Not how did he die, but how did he live?
Not what did he gain, but what did he give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a man as a man, regardless of birth.
Not, what was his church, nor what was his creed?
But had he befriended those really in need?
Was he ever ready, with word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?
Not what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when he passed away.
I empathize with you, Summer. Just this week, I had a friend who passed away from cancer. On Friday, we're holding a wake for her. It will be interesting to see how she is remembered. I don't know if it will help you any with your pain, but I invite you to read Karen On Her Mind.
i wrote this many years ago. Its been published in several books. I have copyrights to it.
Oops...this poem has been around for quite some time....I first saw it ascribed to anonymous many, many years ago....
I wrote this poem in 2006. It was published online in 2009
I'm a little confused. I have it in a compilation from 2005. Are you sure?
This is a beautiful poem. We used it at my brother's funeral. It described him exactly. He passed away two years ago. I still carry the card with me at all times and read it almost daily.Actually. I pretty much have it memorized. Thank you for painting a word picture pf my brother.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
This is a poem that I found in my Grandfathers memory book from his funeral in 1993; I didn't know it was so popular