Funeral Readings

Over 100 Funeral Readings written by Anthea
can be found on her website – Funeral Readings

And Rest

There is a moment
In musical rehearsal
When all the players
The choir
The woodwind and brass
The strings and percussion
The entire orchestra
Stops
And there is peace

The conductor says two words
‘And rest’
Voices cease to sing
The woodwind put down oboes and clarinets
The brass lay down trumpets and trombones
Others do the same
Because the music is over
There is no audience
There is no applause
In that moment
Quietness reigns
Yet the quiet that follows
Remains harmonious

There is a certain silence
A space
For reflection and repose
The music is remembered
And so we contemplate
The highs
The lows
The passage of melody
Sometimes we feel sad
Because the chords
Have drifted away
Finished
Completed

Some will feel loss
Others experience relief
And others deep sadness
Together
We share
That moment of closure
When the conductor
Says
‘And rest.’

Gifts for the Journey

There was a time
A distant place
When our forebears
Celebrated death
With gifts for the journey
Enchanted possessions
From dreamland
Tenderly placed in the grave
Beside the dear departed
An intoxicating draught
Was stored in a curved cup
Decorated with clouds, contours
Birds and landscapes
Recalling images of heaven’s gate
There were magic combs
To make the user beautiful
Hair clips to hold back
Glorious tresses
Knives that cut through time
And musical instruments
That floated on the breeze
All gifts for the journey
From an earthbound life
To eternal adventure
Now in this moment
We join together
Offering gifts
For your dream route
Stepping from this world
To the next
We offer a blessing
To carry you far, far away
Above our world
We give you our trust
That you remember us
As we remember you
But above all
We gift you with our love
That you may journey
Beyond the mists of time
Connecting with everlasting paths
Flying with angels
To places of infinite beauty

True Friendship is Written in the Stars

True friendship is written in the stars
The conversation
And the trust
Flow from the heart

True friendship takes you by surprise
You see it in the eyes
One day I said ‘I can’t’
The friend replied
‘Don’t be afraid’
And like enchantment
The sun and moon both shone
Making the dread and sorrow
Drift away

True friendship shared laughter
Argument, gossip, dinner, lunch and tea
We listened to each other,
Relived our past adventures
Never once forgot
We never, ever will

And so those chats
The love and trust
Remain the same
Even if you’ve left us now
Choosing to move on
I love you still.