Funeral Blues (Stop all the clocks) by W. H. Auden | W. Uden & Sons Funeral Directors

Funeral Blues (Stop all the clocks)

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 for ever: 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.

OverView

This poem captures the overwhelming and world-stopping feeling of personal grief. The speaker demands that the entire world halt its everyday activities to acknowledge the immense loss. It powerfully conveys the totality of love and the devastating void left by death. Famously recited in the film “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.

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More Funeral Funeral Poems

When I Am Dead, My Dearest by Christina Rossetti

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When I Am Dead, My Dearest by Christina Rossetti

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.

I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

The Dash by Linda Ellis

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The Dash by Linda Ellis

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?

Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye

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Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye

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.

Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland

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Death Is Nothing At All by Henry Scott Holland

Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away to the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
That, we still are.

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 effect.
Without the trace of a shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolute unbroken continuity.
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.

The Life That I have by Leo Marks

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The Life That I have by Leo Marks

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

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If someone has died, Our Family is here to help you.

Find your nearest office below or request a call back.

orpington

bromley

beckenham

west-wickham

dulwich

biggin-hill

petts-wood

camberwell

sidcup

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Sharon B.

Father in laws funeral. Would highly recommend Udens of Eltham , professional from start to finish.They made a difficult time into a very memorable occasion, everything was just perfect . Thank youSharon & Donald Blaikie

Teresa H.

W. Uden & Sons have guided our family through loss more than once, and their care has always been outstanding.They looked after my dad with the same respect, kindness and attention they gave my mum and my brother, in previous years, and it meant the world to us.Every interaction was thoughtful, every detail handled with dignity.My sister and I felt truly looked after at a time when we needed it most.We are deeply grateful.Thank you.

Faye C.

The words can’t express how grateful we are for the W.Uden team in Southampton way. They made my father in laws last journey so special, it was an incredibly difficult day but they really pulled it all together . We will forever appreciate you all . Thank you for giving him his final ride he honestly would have loved it. I highly recommend W.udens to everyone they’re supportive, compassionate, understanding and know how to sympathise and get yous through these difficult times and they care dearly for our loved ones.

Elaine K.

They gave my daughter a wonderful, respectful send off, everything was as perfect as it could be.

Florence L.

I expressed my heartfelt thanks for the exceptional care, professionalism, and kindness W. Uden & Sons provided for my late son's funeral service. Thank you for the care and support you provided for us.

Melanie H.

Most amazing helpful respectful people when needed the most. Very professional and supportive on the day which made everything run smoothly. They left us with wonderful memories on what was a sad day saying goodbye to our lovely Brenda. We couldn't have chosen anybody better keep doing your remarkable job Uden & SonsThank you

Athena B

Uden’s embodies great service, kindness, compassion and a ‘can do’ attitude to any request I made of them. Bina looked after arrangements for the funeral of our mum, Pauline, and was professional, knowledgeable and empathy personified all the way through the process. On the day of the funeral, Jack and his team were exemplary in all that they did: from speaking my mum’s name when moving the coffin to ensuring that everything was in order from the moment they arrived until the end of the proceedings. Communication was 100% reliable. I cannot speak more highly of the experience we received.

Terry B.

We cannot thank Udens Funeral Directors enough for the care, compassion and professionalism they showed our family following the loss of my wife.From the beginning, Bina was wonderful. Assisted by her colleague, Alfie, Bina guided us through every part of planning and arranging my wife's funeral service and burial with patience, sensitivity and genuine kindness. At an incredibly difficult time, they made sure everything was handled properly and that the service reflected the person my wife was. Most importantly, we always felt that my late wife was being treated with dignity, care and respect.A special thank you also goes to Jack, who brought my wife home to us overnight before the funeral. Having her home with us one final time meant more to our family than I can properly put into words, and Jack handled such a deeply emotional moment with enormous sensitivity and respect.On the day of the funeral, Lee looked after us exceptionally well. His calm, reassuring and professional manner helped carry us through one of the hardest days of our lives. Everything was handled with dignity and without us having to worry about what needed to happen next.What stood out throughout was that we never felt as though we were simply dealing with a funeral company. Bina, Alfie, Jack and Lee treated my late wife as a person and treated us as a family who had lost someone deeply loved.Thank you to everyone at Udens for taking such good care of my wife and for helping us give her the beautiful and dignified farewell she deserved. Our family will always be grateful.

Valley H.

Udens deserves more than 5stars. Orpington staff were so helpful that nothing was a problem for them. Sarah is a true angel and sorted all my issues with ease and reassurance so I could sit back and leave in her trusted hands. Jack was a diamond, nothing was a problem for him and the team, very respectful and informative throughout. 20 Stars from me and my family

L G.

I cannot fault W.Udens at all. The service they provided at an already very distressing time for me and my family was impeccable, and every detail was carefully arranged to suit our requests. They took care of my husband with thought and were attentive to every little thing I asked, even down to how my husband was presented in the chapel of rest. Their level of dignity and respect they showed throughout the whole process was impeccable, and I honestly couldn’t have wished for any better.All of the staff are an absolute credit to the company, but especially Sarah - she made myself and my family feel so comfortable from the moment we met her and even since my husbands funeral has continued to check in with me.I would recommend W.Udens to anyone wanting to provide the perfect send off for their loved ones.

David C.

I would highly recommend W. Uden & Sons Funeral Directors in Eltham. From the first meeting with Sarah all arrangements were completed in a sincere and sympathetic manner. Andrew Uden organised the funeral with professional help of his colleagues and immaculate turned out vehicles. Julie Powell (Celebrant) was excellent in presenting the service.

Cheryl W.

Thank you a beautiful experience with udens from Sarah to stan and colleagues to Sarah the photographer honestly we as a family couldn’t have asked for more for my partners funeral and the day was special and we was supported throughout by all of the udens team a big thank you once again absolutely beautiful day I will cherish forever

Stuart T.

Uden's have managed the funerals for both my parents. On both occasions from first contacting them staff have been helpful and responsive. Both funerals were managed impeccably.

S Y.

Nigel was kind and professional from the very start.He took his time explaining everything and was extremely helpful.On the actual day they were brilliant and the young man (Joseph) went above and beyond.Thank you for making a sad day a little less painful.

chris C.

Uden's are consistently excellent family funeral directors. They are highly professional, attentive, and well-organised. We have relied on Udens for the funerals of both of my parents and my aunt. They made the event solemn, dignified, and impressive.