Remembering someone through the small things
When someone dies, it's the details people hold on to. The way she told the robin all the news. The biro behind her ear. The kettle that was always on. A personalised memorial poem gathers those details together, so the people who loved them can hear them again, gently, and recognise the person they've lost.
This isn't an easy thing to write, and you don't need to find the right words. Just tell us their name and a few things you remember, and we'll write a rhyming poem in their memory. You see it free in under a minute, and you can ask for as many changes as you need before you decide.
In Loving Memory of Margaret
— With love and thanks, from all her family
A sample poem. Yours is written from scratch around your own details.
Reading a poem at a funeral
A funeral tribute poem can be read by a family member, a friend, or the celebrant or minister leading the service. A few things that help:
- Decide who will read it. If you think it will be too hard on the day, it's perfectly fine to ask someone else, or to have the celebrant read it on the family's behalf.
- Read it aloud beforehand. Rhymed verse with a steady rhythm is easier to read than prose, and a couple of practice runs help the words feel familiar.
- Print a copy for the lectern. Use the A4 PDF, so the reader has a clean copy in front of them rather than a phone screen.
- Pause between verses. It gives everyone a moment, and gives the reader a breath.
Printing it for the order of service
Many families include a poem in the order of service. Your poem comes as a print-ready A4 PDF, so you can print it as it is, or pass the words to whoever is preparing the order of service so they can set them alongside the photographs and hymns. A framed copy can also be a comfort to close family in the weeks after.
Writing an in memory poem: what to share
Think about the things that made them who they were. A few memories are enough:
- What you called them, and what everyone else did. Mum, Grandad, Auntie Pat, "our Jean".
- Their everyday habits. Feeding the birds, the morning crossword, the walk with the dog, the radio on in the kitchen.
- Their sayings. "Put the kettle on." "Mind how you go." "It'll all come out in the wash."
- What they loved. Their garden, their team, dancing, the seaside, a particular song, their family.
- How they looked after people. The dinners, the lifts, the open door, the advice nobody asked for and everybody needed.
- How you'd like people to feel. Comforted, grateful, even smiling. A poem that brings one gentle laugh can be a real comfort on a hard day.
If you'd like the poem to be gentler, more uplifting, or to mention their faith, just say so, and ask for a rewrite if the tone isn't quite right.
How it works
- Tell us about them. Their name and a few memories, as many or as few as you like.
- Read your poem free. It's written in under a minute. Ask for changes until it feels right.
- Download and print. Choose one of six designs and unlock the A4 PDF for £9.99. It's emailed to you within minutes.
When you're ready
Take your time. You'll see the whole poem before you pay anything, and you can change it as often as you need.
Start a memorial poemQuestions
Can the poem be read at a funeral?
Yes. It's written in rhymed verse with a steady rhythm, so it reads naturally aloud, whether a family member reads it or the celebrant reads it on your behalf.
Can I use it in the order of service?
Yes. You receive a print-ready A4 PDF, so you can print it as it is or pass the words to whoever is preparing the order of service.
Can I make the tone gentler or more uplifting?
Yes. Tell us the tone you'd like and we'll rewrite it as many times as you need before you pay. Some families want something quietly celebratory; others want something softer.
Can I write one long after they've gone?
Yes. A memorial poem can mark an anniversary, a birthday they would have celebrated, or simply be something to frame and keep. Share your memories and we'll write it around them.