Should you be considering writing a funeral poem, please allow us to encourage you to give it a go. You may well find the process of creating your poem therapeutic, cathartic, spiritually helpful and beneficial to you as an aid to the grieving process. You will need an idea - for example your favourite relevant memory - for the story you will poetically recount or the message you wish to impart either on your behalf, or for the deceased loved one.

We would recommend that normally the poem should not be over a page in length, so as to retain the attention of your listeners and also to sharpen the focus of your message or anecdote.

To rhyme or not to rhyme? is the question that only you can answer. Should you decide to rhyme, even if just on a few lines, a good thesaurus is invaluable in suggesting alternative words at a line end. They sometimes fit so well, it's as if it was meant to be. We prefer using rhyme, because in our opinion it enhances the resonance and performance of a funeral poem.

When you've finished your composition in verse, do practice reading it out loud by yourself, and then when your feeling comfortable, do perform your work to someone you can trust to give you some honest feedback.

Our admiration goes out to you, but please remember two very important points; until your funeral poem is finished always carry a pad and pencil or their electronic equivalent with you so as not to forget any creative lightbulb ideas. Secondly, do take your time over the reading, remembering to pause when appropriate to the poem as you feel and value the moment you have created.