Not everyone can find the right words when someone they love dies. Let’s face it, it’s one of the hardest things language is ever asked to do. So it’s no surprise that many of us turn to the words others have already written: lines from a film, a scene from a favourite show, even a few sentences spoken by a character who never actually lived, but somehow captured exactly how we feel. After all, that’s what art is for – helping us navigate life’s different emotions.
At Tomorrow Funerals, we’re often asked whether a funeral reading “has” to come from a hymn book or a classic poem. It doesn’t. Some of the most moving tributes we’ve heard have come from screens rather than pages, whether the service is a traditional funeral or a more relaxed celebration of life. Here are a few of our favourites, and why they still resonate.
A Jedi’s Blessing
A passage written in the voice of Yoda, the small green Jedi Master of Star Wars, has found its way into more than a few services we’ve helped arrange:
“One with the Force, they are. And our job it is to remember that we will, in time, also pass on. Luminous beings are we, but temporary vessels, our bodies are. And we shall all find ourselves here, in time. A moment of silence I ask, to remember, and to move on. Live for the living we must. Live through us, forever they will.”
Funeral Blues, by way of a Wedding
Perhaps the most famous “movie poem” isn’t originally a movie poem at all. W. H. Auden’s poem beginning “Stop all the clocks” existed decades before Four Weddings and a Funeral used it in 1994, but the film is largely responsible for its afterlife as a funeral staple. The film’s use of the poem led to a surge in its popularity, with sales of a collection of Auden’s poetry increasing significantly after the film’s release. Matthew’s reading in the church, quiet and devastated, is often cited as one of cinema’s most memorable funeral scenes, and the poem has been read at real funerals ever since.
“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 wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.”Gladiator
In Gladiator, before battle, Maximus rallies his soldiers with a line that’s become one of the most quoted in modern cinema, often used now for military and public memorials as well:
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
This works well for anyone whose actions, quiet or public, left a lasting mark, and it’s short enough to open or close a eulogy on its own.
Steel Magnolias
After her daughter’s funeral, M’Lynn breaks down in front of her friends. Amid her grief, she says:
“Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”
It’s actually Truvy’s line earlier in the film, but it’s come to define the whole story, and the funeral scene it echoes back to. It’s a lovely reading for a service where you want to give people permission to laugh as well as cry.
Remember Me, from Coco
Pixar’s Coco is built around a song called “Remember Me,” about keeping people alive by remembering them, set against the backdrop of Día de los Muertos.
“Remember me, though I have to say goodbye
Remember me, don’t let it make you cry
For even if I’m far away, I hold you in my heart
I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart
Remember me, though I have to travel far
Remember me each time you hear a sad guitar
Know that I’m with you the only way that I can be
Until you’re in my arms again, remember me”
The Circle of Life, from The Lion King
Few animated scenes handle grief and legacy as memorably as the moment Simba, grown and running from his past, sees his father in the night sky. It’s a scene that’s stayed with an entire generation, not just for the animation, but for what it says about carrying someone with you after they’re gone.
It’s a favourite for a celebration of life for anyone who took comfort in the idea of ancestors, legacy, and being watched over. When Simba sees his father’s ghost in the sky, Mufasa tells him:
“Look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on us from those stars. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
When Pippin, terrified in the middle of a siege, asks Gandalf what happens after death, Gandalf answers:
“Death is just another path, one that we all must take.”
The scene goes on to describe death as a homecoming rather than an ending, “white shores… and beyond.” It’s a favourite for readers who want something gently spiritual without being tied to a specific religion.
Wind Beneath My Wings, from Beaches
Written by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley, this song became iconic through the 1988 film Beaches, where it captures the decades-long friendship between the two lead characters.
The lyrics are a popular choice for parents, mentors, and close friends at funerals and memorials.
“Did you ever know that you’re my hero
And everything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle
For you are the wind beneath my wingsIt might have appeared to go unnoticed
But I’ve got it all here in my heart
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it
I would be nothing without you”. . .
Please see our other posts about on funeral poetry, quotes and poetry about science and the stars and other interesting quotes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you read a poem from a movie at an Australian funeral?
Yes. There’s no rule, religious or legal, that limits funeral readings to hymns or traditional poetry. Many Australian families choose a passage from a favourite film, TV show or song, especially for a celebration of life, and celebrants are used to weaving these into the service alongside or instead of more traditional readings.Are non-religious readings allowed at a funeral in Australia?
Yes. Australia has a strong tradition of non-religious and civil funerals, led by independent celebrants rather than clergy. A non-religious service can include any combination of readings, music and tributes the family chooses, including poems or passages drawn from movies, TV and popular culture.Choosing a Reading for Your Service
If you’re planning a funeral or celebration of life and would like help choosing a reading, whether it’s a classic poem or a few lines from a much-loved film or show, our team at Tomorrow Funerals is always happy to talk it through with you. Sometimes the right words are the ones you already know by heart.
We’re always here to help
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