Crossing the Bar

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.

OverView

A metaphorical poem depicting death as a peaceful crossing of a sandbar (‘the bar’) from the sea of life to the boundless ocean of eternity. The speaker hopes for a calm, quiet transition without sadness, expressing a desire to meet God (‘my Pilot’) after death.

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More Funeral

Feel no guilt in laughter, they’d know how much you care.
Feel no sorrow in a smile that they’re not here to share.
You cannot grieve forever; they would not want you to.
They’d hope that you could carry on the way you always do.
So, talk about the good times and the way you showed you cared,
The days you spent together, all the happiness you shared.
Let memories surround you, a word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day,
That brings them back as clearly as though they were still here,
And fills you with the feeling that they are always near.
For if you keep those moments, you will never be apart
And they will live forever locked safely within your heart.
Farewell, my friends
It was beautiful
as long as it lasted
The journey of my life.

I have no regrets
Whatsoever said the reason I am dying is
I want to live on
In your memories.

Please do not shed tears
When I am gone, as I will be watching you
from the stars

You all have been wonderful to me.
I will cherish the moments I spent with you all.
Love you all.
Do not weep for me when I no longer dwell
among the wonders of the world; for my larger self
is free, and my soul rejoices on the other side.
Do not weep for me, for I am cradled
in the arms of God. I walk with the angels,
and hear the music beyond the stars.

Do not weep for me, for I am known.
I am loved, and I am safe from all harm.
Do not weep for me, for I shall return,
again and again, to whisper clues to you
of eternal life and growth without end.
Do not weep for me, for I am home.
An honest man here lies at rest,
The friend of man, the friend of truth;
The friend of age, and guide of youth:
Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d,
Few heads with knowledge so inform’d:
If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.
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 that first came the date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That they spent alive 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.

And 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?

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As Christmas approaches, we would be honoured for you and your family to join us for our annual Carol & Remembrance Services.

Our services offer a warm, comforting space for us to come together, sing traditional Christmas carols, and pause to remember and celebrate the lives of those we hold dear.

THURSDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2026, 7.30PM
ST MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS LOCKSBOTTOM CHURCH, BR6 8NN

WEDNESDAY 9TH DECEMBER 2026, 7.30PM
CHRISTCHURCH PRIORY, ELTHAM SE9 1TX

ALL WELCOME

Please Note: All Seats are now taken.  Standing room only tickets left.