Can a friend or family member join me?

Sure. Friends and family members can join you in using the free Writing Guide to make memorial poems. Three friends and family members can join you for a Four-by-Four series of online classes.

Although I work with you as my one client for the project, friends and family can also take part in Commissioned poems. Creating a Commissioned poem begins with my sending you the Questions for Reflection document, a list of 24 thoughtful queries in several categories. You are welcome to invite others to join you in completing this questionnaire. You might ask others to reply to certain questions, for example, or add to your own responses. Once you’ve returned the completed questionnaire to me, I’ll be in conversation only with you as I draft the poem and incorporate your revisions.

Do memorial poems rhyme?

The memorial poems I write are free verse, meaning they may embed similar sounds within and among lines; the words at the ends of lines do not rhyme. To my ear, end rhymes convey an easy end, a tidy conclusion, which does not match most people’s experience of loss. Often we feel there’s no rhyme or reason to the loss of a loved one.

The poems I write, and coach others to write, make their impact through a variety of poetic devices, such as rhythm, comparison, repetition, and imagery.

Can I write about other kinds of loss?

Absolutely. Through poem-making, you can address the loss of anything you value — dwelling place; job; landscape; vision, mobility, or other aspect of your health; opportunities to travel, spend time with family, meet new people. The Writing Guide remains a useful resource for you.

You own the copyright to the poems you write on your own as well as to the poems you write with my coaching and during classes you take with me.

With regard to Commissioned poems, as an independent contractor I retain the copyright and all rights to the work. You have an irrevocable, non-exclusive license to make copies of and distribute the poem — unchanged, and indicating my authorship — and share it in print, online, and in person.

Can I give poem-making as a gift?

Certainly. You can give gift certificates for One-to-One and Commission services to individuals. You can also give gift certificates for the Four-by-Four series of online classes to groups of four people. Reach out to me here for details.

Why are Commissioned poems so expensive?

The fee for a Commissioned poem reflects the many hours and the expertise I devote to crafting it. What’s more, the fee reflects the commitment you’re making to whole-hearted participation in the project.

People familiar with the cost of running an obituary one time in a local newspaper might ask why the fee for a Commissioned poem isn’t even greater. A simple obituary, offering only the most basic information, can cost $800 or more, depending on your location. A longer, more personalized piece, running 450 to 600 words, can cost up to $2000.

Depending on the details you provide during our conversation and in your written reflections, the poem will likely run to more than 450 words. I believe you’ll find that the process of making the poem for your loved one, and the poem itself, provide more value than the fee itself implies. These testimonials tell you how people have valued what they’ve received from me.

Is there a money-back guarantee?

Yes, with respect to Commissioned poems. If you’ve participated fully in the project as outlined in our Memo of Understanding and you’re unsatisfied with the poem in its final form, simply request a refund. I’ll return 50% of the fee you initially paid.

How do I contact you regarding my questions?

Reach out to me here.