The Poetry Cure

by Julia Darling (editor), Cynthia Fuller (Editor), Sheenagh Pugh (Contributor)

This volume contain poems to help people recovering from physical and mental illness.

Genres: Poetry

114 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

Julia Darling was born in Winchester in 1956 in the house Jane Austen died in. She moved to Newcastle in 1980 and began her writing career as a poet, working with a performance group 'The Poetry Virgins' for many years, 'taking poetry to the places that least expected it'[citation needed].

In 1995 she published a book of short stories, Bloodlines with Panurge Press, and many of these stories were broadcast on BBC Radio 4. In 1998 her first novel Crocodile Soup was published by Anchor at Transworld. The novel went on to be published in Canada, Australia, Europe and the United States and was long-listed for the Orange Prize. Her second Novel, The Taxi Driver's Daughter, was published by Penguin and long-listed for the Man Booker Prize and short-listed for the Encore Award. She wrote many plays for stage and radio. In 2003, Julia Darling's first full-length collection of poems, Sudden Collapses in Public Places, was published by Arc and was awarded a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. She worked on a number of arts and health projects, including work with elderly people in residential homes for Equal Arts, and she ran drama workshops for doctors and patients with the project 'Operating Theatre'. She was a fellow of Literature and Health in the English School at Newcastle University and was a recipient of the prestigious Northern Rock Foundation Writer's Award, the largest annual literary award in England.

Julia Darling died of breast cancer in 2005 aged 48.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Poetry Cure’ is a collection of poems from a variety of authors on the experience and effects of illness. The book aims to reflect a universal account of ill health and, as such, expresses the multitude of ways in which suffering can influence someone's life. It is, in parts, moving, perceptive, shocking. Most importantly, it is real life. This is not the poetry of school, the language is modern, clear, and understandable. The poems often sound like the speech of a good friend and they feel like the truth. Reading them is like sharing an experience, some that you may have had and some that you now understand a little more about. At the same time they highlight the importance of seeing the individual, the person, behind each illness. The book provides a fresh way of seeing, depicting, and discussing ill health; it may offer an opportunity for readers to find support in the words of others and assist in their ability to cope with the difficulties and challenges illness presents in their own lives.

In the Preface, Cynthia Fuller states her aim that this book should be read by health professionals, those experiencing ill health, their relatives, those in waiting rooms. She definitely considers the book, and poetry in general, to be of value to the whole spectrum of people in the care sector. While not all of the poems will speak to everyone, almost everyone could find something in this collection that feels relevant, relatable, or understandable. More than that, it is a valuable resource for education; it would, at the very least, encourage empathy. There are also a good selection of references at the end for those that wish to further explore poetry and health. There are three poems, ‘Names’ by Wendy Cope (p.26/7), and ‘Nurses’ and ‘How to Behave with the Ill’ by Julia Darling (p.24 and 16 respectively) that should be used in the training of care staff. They are piercing reminders of the people hidden behind the term ‘patient’.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave and frail. This anthology of poems about illness and dying is vital, in both senses – it's essential, and it's life-sustaining. It’s the final answer to anyone who thinks poetry is merely decorative.

Some nights I could only read a page or two before being totally disarmed by the sadness and quiet beauty of bodies and grief and slow-spun love. The introduction makes clear that carers and medical practitioners should seriously consider how words can be a balm in brokenness, a genuine means of solace and rehabilitation.

I found it dignified, sobering, strengthening.

[Chelsea Duncan]

This poetry book is unique in that it mostly focuses on ill health and those of us who have dealt or are dealing with such a situation. It is thought provoking, sometimes hard hitting, often sentimental, and in some cases inspiring. There's a mix of poets, older and newer, and a few different categories. I couldn't give it a higher rating because I found a lot of the poetry really quite depressing, and only found a minimal number of poems that I personally resonated with and enjoyed, which felt a shame. It's worth a read but it's not the most uplifting of volumes, it has to be said.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It seemed such a lovely idea, a slim volume published by Bloodaxe Books in association with Newcastle University, lovely cover painting of flowers on a bedside table and put together by a dying poet. And I wonder if the latter was the problem... renamed "The Poetry Palliative" my expectations would have been different and the choice of poems felt more apposite. It's gloomier, less funny, *much* more about dying and being dead and mourning the dead than I anticipated (although I expected and wanted some seriousness)

I did (as the editors hoped) read some of this sitting in a hospital as a patient, with an inadvertent audio of news involving much talk of death and injury and long and partial recovery. There are some good enough poems here and some telling insights but there is nothing like enough variation in tone. I don't think I'd be rushing to buy it to share with anyone currently involved other than health professionals.

[Jack Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little anthology all to do with sickness and anatomy and hospitals and all that.

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver made it in, which was a pleasant surprise as it is one of my favourite poems ever.

I have new favourites now, and I have thoughts. It was all very poignant. I have loosely annotated this copy. I must read it again, tomorrow.

[Matt Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collecting is all good and really nicely put together. I did, somehow, approach this expecting it to cure me of all my ailments, in some undefined and presumably miraculous way. Sadly it didn't live up to my supernatural expectations, but it was still a good read.
A few sections and pieces were brilliant, I guess everyone would get something good from different part of this (just don't expect a panacea).
Really nice to see Tony Harrison in there and a couple of other new authors for me to explore.

[Giskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent anthology of poems about illness and healing.