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In Loving Memory Poems
By Anna Vera Williams
The loss of a loved one is possibly the most difficult
experience that many of us ever go through. It can be a
very painful time of life, and can even be very hard to
think.
If you have recently experienced such a loss, its
understandable that you might be looking for the right
poem to express how you feel about the person you
recently lost. It is also understandable that you might
yourself be far too mired down in your own grief to
think clearly what to say or do.
There are a few important things to remember, when
someone has died.
1. When a person dies, that doesn't mean that the person
is gone forever, or that the person no longer exists. In
fact, it doesn't even mean that you won't see that
person again. We are all spiritual beings. When our
bodies die, that doesn't mean that we ourselves also
die. In fact, no matter what your religion is, I'm sure
you can agree that we are spiritual beings and not
bodies. This is one belief that all religions have in
common.
2. Whether you believe that people go to heaven or hell
when they die, or whether you believe that people are
born again after they die, the fact remains that they go
somewhere. They still exist, they are the same
individual as they were before they died. They have
thoughts and feelings, and they may even still remember
you for a long time to come. But no matter what,
remember that there is always a chance you will see them
again - whether it be in a future life, or in heaven.
(Unless of course you suspect your loved one is going to
hell and aren't planning on joining him or her there -
but if you are reading this article, the chances that
either one of you would be destined in that direction
are slim.)
With that said, lets move on to the subject of "In
Loving Memory Poems."
Your poem of bereavement can be something which you
write yourself, or which is written by a family. These
poems can be extremely moving for the rest of your
family and friends, whether they are read out at
funerals services, or under other circumstances.
Another option is to find funeral poems which have
already been written. One of the most famous is the one
entitled "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep." But there
are many others.
If you are going to write your poem of bereavement on
your own, in loving memory of your lost friend, family
member, or spouse, here are a few basic rules of advice:
1. Try to keep your poem personal and unique. Think
about how you feel and try to put that into words.
2. Keep a good rhythm in your poem - it makes it much
more moving, and more powerful. If you can rhyme, do.
But regardless, try to make your poem flow.
3. One useful technique for keeping poems rhythmic is
what I call "finger counting." This is a simple matter
of keeping a regular pattern of syllables and accents in
each line. For example, your poem may have the same
number of syllables on each line, or it may have a
repeating pattern.
For example:
Line 1: 7 syllables
Line 2: 5 syllables
Line 3: 7 syllables
Line 4: 5 syllables
Line 5: 7 syllables
Line 6: 5 syllables
Line 7: 7 syllables
Line 8: 5 syllables
As you can see there is a repeating pattern and rhythm.
This is just one example of how it can be done. You can
try any arrangement that works for you. The important
thing is to try to keep it rhythmic, with a repeating
pattern that changes little. This is what gives poems
their musical quality and what makes them so powerful.
I hope this information is helpful to you and I hope you
get through this difficult time. Remember, there is one
thing that whomever you have lost would probably not
want. That person would most likely not want you to
remain sad or in emotional pain for a long, long time.
So - do a good job for the funeral, express your
admiration for your lost loved-one, and give them the
excellent service they deserve.
Then remember to move on to happier times, create in
your life, help others, and have a great future.
Anna Williams has been writing poetry since the age of
four. For poems of bereavement and funeral poems, visit
her website, In Loving Memory Poems . |
