Commissioned Poems

I love writing special things for special people! 

Most of the poems on this website started out as commissioned poems.  In other words, someone asked me to write something for a relative or friend who was getting married, or for someone with Alzheimer’s Disease, or to honor a deceased family member, or to memorialize a friendship, or even to honor a pet.  These can also be done to honor a long-time employee.  I have also written these for real estate agents who have given a gift of a picture poem in memory of the home that has been sold, to be displayed in the customer’s new home.  It is a very nice memory and makes a terrific gift. You just need to give me a little information about the person, the couple, the wedding, or the dog, or the home, and your suggestion for a theme for the poem. See also the Special Requests and Volume Orders pages. See also the Commissioned Pieces section in the “Terms, Conditions & Other Important Stuff” section under the “General Information” heading on the top menu bar for more information.

These have always resulted in happy customers—both the giver and the recipient.  Commissioned pieces are always etched, and can be personalized with names and dates, or even the particular occasion.  And I try very hard to write to your satisfaction, because I take pride in my work, because I want happy customers, and because I may use the poem or parts of it again!  Here are some samples of some Commissioned Poems: “The Eyes of My Father” for a World War II veteran; “An Orchid for Gloria” for a wonderful lady afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease who grew beautiful orchids; “May This Love” for a very nice newly married young couple. This is one commissioned piece that was printed, because I liked it when I wrote it, and I knew that this would be enjoyed by many people. Another Commissioned Poem was “The Perfect Friend,” written as a gift from one college student to another.

Generally, I will ask for a $100.00 deposit to start the writing process.  You can do this on the To Request a Commissioned Poem page.  I will submit a proposed poem to you for approval, and we will make up to three revisions as discussed by us, and if you are not satisfied with the poem at that point, we can either agree to go forward and revise again or stop at that point. This deposit will not be refundable.  If you decide to go forward, we will discuss the additional writing fee.  The writing fee will be in addition to the charges for the etching, personalization, the opening for the photograph, and the frame, plus shipping and handling and sales tax if applicable. For commissioned pieces, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

Photographs in Commissioned Pieces

As to photographs on commissioned pieces, I prefer that you insert the photograph after I send the picture poem matte to you, but if you want me to insert it, you will need to send it to me via email attachment, and it may need to be re-sized in order to fit the opening.  I will assume that you took the photograph or otherwise own the copyright to any such photograph(s) sent to me, and you agree to defend and indemnify me in the event that someone else claims the copyright to said photograph.  Please understand that I cannot be responsible for photographs sent to me to be used in these pieces.  If I print the photograph that goes into the matte opening, it will be printed on quality bond paper, and not on photographic paper.  The bond paper, I have found, works well, and it allows you to leave extra room around the photo for applying tape to affix the photo in the matte opening. (I suggest using removable tape so you don’t damage the photo or the back of the matte while you try to center and place the photo.)  If you desire to insert a photo on quality photographic paper, you will have to size the photograph and have it printed before you insert it.  If you cannot do this on your own printer, you may want to go to a retail store such as Walgreen’s or Osco or Walmart for re-sizing and printing.   In some cases, if you email to me a photograph to insert (using bond paper), I may ask if I can use your photograph to display as an example of the commissioned piece on my website(s) or in advertising materials.  Be assured that use of any such photograph will always be done in good taste and will be respectful of the subject and of the overall presentation (i.e., the photo and the etched or printed poem). I will ask for written permission from the subject in the photograph as well. You may decline to allow such use, but I do reserve the right to insert another photograph (a stock photo or one of my own) into the finished presentation piece so as to show it on the website(s) or in advertising materials.

Copyrights on Commissioned Poems

For commissioned poems, as on all other poems or essays on this website, I do retain all copyrights, and I reserve all rights, including the right to use the text again, perhaps in printed pieces or even in a book, and to use on the Daniel Mark Picture Poems website, and on any future websites that may be created that are related to this business.  If you make a suggestion or propose a line or lines (or even a title) that go into the poem, you do not claim or nor do you get any copyrights or any other rights to it or to the overall poem.  You get the use of the picture poem to give to whomever you like, and it can be displayed by the recipient, but you and they do not get any other rights, including any rights to otherwise publish or copy the poem, and you cannot reproduce it or have it reproduced in any other way.  Upon written or email request, exceptions may be made for situations in which you, the customer, or the recipient, may want to read or have the poem read aloud in a wedding ceremony or put on napkins or in a printed program, for example, or to be read at a wake or funeral or other ceremony.  Please ask me in advance of doing so. Contact me at info@danielmarkpicturepoems.com or call or text to 847.828.0857.

Permission or Allowance to Publish or Use for Limited Purpose

Several months ago, a very nice customer who understood copyrights asked if he could use one of the poems for his daughter’s graduation book at her school. I agreed to allow him to publish this poem in the graduation book as a dedication to his daughter, for a small fee. (I have to make a living, just as you do!)  Just ask via email to info@danielmarkpicturepoems.com or call or text me at 847.828.0857.   If you wish to use a poem or a portion of a poem in a graduation ceremony, or in a book with dedications to graduates (many high schools offer books in which parents insert dedications to their son or daughter), or even in a wedding ceremony or funeral, I ask for a small fee for allowing you to publish the poem or a portion of the poem (generally $10.00, but for a limited time, $5.00) in such a yearbook or similar book, or to have it read in a wedding ceremony, for example.  In such situations, author credit is required.  (That means you have to say that I wrote it!  It’s only fair.) And, while you may choose to publish only a portion of the poem, you cannot change the words. Sorry. This means that you can choose to use only a certain stanza or several lines, but you cannot delete or alter the words in that stanza or in those lines.  You wouldn’t want someone else changing your words for you, and I ask that you respect my words. Great care went into the writing of these words.  If you purchase a picture poem for a wedding or receive one as a gift, you may use the poem, without further charge, in your ceremony if you choose, though I ask for author credit in your program, if not out loud in the ceremony. For permission to use a poem in a graduation book or wedding ceremony or other gathering, see “Permission/Allowance to Use Poem.”