h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This may be a morbid topic. But something a colleague said got me thinking - what would you like read out.

I am not a poetry person, but I loved WH Auden's 'Stop all the Clocks.

http://www.npr.org/programs/death/readings/poetry/aude.html

If I should go tomorrow.

If I should go tomorrow
It would never be goodbye,
For I have left my heart with you,
So don't you ever cry.
The love that's deep within me,
Shall reach you from the stars,
You'll feel it from the heavens,
And it will heal the scars.

Anon



This was read out to the young family of my cousin who died suddenly.

Is this a threat?

My Grandmother will be buried in a week and a half. Thanks for this thread, I might pick some of it.

for Milla (Trunks are useful for that).

It's interesting to see what poems mean the most to people for this occasion.

And then there's 'Do not stand at my grave and weep'

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_stand_at_my_grave_and_weep

for Milla



I'm not sure what poem should be said at my funeral. Most likely something by Jacques Roubaud

Must get my eyes checked. I clicked on this thinking the title was "What porn would you like at your funeral?"

Ever since I was required to memorize it (about age 12) I have always liked "If", by Kipling. And I think most of it is not too dissimilar to what I have generally aimed for as a person

swl, it's not your eyes, it's your brain...

Woodland Burial by Pam Ayres. Or, I wish I'd looked after me teeth. Whichever seems most appropriate.

http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoem.do?poemId=11739

I am a poetry fan - but I'm not sure I'd want any read at my funeral. However, my Four Funeral Songs are:

(A gloomy one for when everyone's coming in):

'Death Letter Blues' - Eddie 'Son' House

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jN5vqEyV7g

(An uplifting one):

'Vanlose Stairway' - Van Morrison

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9E1O34nmc

(A sermony-y one)

'Chase The Devil' - Max Romeo (pr Lee 'Scratch' Perry)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uijFctBM47M

(and for a particular section of the lyric that will give people comfort as they leave):

'Dry The Rain' - The Beta Band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsbR2dEmHGc

If there's something inside that you wanna say/ Say out loud it will be OK/It'll be all right, It'll be all right...'

Or, in lieu of a poem, perhaps a piece that is termed "The Agnostic's Prayer" as well as "The Possibly Proper Death
Litany".* Ideally, it should be read by the chap who holds the shovel ...

"Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that you be
forgiven for anything you may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgive-
ness but something else may be required to ensure any possible benefit for which you may be eligible after the
destruction of your body, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such
a manner as to insure your receiving said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between
yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as
much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony.
Amen."

*Please note that this is used freely in any number of novels, publications and web-sites. And so copyright
issues seem unlikely.

Ach - read what you like. I'm not planning to attend.

As one of Michel Serrault's characters would say in the movie "la gueule de l'autre": it's not every day that you're able to say a few words at your own funeral.

I can't think of a poem that I'd like read ay my funeral, but I will be leaving instructions that my choice of music *must* be played because if it's about remembering me they'll have to put up with all the stuff I like that everyone else thinks is awful.

That sounds like John Peel's Two Minutes Noise.

'More disorientating and disturbing noise tomorrow night'.

Ah, the good die......young.

Hmmm, has anyone recorded any Orbison, Diamond or the Beatles with only bag-pipes? That would be a memorable din, I think.

I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of the tracks on my list has featured on Peel's Two Minutes Noise.