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Poetry Pharmacy by William Sieghart
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Poetry Pharmacy (edition 2018)

by William Sieghart (Author)

Series: Poetry Pharmacy (Book 1)

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1244218,279 (4.15)None
When we're grieving, when we're broken-hearted, and when we find ourselves struggling to understand the things we're feeling, we long for the connection poetry can provide. To find the right poem at that crucial moment, one capable of expressing our situation with considerably more elegance than we could muster ourselves, is to discover a powerful sense of complicity, and that precious realization- I'm not the only one who feels like this. In the years since he first had the idea of prescribing short, powerful poems for all manner of spiritual ailments, William Sieghart has taken his Poetry Pharmacy around the length and breadth of Britain, into the pages of theGuardian, onto BBC Radio 4 and onto the television, honing his prescriptions all the time. This pocket-sized book presents the most essential poems in his dispensary- those which, again and again, have really shown themselves to work. Whether you are suffering from loneliness, lack of courage, heartbreak, hopelessness, or even from an excess of ego, there is something here to ease your pain.… (more)
Member:StefanieCaeners
Title:Poetry Pharmacy
Authors:William Sieghart (Author)
Info:Particular Books (2017), 128 pages
Collections:Your library
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Work Information

The Poetry Pharmacy: Tried-and-True Prescriptions for the Heart, Mind, and Soul by William Sieghart

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A bit depressing, I was looking to read something uplifting. ( )
  J4NE | Jan 25, 2024 |
Like Stephen Fry says this book really is "balm for the soul". It is amazing how each poem so perfectly remedies each condition. Before reading I figured the poems would fit the conditions rather generically but I was so wrong. Every poem remedy is so precisely thought out. As I read different poems on different days when I was feeling different ways I was floored over how perfect each poem I read was and how soothing it felt to read it. It is not a book to be read in one sitting from front to back. It is a book that is meant to be dipped into in moments of need. I cant recommend it highly enough... especially with what is going on in the world in the present moment. ( )
  Be.enigmatic | Jul 11, 2021 |
I liked this idea and there are some great poems in here. But one thing really annoyed me - the author spends far too long talking about the poem and "what it all means" and the poem itself is almost lost in all that.
A very brief introduction and then the poem would have been a lot better - probably would have got a lot more poems in too! ( )
  infjsarah | Jan 17, 2021 |
Robert Graves wrote, “A well chosen anthology is a complete dispensary of medicine for the more common mental disorders, and may be used as much for prevention as cure,” and that is the premise of the present anthology.

Sieghart explains in his introduction how the idea of his Poetry Pharmacy arose and developed, following with a useful short note on "how to read poetry". He then introduces each poem under a heading for the "conditions" for which he would describe them, and how a particular reading might shed light upon the causes of, or alleviate the feelings of, distress.

Naturally, there is a subjective view to such things, and I didn't always feel a particular poem was apposite, or that it would necessarily be helpful or therapeutic, but that's shaped by my own feeling-world and frame of reference. On balance, I think Sieghart hit the mark much more often than he missed.

I'm not sure how seriously Sieghart takes his idea of prescribing "pills" of poetry as if they would have a defined, consistent, and predictable effect upon different individuals. I'd assume that's not his position (and I'd disagree with him if it is), however, in a social setting that adheres to the Western medical-model of health and well-being, his pharmacy concept may be a gateway through which people can engage with poetry, and hopefully find a reflective space in which they can better understand themselves and the wellsprings of their distress. ( )
  Michael.Rimmer | Apr 25, 2018 |
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Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Sieghart, Williamprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Angelou, Mayasecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Berry, Wendellsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Burnside, Johnsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Collins, Billysecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Coolidge, Susansecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Cope, Wendysecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Darling, Juliasecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Dharker, Imtiazsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Donne, Johnsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Doty, Marksecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Durcan, Paulsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Fanthorpe, U. A.secondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Farish, Helensecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Feaver, Vickisecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Fenton, Jamessecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Forbes, Duncansecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Frye, Mary Elizabethsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Gilbert, Jacksecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Hafezsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Hammerstein II, Oscarsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Heaney, Seamussecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Henson, Stuartsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Hirshfield, Janesecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Jennings, Elizabethsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Keats, Johnsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Kipling, Rudyardsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Larkin, Philipsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Laskey, Michaelsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Logue, Christophersecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Mahon, Dereksecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Millay, Edna St. Vincentsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Mitchell, Adriansecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Oliver, Marysecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Page, P. K.secondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Pugh, Sheenaghsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Rumisecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Samson, Annsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Sassoon, Siegfriedsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Scannell, Vernonsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Shikibu, Izumisecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Stafford, Williamsecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Tolkien, J. R. R.secondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Walcott, Dereksecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Wilcox, Ella Wheelersecondary authorall editionsconfirmed
Wintle, Walter D.secondary authorall editionsconfirmed

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When we're grieving, when we're broken-hearted, and when we find ourselves struggling to understand the things we're feeling, we long for the connection poetry can provide. To find the right poem at that crucial moment, one capable of expressing our situation with considerably more elegance than we could muster ourselves, is to discover a powerful sense of complicity, and that precious realization- I'm not the only one who feels like this. In the years since he first had the idea of prescribing short, powerful poems for all manner of spiritual ailments, William Sieghart has taken his Poetry Pharmacy around the length and breadth of Britain, into the pages of theGuardian, onto BBC Radio 4 and onto the television, honing his prescriptions all the time. This pocket-sized book presents the most essential poems in his dispensary- those which, again and again, have really shown themselves to work. Whether you are suffering from loneliness, lack of courage, heartbreak, hopelessness, or even from an excess of ego, there is something here to ease your pain.

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