The verbal articulation of grief and sadness doesn’t always come easy to most people. Because bereavement is often a personal and lonely experience, a grieving individual may grapple with finding the exact words with which to describe his or her pain. This strange difficulty is often shared by consoling friends as well. Some people, when trying to empathize with another, often find themselves at a loss for words.
And yet, poetry — that most complex genre of literature — can speak of a whole experience of pain and grief in a few lines or stanzas. Pithy but powerful, poetry may as well be a representation of life itself. Anyone who wishes to express their comfort to a bereaved friend may include poetry and literature into his or her gesture.
Whether in the form of a sympathy gift such as a sympathy card or an invitation into a poetry reading session, these little tokens of empathy and love can leave an indelible mark on any grieving heart.
Poetry: A Sympathy Gift Made of Words and Images
There are many things that characterize poetry. Its use of metaphor and concrete imagery allow a few words to capture most clearly a fleeting moment or emotion. While not all poems employ a rhyming structure, most poetry makes use of musical devices in its diction and arrangement. Moreover, unlike prose, poetry makes use of lines and breaks instead of complete sentences.
In many respects, the structure of poetry is not dissimilar to the transience and brevity of life. Life is considered fleeting and temporal, much like the transitory moment captured in a few lines of a good poem. Poetry is also considered much shorter in length than other literary genres, such as a play or a short story. And yet, despite its brevity — or, simply because of it — a poem is a powerful thing. Its effect is felt almost immediately.
The best poems speak about what is most true about life — and death. In this way, poetry can be instrumental in healing any broken, bereaved heart. If you’re at a loss as to which kind of sympathy gift you can offer a friend, a book of poems or verses may express your love in a deep and eloquent way.
How to Incorporate Poetry in Your Gesture of Sympathy
Other than the gift of a poetry book, there are other ways for you to employ poetry in helping someone in their grief.
For example, you may take them to poetry readings within your community. Listening to poems can be therapeutic, even cathartic. You can also encourage your friend or colleague to try their hand at writing poetry. To help them start, you may gift them with books on the craft, a journal, and a good writing pen.
You can also find many sympathy gift items that feature poems or even personalized messages. Some sympathy cards contain poems or verses instead of the usual messages of condolences. Memorial stones may also be personalized and engraved with a few lines of poetry instead. There are also sympathy throw blankets that feature prayerful texts as a primary aesthetic element.
Check Out the Comfort Company for Meaningful Sympathy Tokens
If you’re looking for unique sympathy gifts that feature poetry or verses, you can find them at The Comfort Company. Our selections are regularly updated to ensure that you find distinctive tokens and attractive discounts.
Finding the right expression for your sadness or sympathy can be difficult. Nonetheless, you can allow a few lines of a poem to speak for you instead. Whether in the shape of a sympathy card or in a custom-made memorial stone, your sympathy gift will carry with it a poignant message expressed in a few eloquent words.
To check out our selections of poetry-infused sympathy cards and other items at the Comfort Company, click here.