How do people celebrate death around the world?
One thing we all have in common is life and death. There are lots of different traditions to mark the occasion of a person dying.
A poem by a male Youth Ambassador:
Deep inside
My quiet spirit cries
All that I hide
Twists into lies
Endless emotion
Shadow within heart
Unreciprocated devotion
Forever to depart
Inevitable desire
To connect as one
A rising rose fire
A connection nears gone
Echoed souvenirs escape
My whole world dark
Corrupt beyond shape
Without you I embark
With one final thought
And a history to save
Every tear that is fought
Plays one final wave
And across the realms and stars up high
I come to say my last goodbye.
Poets throughout the ages have written about their experiences of grief and loss, and reading poetry can be incredibly inspiring if you want to write your own. Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, WH Auden, Rupi Kaur and Kae Tempest are great poets to explore, and can help to feel less alone in your grief as well as giving you ideas for your own poems.
Some people find that the physical act of putting pen to paper helps to unlock memories- if you start with a description of a time you had with your loved one , as you write you might start to remember details, smells and phrases that you thought you haven’t thought about for a long time. You could use a photograph or video for inspiration, or listen to some music that reminds you of a memory that you would like to lean into.
'Continuing Bonds' is one model of grief lots of people find comforting. This concept is where rather than aiming for ‘getting over’ or ‘moving on’ from a bereavement, we continue to find ways to stay connected to the person who has died. Poetry can be a very moving way to do this- try writing a poem in the second person as though you are speaking to the person who died, or a poem in letter form.
Free writing (where you hand write really quickly and without editing as you go along) can give you a sense of what you are really thinking and feeling. Once you’ve had a good write, you can then go through with a different coloured pen and highlight words and phrases that you like. Using metaphor, symbolism or giving yourself the challenge of a rhyming scheme can give you a new perspective on what is going on for you.
'Fragments' by Dana, Youth Ambassador:
There’s you, the cloudless sky and your blue shirt
You tell me it’s time to go but I like it here
And when I wake up, the only things left are fragments
Little moments with you that I treasure
Because that’s the only place I ever see you
In my dreams
I want to prepare myself
But I never will
That’s why you never tell me
And I wait
And I wait
I wait for you to come and laugh with me one more time
Laugh loudly at the same old things until the day comes
And when I wake up, the only things left are fragments
Your scent, the sound of your laugh, your blue shirt, the cloudless sky
'My story of grieving for my sister' - spoken word by Jake, Content Creator
Talk Grief is powered by Winston’s Wish, a youth grief charity that supports grieving children and young people. If you want to talk to someone about your grief, call us on 08088 020 021 (open 8am-8pm, weekdays), email ask@winstonswish.org or use our online chat (open 8am-8pm, weekdays). If you need urgent support in a crisis, you can contact the 24/7 Winston’s Wish Crisis Messenger by texting WW to 85258.
Write, film, draw... Create content to share on Talk Grief and give hope to other grieving young people by joining our Youth Team. You can contribute as much or as little as you’d like.
Find out moreKnowing that you aren’t the only young person grieving can be life changing. Here you can read the experiences of other young people, advice and tips from experts and speak to our bereavement support workers.
Advice, resources and talks to help you understand grief and how it might impact you.
Grieving young people share their real experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly.
Trained bereavement support workers to listen and support you in your grief.
Grief is different for everyone, so however you are feeling you’ll find something to relate to.
One thing we all have in common is life and death. There are lots of different traditions to mark the occasion of a person dying.
Hear from Natasha, Youth Ambassador, about how reading helps her process her bereavement.
Bereavement support tips for those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Tap the live chat button or scroll down to find ways to contact Winston's Wish for further support.
Discover ways to store memories of your parents and express how you're feeling in your grief.
Find ways to cope with grief and its emotions as a teen or young adult without their parents.
Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Workers share top tips for looking after your mental health when you're grieving.
Feeling confused by your grief? You're not alone. Our Bereavement Support Team share some reasons why it can be confusing.
Over winter, with the darker evenings, feelings of loneliness can seem more overwhelming than ever.
Iman, Youth Ambassador, shares how she grieves at Christmas even though she doesn't celebrate the occasion.
Crying is a normal response when your person has died, no matter how long ago. There's no right or wrong way to grieve, and it's okay to let it out.
A guide for grieving young people from the Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Team.
Three of our Youth Ambassadors, Anna, Libby and Angharad, reflect on their first Christmas without their person.
Winter and the Christmas holidays can be a difficult time of year. Here are five ways to remember your person this season.
Winston's Wish Bereavement Support Workers share their 8 top tips for bereaved teens and young adults through the colder months.
Youth Ambassadors share the ways they remember their person digitally, through photo albums, playlists, and more.
Youth Ambassadors, Daisy, Freya, and Katie, share their personal views of their own secondary losses as a result of their bereavement.
Hear from some of the Youth Team about times when their teachers have helped them with their grief.
Some tips for taking care of yourself when you're grieving for a celebrity or public figure.
Our Bereavement Support Team have written some guidance on how to manage grief when you feel like you aren't able to be open.
Lilly shares an introduction to her grief experience and why it's so important to her to be a Winston's Wish Youth Ambassador.
Hear from some of their Youth Team about how they found support at uni.
Angus, Content Creator, says, "This message is about embracing change and not letting current moments pass you by."
Coping strategies to support you after a teacher has died
Tips from our bereavement support team to help you with big life changes like moving out as a young adult.
Useful tips to help you understand and cope with your grief.
Feeling sad that your person isn't there, guilty that you're celebrating your results, or proud of yourself for your results. There's no right or wrong way to grieve.
It can be very difficult knowing what to say and to be around someone who has experienced the death of someone close. Adults find it difficult too, so try not to feel bad about this.
The death of a friend may feel extremely difficult and can feel as significant as that of a family member. Whatever you're feeling is valid, and there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Jack, Content Creator, writes about how managing his grief through running has led to him winning the Leeds Half Marathon 2024!
Iman, Youth Ambassador, explains about Eid and shares what it's like for her and her family to grieve during Eid.
Miranda shares about how she uses music in different ways to help express her grief and emotions.
Ashleigh writes about how both writing and music have helped her in her grief.
The Winston's Wish bereavement support team share top tips for managing grief this Father's Day.
Grace's dad died from cancer when she was eight years old, she shares how she remembers her dad on Father’s Day.
Feelings of worry are very normal when you're grieving. Read on to discover some ways to manage these feelings.
Useful tips for exam season if you're grieving
Youth Ambassador, Iman, shares about her Eid celebrations as a grieving young person
Content Creator, Angus shares his thoughts
Useful tips for exam season
Interview with Mark O’Sullivan, writer of Tell Me Everything
Tips to help improve your sleep when you're grieving
How poetry can be a useful way to express your feelings
Young people share what it's like to grieve while studying at uni.
Our bereavement experts are available to speak to for immediate support on weekdays from 8am to 8pm.
Get top tips from bereavement experts, and hear from Youth Ambassadors, Henri and Teigan, about their experiences of Mother's Day.
Phoebe's mum died when she was nine. She shares how she feels on Mother’s Day and how she remembers her mum.