How to Write Epitaphs
In order to use an epitaph,
- Consider what was most important to a person: their achievements, beauty, love, family, or something else.
OR: Consider what was most important to those left behind.
- Commemorate this person with an epitaph that reflects their values, accomplishments, or legacy.
For example, consider someone who worked in charity and prided himself in being faithful.
Most Important Subjects:
Charity and faith
Epitaph:
Generous of heart, constant of faith
This epitaph properly commemorates what this person considered most important in his life.
For a second example, consider a family who has lost a son tragically. Their epitaph may serve to comfort the living rather than the deceased.
Most Important Subject:
Death does not end the living’s love for the deceased
Epitaph:
Gone from our home but not from our hearts
Epitaphs range in subject from remembering those who have passed to soothing those who have been left behind.
When to Use Epitaphs
Epitaphs have limited usage, as they are specifically messages commemorating the dead. Although typically epitaphs refer to inscriptions on funeral plaques, tombs, or tombstones, they may also refer to commemorative poems or sayings in general for the deceased.