Favorite InscriptionsWhat is found written on tombstones is usually pretty basic - the name, date of birth, date of death, age, and perhaps some common memorial phrases of the day. But every so often, there are inscriptions that stand out, either for their poetic lines, their deep expressions of love, or even a bit of humor that helps us to see a little of the personality of the person who lies buried there or of the family members who laid them to rest. These are just some of the ones that have touched our hearts or our funny bones...
"Your Clock is Wound But Once
Now is the only time you own; "She
Shopped 'Til She Dropped" "Beware
young friends as you pass by, "I
Told You I Was Sick" "We
squander health in search of wealth. "A
gentleman, a scholar, and a real cowboy" "Only
one life that soon is past, While not an epitaph, the following poem that was sent to us speaks about visiting a cemetery - a practice that is not as common for 'modern folk' as it was in years past: The
Recording Of A Cemetery Today
we walked where others walked Today
our hearts were touched Today
we saw where the grandparents lay Today
we wondered about an unmarked spot; Today
we saw where Mom and Dad lay. Today
we recorded for kith and kin Cherish
it, my friend; preserve it, my friend, Perhaps one of the most special epitaphs we've known, is actually only a very small part of what we've found inscribed on stones - the dash. To see what we mean, visit the website at The Dash Movie (requires a fairly fast internet connection to view it best). We don't know how long the site will be online, but hopefully long enough for you all to make a visit to it. And
even on YouTube... here's a tribute by Jason T. Lewis "Going
to the family plot" that we found on this popular online
video site (we recommend viewing with a high-speed internet connection) -
though not an inscription, If you find an inscription that you would like to share here, send us an email with the text and which cemetery it was found in (West Virginia tombstones are our preference here). It is not necessary to include the name of the person buried there - only if you think it would be appropriate for understanding the sentiment of the inscription. Updated: 07 September 2012 |