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Decide what type funeral poem you wish to write. Think about the person. Things to consider are personal characteristics and accomplishments.
For someone who served his country in the military, a poem about sacrifice and honor would be good. A person who was the rock of the family, always there for everyone, showing her love in numerous ways, deserves an emotional poem. Let the love you feel for her shine through in your writing. If your loved one accomplished something of great significance in his life, compose the poem around that.
Another option is to read a poem your loved one enjoyed. Look through the person's favorite author's work and find something fitting. - Know any time constraints involved with the funeral service. Military services are very regimented. Other services may not have time constraints at all. It's best to be aware of the length of the entire service and write your poem accordingly.
- The length of your poem will greatly affect the reading time. Keep your time frame in mind when writing the poem. You can pack just as much into a shorter poem by choosing different words. Be selective and creative and your poem will be meaningful no matter how long it is.
- Take emotions into consideration--yours and those of the funeral guests. Reading a poem in tribute to a loved one is very emotional. It will take you longer to get through the poem during the service than when you practiced at home. Make allowances for this.
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Reciting a poem during the funeral is much more personal and heartfelt than having something pre-planned or ordinary read. It is cleansing for the writer and listeners.
The poem is also something you can keep. A funeral poem is a memento of the funeral that will bring your loved one back to you with every reading. It is also something that can be shared with younger members of the family to keep the loved one's memory alive.
