We’re all human. No matter who we are, we all live our lives, we all die and we all leave people behind who grieve for us. And yet, there’s not a huge amount of specific material readily available to help celebrate the life of someone from the LGBTQ+ community. Here are some options, both specifically LGBTQ+ and more universal selections that celebrate love, identity, and remembrance:

LGBTQ+ Specific Poems and Readings

This lighthearted and affectionate poem acknowledges the unique spirit of an LGBTQ+ loved one, using playful language and references to queer identity. It’s a fitting tribute for someone remembered for their humour and individuality.

‘Gay Funeral Reading’ by Rev Anthea Ballam.

This next poem is one that honours the importance of acceptance and the use of chosen names and pronouns, which can be especially meaningful in an LGBTQ+ context

‘Thank You My Allies’ by Keath Silva.

These poems speak to the hope for equity, acceptance, and love for all members of the queer community, and can offer comfort and solidarity.

‘Poems to Heal from Queer Trauma’ by Timothy Arliss O’Brien

‘On Faith’ (Previously published in Dear God I’m a Faggot)

‘I Have a Dream’ (Previously published in Deep Overstock Issue 5: Dreams)

Your Attractive Heading‘On Sanctuary’ (Previously published in Dear God I’m a Faggot)

‘Two Cowboys Holding Hands’ (Previously published in Deep Overstock Issue 6: Westerns)

‘On Being Queer’ (Previously published in Dear God I’m a Faggot)

There are many poems specifically about LGBTQ+ love and loss. Major literary organisations and publications have curated collections that highlight the diversity and depth of queer experiences, including themes of romantic love, heartbreak, longing, and grief.

The Poetry Foundation also offers a collection of LGBTQ+ Pride Poems, which explore themes of identity, remembrance, love, passion, sex, loss and desire. Some of the best are:

‘Turtle, Swan’ by Mark Doty (which touches on love and the fear of loss during the AIDS epidemic)

‘On Reflection’ by Anna Larner (a sonnet about unrequited lesbian love)

Other poems and poets frequently recommended for their exploration of queer love and loss include:

‘You’ by Carol Ann Duffy (about the intensity and pain of love)

‘Desire Path: Near Equinox’ by Donika Kelly (about yearning and separation)

‘Poem for Haruko’ by June Jordan (lesbian love and relationships

‘Senior Discount’ by Ali Liebegott (about growing old together as a queer couple)

These poems and many others can be found in curated collections from the Poetry Foundation, Electric Literature, and the Academy of American Poets, as well as anthologies dedicated to LGBTQ+ poetry. They reflect a wide range of emotions and experiences, from the joy of new love to the sorrow of loss, and are powerful resources for anyone seeking poetry that speaks directly to LGBTQ+ lives.

LGBTQ+ Pride Poems

This collection features poems and essays by LGBTQ+ poets on identity, gender, and sexuality. It includes both classic and contemporary voices, offering a wide range of perspectives and experiences.

Queer Love Poems

A dedicated collection celebrates LGBTQ+ love in all its forms. Notable poems and poets featured include:

‘A Glimpse’ by Walt Whitman

‘i love you to the moon &’ by Chen Chen

‘Poem for My Love’ by June Jordan

‘Domestic’ by Carl Phillips

‘What Kind of Times Are These’ by Adrienne Rich

‘Movement Song’ by Audre Lorde

‘Recreation’ by Audre Lorde

‘Wild nights – Wild nights!’ by Emily Dickinson

Copyright Credit: Dickinson poems are electronically reproduced courtesy of the publishers and the Trustees of Amherst College from THE POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON: VARIORUM EDITION, Ralph W. Franklin, ed., Cambridge, Mass: The Belknap Press of Harvard University of Press, Copyright © 1988 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College.

‘American Wedding’ by Essex Hemphill

‘Peanut Butter’ by Eileen Myles

‘Love Poem to a Butch Woman’ by Deborah A. Miranda

‘Dreaming of Lesbos’ by Tatiana de la Tierra

Copyright Credit: tatiana de la tierra, “Dreaming of Lesbos” from For the Hard Ones: A Lesbian Phenomenology / Para las duras: Una fenomenología lesbiana published by A Midsummer Night’s Press and Sinister Wisdom. Copyright © 2002 by tatiana de la tierra

Featured Poets and Poems

Other recommended poems and poets frequently highlighted include:

“A Litany for Survival” by Audre Lorde”Poem About My Rights” by June Jordan

“Notes on Staying” by Hieu Minh Nguyen

“Twenty-One Love Poems” by Adrienne Rich

Browse More

The Poetry Foundation’s website also allows you to explore over 200 LGBTQ+ poems, sorted by newest, oldest, or title, ensuring a continually updated and diverse selection

If you are looking for LGBTQ+ poems suitable for a funeral, there are several meaningful options that honor queer identity, love, and grief:

Pamela Sneed’s “Funeral Diva”

From her collection Funeral Diva, Sneed’s poems reflect on grief, survival, and healing within the Black queer community, particularly during the AIDS crisis. Her work is both deeply personal and hopeful, ending with lines such as:

“…There are also other possibilities,
We can heal.”

Christopher Hewitt’s “Wind on Market Street”

This poem, featured in 32 Poems Magazine, explores queer grief and joy in everyday life, capturing the tension and beauty of queer existence and loss.

Anthologies and Collections

The Poetry Foundation offers a collection of LGBTQ+ poems, including elegies and works by poets like Audre Lorde, Ocean Vuong, and Danez Smith, whose poems often touch on themes of loss and remembrance2.

The anthology 100 Queer Poems is another resource for contemporary and classic queer poetry that could be meaningful at a funeral.

Other Poems

’Rainbows and Storms: A Queer Poem’ on Ritualwell is a short piece about resilience and hope, using the metaphor of weather to reflect the queer experience. These poems and collections offer a range of tones-from celebratory to somber-and can be chosen to best reflect the life and spirit of the person being remembered. Would you like a specific poem text or recommendations for a particular mood or relationship?

For a funeral honouring an LGBTQ+ loved one, there is a rich array of poetry that can meaningfully celebrate their life, identity, and the love they shared. You can choose from poems that speak directly to queer experience or more universal selections that honour remembrance and individuality.

Universal and Inclusive Funeral Poems

If you prefer something more universal but still inclusive, consider:

‘Afterglow’ by Helen Lowrie Marshall: Cherishes happy memories and encourages smiles after loss.

‘Death is Nothing at All’ by Henry Scott Holland: A comforting reminder of the ongoing connection between loved ones.

‘Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep’ by Mary Elizabeth Frye: Uses natural imagery to evoke presence beyond death.