Original poems
What the Family Keeps
A recipe written sideways,
a saying no one else uses,
a story told so many times
we know where everyone laughs.
A grandmother leaves
more than memories.
She leaves small instructions
for how a family remembers itself.
Her Hands in Ours
Some things were taught
without a lesson:
how to welcome,
how to save,
how to notice
who had not eaten yet.
Years later
we find her hands
inside our own.
What this poem collection is trying to hold
This collection centers generational memory, recipes, sayings, welcome and the small practices through which families remember themselves. That focus is deliberate: relationship-specific verse should do more than replace “mother” with “father” or “dog” with “cat.” The imagery, emotional distance and details should change with the relationship itself.
Personalization test
Before using a poem publicly, identify one image or line that matches the person you are remembering. If none of the imagery fits, choose another poem rather than forcing the relationship label to do all the work.
Prepare this collection for its actual setting
- Read it aloud before choosing it; spoken rhythm matters at a service.
- For private use, adapt a line with a name, place, habit, or detail that belongs to the person.
- If a venue, celebrant, publication, or livestream needs text in advance, send the final version early.
- Do not attach a famous author’s name to an anonymous or rewritten poem.