cure was not to be

So He put His arms around you

And whispered ‘Come with Me.’

Shannon Lee Moseley’s ‘I Am Free’ urges those left behind to remember the dead fondly and without lingering in grief, because she is with God now:

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,

Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your hearts and share with me,

God wants me now, He set me free.

‘I Do Not Think My Song Will End’ by Jonny Hathcock discusses the poet’s belief that he is one with nature in the afterlife, part of it to the point that as long as nature persists, so will he:

I do not think my song will end

While flowers, grass and trees

Abound with birds and butterflies

For I am one with these.

Readings & words for an ashes ceremony

Others may decide to choose a reading or quote instead. Or perhaps there may be multiple readings, and a poem may form only part of that. There are plenty of readings that may resonate, such as quotes, psalms, or passages from books. If a family is conducting their own scattering ashes ceremony, words become even more important, as more quotes and readings may be needed.

Words for scattering ashes ceremony

When conducting an ash scattering service themselves, mourners may look for the right words to move their way through the ceremony. Below is some sample wording of an introduction to the service; it could be adapted as you see fit

We are gathered here today, at the beautiful [location name], to celebrate the life of [name of loved one] and to scatter [their] ashes in a place of special meaning to [them]. [Name of person who has died] was a much-loved individual who will live on inside our hearts and in the earth to which we now commit [them].

Saying goodbye & spreading ashes quotes

Famous quotes could take the place of a poem, or they could be used in addition depending on what feels right to you and the family. When organising a memorial for spreading ashes, quotes to consider are:

“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.” – Terry Pratchett

“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln

“It’s so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone.” – John Steinbeck

“Grief is the price we pay for love.” – Queen Elizabeth

“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.” – A. A. Milne

“To die completely, a person must not only forget but be forgotten, and he who is not forgotten is not dead.” – Samuel Butler

Aura can help 

We understand that everyone processes loss and grieves in their own personal way–no two people experience it the same. Whether you need someone to talk to, help with direct cremation arrangements, or simply a bit of guidance through the fog, we’re here. Aura was created to bring comfort and clarity at a time when everything feels uncertain. You’ll never get a scripted answer from us—just genuine care from people who know what it means to say goodbye. Whatever support looks like for you, we’ll meet you there.