44 » pink weddings magazine
Poetry
When Joanna Miller
read a poem she’d
written at her own
wedding she was
overwhelmed by
the reaction.
Soon she was
taking commissions,
as she tells Pink
Weddings Magazine
I established Bespoke Verse after
composing a funny poem for my wedding
a few years ago. I wrote the story of our
relationship in the voice of my husband;
it brought the house down!
Before long, I was writing personal poems for friends’
birthdays, weddings, christenings and even funerals, and I was
forever being told I should turn pro! I set up my website
www.bespokeverse.co.uk in 2009, and it wasn't long before
commissions began to pour in from the UK and overseas.
The majority of the work I get is celebratory – a speech
from one partner to another for a 40th birthday, or a couple
asking for a 60th birthday poem for a parent. Poems for
weddings and civil ceremonies are a favourite of mine, because
there’s so much opportunity for humour. There is also the
chance to reflect on what has brought couples together, and to
explore their, often inspiring, stories.
Wedding guests do expect to be entertained in speeches,
and that can make the whole experience daunting. It’s also
great to surprise people and that’s where Bespoke Verse can
help. My favourite part of the job is when I hear from clients
after the event about how much laughter and tears were
generated. I’m often told it was the highlight of their day.
•••••
The writing process starts with a phone call or a questionnaire
in which I learn all about the person or event that I’m writing
about. I'll get a feel for the person through hearing about their
life, hobbies, tastes, idiosyncrasies, and of course, funny stories.
It’s a privilege to find out about people, and by the time I’m
finished, I feel like I know them!
Sometimes it's tricky to fit everything in, which is why there's
no such thing as an average poem. I check with clients along the
way, to ensure the developing poem is just what they’re after.
I recently started framing poems and putting photographs
beside them, because so many people kept asking me if I
would! It’s exciting to know my verse will be hanging on walls
for years to come.
I love my work. There was a time when I only used my
Oxford degree to make up rhymes for my kids, but now I get to
make a career out of poetry. I couldn't be happier.
For better for worse.