Poetic Prescriptions

 

This week we were inspired by the Poetry Pharmacy in the UK which started out with two poets travelling in an ambulance to festivals and setting up a stall. They'd put on their white coats and give out pill bottles full of specific poems for specific conditions. People would just approach them, they'd have a brief consultation and then provide the appropriate medicine, but this time in the form of a poem! They now have three Poetry Pharmacy bookshops which have done an amazing job introducing people to poetry in a new and innovative way. Below are poetic presecriptions, or perhaps antidotes, created by our Tuesday Poets.

Melancholy

Life is full of surprises

Take positivity where ever

You can find it

Reflect on life’s magic and

Remember that all things

Must pass

Anger

Place two feet in a pair of shoes

Breathe slowly in and out

Remember the sun will again shine

Of that there is no doubt

Release the stress from your

Body and mind 

Out in the sunshine you will find

Good people who are kind

Chill Pills

If you want to learn how others win

Stop and listen to the voice within

Joy

The summer blowing through 

The four fingers of my hand

Silent as the sea of Spring

Tripled in the lap of song

Or blind as the dancing girls

Breathing Ave Maria into

The drawing scent of

Heaving pine

Trying Circumstances

There are times when all that is needed

Is a fluffy kitten to lick the milky moustache

From your upper lip as you watch

The sun go down on another winter’s day

Then snuggle into a warm duvet and

Watch the silent snow gently

Fall on moonlit hills

Calm

Blissful silence surrounding your soul

Internal significance making you whole

Standing still… breathing deep

Calming your mind into sleep

Resonating with mother earth

To wash away and rebirth

Returning chaos to its rightful place

Standing tall, owning this space

Drenching your skin, with crisp air

Shredding all stress completely bare

Untightened chest… now you can breathe

Feeling lighter, fresh and relieved

Stepping out into the new

To be a cooler, calmer, unstoppable you!

Insomnia

Anoint your forehead with holy water. 

Don’t stop there. Anoint your nose

The back of your neck, shoulders

Chest and both feet.

Hug your pillow. Alternatively

Fluff your pillow. There’s nothing worse

Than an unfluffed pillow!

Give it a good whack, but be careful

Not to whack anyone nearby in the process

Their cries will only disrupt your sleep further

Turn the hallway light off and the one in the kitchen

Cover the annoying light on the alarm clock.

Throw your phone out the window

And breathe. That helps with everything.