Poems are celebrations

In addition to bringing forth an experience in a poem, a person's life can be celebrated, a poem a tribute to that life. Such poems acknowledge the value of a life to the poet, as well as the distinction of that life itself. Poems in honor of a person arise from deep feeling, generally a feeling long held, in which some quality is brought out that distinguishes the person. Recently, I have been working on a poem about my grandmother, born in the nineteenth century, whose life had many challenges as well as many joys in her own family. I knew her when I was in school, and I believe we came to a better understanding of our lives and our remarkable friendship.