10. Get inspired.
Think about an anecdote or personal trait that makes this person special to you and write it down.
Example: For a bar mitzvah boy’s grandfather who passed away very recently, the notes one could write about him are as follows:
He was Irish, Catholic, not Jewish. He was so proud of the man that David is becoming. He lived in Florida and he made David feel safe in Florida by telling him that his home was really David’s Florida home, so David was never homesick in Florida. He was a baker, he used to make bread on the kitchen table without a bowl, he made a lake in the middle of the flour. There needs to be something about David remembering him making bread with the lake on the table. The candle will be lit by Grandpa’s brother Uncle Frank and Aunt Marianne. This is the first family get together without him.
With a little work you can turn it into this:
My grandfather who I love so dear
Passed away recently, but I know he is near
His was my second home in Florida, of this I know
He told me how proud he was as he watched me grow
Grandpa was a baker and bread he would always make
With flour on the table, in the center he made a lake
This candle is to honor him, that has been my plan
Please come up to light it with me, Uncle Frank & Aunt Marianne
9. Make poems that are 4-8 lines.
Too few will be hard to convey your message and too many might bore your audience.
8. Try to keep each poem the same length.
You don’t want Grandma to be upset that she got 4 lines when Uncle Bill got 8.
7. If you are having trouble finding a word to rhyme with another word, you can either pick a different word (like choosing “great” instead of “good” or “sweet” instead of “nice”) or try going to http://www.rhymezone.com/
It is a great rhyming dictionary on-line that comes in handy for those tough to rhyme words.
6. Try to make the first line rhyme with the second line and the third line should rhyme with the fourth line.
It’s an AABBCCDD pattern that makes it simpler to read and find a rhyming word.
5. If you know who you want to call up to light the candle, find a word that rhymes with their name
With you guys as family I am never alone… (and end the line with) Come on up Uncle Bill and Aunt Joan.
4. An easy method to use is to find a last line that rhymes with the number you are on.
For example:
Grandma’s cooking always tastes like heaven,
So come on up to light candle number eleven.
3. There are a few catch phrases that you can use for any poem such as:
…I love you …
Come light candle number two.
And…
“To my aunt and uncle whom I truly adore,
Please come up to light candle number four.”
Here is an example of how you turn the notes you jot down into a poem. For Grandma & PopPop: Michael is their first and only grandchild, he has slept there every Friday the first 2 years of his life, and still sleeps over at times. They took him skiing for the first time when he was 4, they take him to movies, play cards, you name it, they do it for him!
Turn that into:
There are two special people here who I just love and adore
They introduced me to skiing when I was a boy of four
I have learned so much from both of them about being a good friend
Whether it’s at the movies or playing cards, there’s laughter without end
When I was little I stayed with them almost every Friday night
Grandma & PopPop it’s number twelve, I’d love your help to light
2. If there is someone on the list that your family knows, but you don’t know so well, be sure to speak to your family and get some insight into who they are and why they are special.
Example:
For a very dear friend of Mom and Dad’s – JoAnn. Steven’s mom has known JoAnn since they were 6 and of course JoAnn knows Steven since his birth. She helped the family a great deal when Mom and Dad were going through a divorce. She helped move them from Staten Island to NJ, she stayed there for 2 weeks to help them settle in. Always there for Mom, serious or fun…she is a lot of fun to be around.
Turn that into:
This next candle is for a family friend who’s always there in a fix
She’s known me since my birth and known Mom since they were six
From Staten Island to New Jersey, she helped us with our move
Two weeks she kept us company, till we got into a groove
Always fun to be around, that’s why I’m such a fan
Please come up for candle eleven, mom’s dear friend JoAnn
1. When in doubt, go to a professional who will write the poems for you and allow you to concentrate on all the other things you have to do when becoming a bar or bat mitzvah. Visit me at http://www.thepoemlady.com or email heymannyc@yahoo.com. I’ll write candle lighting poems for you based on the information you provide. I also help pick out the songs and make the whole thing effort free. The poems are sweet and funny. You can even print them out and roll them up in a scroll and hand them to the candle-lighters as they come up so they can take their personalized poem home with them.
Most important, just remember to have fun and enjoy your special day