Writing Poems of Bereavement
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:
- Try to keep your poem personal and unique. Think about how you feel, and try to put that into words.
- Keep a good rhythm in your poem – it makes it much more moving and powerful. If you can rhyme, do. But regardless, try to make your poem flow.
- 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 might 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, and 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.
Subscribe
Subscribe to Our Newsletter