Why Writing Memorial Poems Are Considered a Heartfelt Way to Honour Someone Special

We’re here to help you explore the timeless tradition of memorial poems and how writing one can be an outstanding way to treasure your loved one’s memory. There is so much that one can weave into a poem about loss and love, and it’s a versatile canvas no matter the direction you wish to take in your writing. Here are a few ways that memorial poems, and poetry writing in general, can truly honour the memory of the departed.

Memorial Poems Are Superb at Expressing Complex Emotions

Memorial poems are not just about longing and sadness – they’re about remembrance, and memories are complex. While grief does include sorrow and mourning, it also has thoughts of happier times, laughter, and moments of empowerment. This type of poetry is versatile enough to contain all this and resonate with other readers too.

Your Tribute Can Be Highly Personalised

The memorial piece you write can contain anecdotes, cherished personality traits, shared moments, and even inside jokes. Personalising your poem is as easy as inserting whatever comes to mind and helping it find its place within your written verses.

Immortalising the Memory of a Loved One Forever

Moments are sadly lost to time, but memories can be preserved. Memorial poems are monuments to the human beings we have loved, immortalising their essence and what we adored most about them.

A Sense of Connection with The Departed

Writing memorial poems asks us to delve into our memories and emotions; and in doing so, it can feel like the separation between life and death closes in some ways. It can help us feel closer to the one we have lost, giving us a sense of nearness to them, which may be healing for some.

Others Can Share in the Experience of the Poem

The beauty of poetry lies in the empathy and understanding that can be evoked across diverse audiences. A well-written poem will resonate with those who also know your departed loved one and may even speak to strangers who have never met them before, calling them to bear witness to the universal experience of lost love.

Preserving Their Legacy

We each leave a unique imprint on this world when we pass away, shaped by our actions and the values we stood by while alive. This imprint is our legacy, and memorial poems both honour and preserve the essence of this legacy in written form. By enshrining an individual’s accomplishments and virtues in verse, their impact on the world will continue to reverberate throughout time, and perhaps even inspire others.

The Piece Can Be Culturally Relevant

Elegies, hymns, and all manner of song and dance are essential across cultures, and you can incorporate elements from art forms central to your heritage in your memorial poem. Think about cultural motifs and traditions significant to your loved one, and use these themes within your poetry to honour them in a way that emphasises their identity with respect.

Reflecting Their Passions, Values, and Personality

Your poem can be as colourful as you’d like and contain as many shades and hues of the person you love as you want it to. Use your words and the power of poetic devices to paint a vivid portrait of the departed, whether you wish to explore their convictions in life, what drove them each day, or simply how they made you laugh. This piece will not only bring them to life in the eyes of the audience but keep them alive in your heart.

A Culture of Remembrance

Mem orial poems are about preserving the past and shaping a future in which you remember what is most important. Your poetry can create a culture of remembrance where loved ones who have passed away are always celebrated and never forgotten. This is how stories pass down from generation to generation and continue to inspire others for decades.

Thr oughout your writing journey, a question may arise, “Has this poem done their memory justice?” and it is natural to ponder on the answer. Remember always, however, that no poem would ever fully and perfectly represent a complex human being and that perhaps the more important question is, “How has writing this poem changed me?”. Reflecting on the transformative power of your poetry will give you a sense of meaning and a purpose for your pursuit of this art form.

If you’d like some inspiration for your writing, take a look at our poem library, filled with pieces from writers across the country with a passion for poetry like you.