Three Easy Steps to Sharing the Ideal Sister Poem

Three Easy Steps to Sharing the Ideal Sister Poem

A sister is a wonderful friend, a close family relation and one of the first people that may deserve a poem. Someone who has decided to share with their sister a poem may feel at first rather awkward but can rest assured that they are not nearly the first to do so. Dozens of the world’s best poets have written a sister poem in their lifetime, an ode to the closest person to them in their family. Finding and sharing these sister poems can be done in as little as three steps.

Step #1 – Finding the Right Sister Poem

Writers such as William Wordsworth wrote beautiful poems dedicated to their sisters. His “To My Sister” is probably the most eloquent example of how a poem can be directed toward a loved family member without being overtly sentimental.

Another famous writer of the 19th century, Lord Byron, wrote to his sister as well in “Epistle to Augusta” The poem is a loving tribute to his beloved sister, showing the kind of familial love a poet is willing to express.

MY sister! my sweet sister! if a name
Dearer and purer were, it should be thine;
Mountains and seas divide us, but I claim
No tears, but tenderness to answer mine:
Go where I will, to me thou art the same—
A loved regret which I would not resign.
There yet are two things in my destiny,—
A world to roam through, and a home with thee.

Such words are not uncommon for the time period in which Byron wrote, but the care put into them not only displays his love for Augusta but the ability of a man to make those statements in all honesty.

Of course, not all sister poems are in loving tribute. Lewis Carroll always had a keen eye for how the mind of a child worked, writing great children’s classics such as Alice in Wonderland. His poem, “Brother and Sister” tells the tale of a young boy who tries to borrow a frying pan from the cook so as he can make an “Irish Stew” with his sister. Not all brothers are as willing as Byron to profess their sibling love.

Step #2 – How to Share a Sister Poem

After having found the right poem, it is important to decide when and where to share it with your sister. In some instances, it might be simply inappropriate. A man will feel awkward giving a poem to his sister on a random occasion, so might choose to write it within a card for a birthday or holiday instead of making a big deal out of it. A fellow sister might be more willing to offer an emotional gift at any time and simple read the sister poem.

Step #3 – Discussing the Sister Poem

One of the best parts about sharing poetry with anyone is that the next logical step is to discuss it. This may not be the goal in which case a carefully placed card is probably the best idea. However, for those that do not mind or in fact relish the chance to discuss poetry, hand delivering the poem might be the perfect opportunity to start an interesting conversation with a family member about that sister poem. It may not work out as planned, but it stretches the intellectual connection of two family members, something most gifts can never claim to do.