Poetry Rx: How 50 Inspiring Poems Can Heal and Bring Joy To Your Life

by Norman E. Rosenthal

" I used to believe that poetry did not “speak” to me, but I now see how wrong I was. I lived for 44 years with a husband, a lyricist, whose beautifully crafted, heartfelt lyrics touched my every fiber and continue to uplift and inspire me a decade after his death. The special beauty of Dr. Rosenthal’s book for me is his discussion of what each poem is saying, what the poet was likely feeling and often how the poems helped him personally, as when he left his birth family in South Africa for a rewarding career in the United States. " - Jane Brody , Author & New York Times Columnist

Poetry to Heal, Inspire and Enjoy

Poetry Rx presents 50 great poems as seen through the eyes of a renowned psychiatrist and New York Times bestseller. In this book, you will find insights into love, sorrow, ecstasy and everything in Love in the moment or for a lifetime; love that is fulfilling or addictive; when to break up and how to survive when someone breaks up with you.

Separate sections deal with responses to the natural world, and the varieties of human experience (such as hope, reconciliation, leaving home, faith, self-actualization, trauma, anger, and the thrill of discovery). Other sections involve finding your way in the world and the search for meaning, as well as the final stages of life.

In describing this multitude of human experiences, using vignettes from his work and life, Rosenthal serves as a comforting guide to these poetic works of genius. Through his writing, the workings of the mind, as depicted by these gifted writers speak to us as intimately as our closest friends.

Rosenthal also delves into the science of mind and brain. Who would have thought, for example, that listening to poetry can cause people to have goosebumps by activating the reward centers of the brain? Yet research shows that to be true.

And who were these fascinating poets? In a short biosketch that accompanies each poem, Rosenthal draws connections between the poets and their poems that help us understand the enigmatic minds that gave birth to these masterworks. Altogether, a fulfilling and intriguing must-read for anyone interested in poetry, the mind, self-help and genius.


CONTENTS

Introduction

PART ONE
Loving and Losing

Chapter One
Is There an Art to Losing?
One Art by Elizabeth Bishop

Chapter Two
Can Love Transform You?
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Chapter Three
The Heart versus the Mind
Pity me not because the light of day by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Chapter Four
Love in the Moment
Lullaby by W. H. Auden

Chapter Five
When Love Fades
Failing and Flying by Jack Gilbert

Chapter Six
Getting Over a Breakup Acceptance
Why so pale and wan fond lover? by Sir John Suckling

Chapter Seven
Getting Over a Breakup Reclaiming Yourself
Love after Love by Derek Walcott,

Chapter Eight
Declaring Your Love
Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? by William Shakespeare

Chapter Nine
Consoled by Love
Sonnet 29: When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes by William Shakespeare

Chapter Ten
In Praise of the Marriage of True Minds
Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds by William Shakespeare

Chapter Eleven
Loss of a Loved One
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone (Funeral Blues) by W. H. Auden

Chapter Twelve
Will I Ever Feel Better?
Time Does Not Bring Relief by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Chapter Thirteen
Love Remembered
When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats

Chapter Fourteen
Love after Death
Remember by Christina Rossetti,

PART TWO
That Inward Eye

Chapter Fifteen
Transcendence in Nature
Daffodils by William Wordsworth

Chapter Sixteen
The Memory of Daffodils
Miracle on St. David’s Day by Gillian Clarke

Chapter Seventeen
Transcendence in Body and Mind
Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey (excerpt) by William Wordsworth

Chapter Eighteen
The Power of Dark and Light
There’s a certain Slant of light by Emily Dickinson

Chapter Nineteen
In Praise of Diversity
Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Chapter Twenty
A Plea to Save the Natural World
Inversnaid by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Chapter Twenty-One
The Importance of Being Needed
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Chapter Twenty-Two
The Choices We Make
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Chapter Twenty-Three
The Force of Longing
Sea Fever by John Masefield

Chapter Twenty-Four
Finding Hope in Nature
The Darkling Thrush by Thomas Hardy

PART THREE
The Human Experience

Chapter Twenty-Five The Power of Hope
“Hope” is the thing with feathers by Emily Dickinson

Chapter Twenty-Six
Welcoming Your Emotions
The Guest House by Jalaluddin Rumi Translated by Coleman Barks

Chapter Twenty-Seven
The Healing Power of Reconciliation
Out beyond Ideas by Jalaluddin Rumi (Translated by Coleman Barks)

Chapter Twenty-Eight
Leaving Home
Traveler, there is no road by Antonio Machado Translated by Mary G. Berg and Dennis Maloney

Chapter Twenty-Nine
And Those You Leave Behind
Letter to My Mother by S...

Genres: Poetry, Self Help, Nonfiction

380 pages, Paperback

Published May 4, 2021

About the author

Norman E. Rosenthal is the world-renowned psychiatrist, researcher, and best-selling author, who first described seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and pioneered the use of light therapy as a treatment during his twenty years at the National Institute of Mental Health. A highly cited researcher, he has written over 200 scholarly articles, and authored or co-authored ten popular books. These include Winter Blues, the New York Times bestseller Transcendence, and the national bestsellers The Gift of Adversity, and Super Mind. His latest book is Poetry Rx: How 50 Inspiring Poems Can Heal and Bring Joy to Your Life. Listed as one of the Best Doctors in America, he has practiced psychiatry for over four decades, and has coached people from all walks of life. Rosenthal has conducted numerous clinical trials of medications and alternative treatments, such as Transcendental Meditation, for psychiatric disorders. He and his work have been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, NPR and other national media.

Reviews

[Ken Chawkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In an interview I read about this book, Dr. Rosenthal said, “As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has closed down in many ways, depriving us of joy, companionship, love and adventure. Against this backdrop of loss and hardship, we are seeking novel remedies, and poetry is a surprisingly powerful remedy, not just for the moment but for our entire life. Poetry can serve both as a balm and a vaccine for the soul.”

He speaks from personal experience, sharing how certain poems have helped him throughout his own life, and in the lives of his friends and patients. The book's Introduction opens with such a story of a friend, David, who recently experienced the loss of someone dear to him. He called Norman wondering how he could go on. In an attempt to help, Norman tells David "there is an art to losing, and like all art, it can be developed." After a moment of silence, David asks Norman if he knew the poem, 'One Art' by Elizabeth Bishop. He had not. (Neither did I. It is a powerful poem!) David reads it to Norman, which starts off, "The art of losing isn't hard to master." It's the first poem of Chapter One, 'Is There An Art To Losing?' on page 9.

Norman writes, "As he read on, his voice gathered strength and energy with each stanza. Afterwards his mood was lighter—and strangely, so was mine." This led Norman to wonder, "Can a poem really help a grieving person? And if so, might other poems also have healing powers?" His friend had offered him a gift. He shared the poem with grieving friends and patients, many of who found comfort in its words. This took him on a path of discovery, learning of a colleague who did the same thing with a poem about aging by Wendell Berry. (It's in chapter 46.) He found more poems that could help. This led him to develop the idea and practice of prescribing poetry as a kind of medicine, which inspired this book, Poetry Rx.

Some of the poems in this volume are ones that I've read before and benefited from in my own life. A favorite of mine that Dr. Rosenthal includes in this volume of 50 poems is 'Love After Love' by Derek Walcott. It's in Chapter Seven, the second poem with the theme of 'Getting Over A Breakup' and in this case, 'Reclaiming Yourself'. It's a simple, compassionate, yet powerful poem that anyone can relate to, learn from, and feel comforted by. It did all of that for me.

Anyone can benefit from and enjoy reading this book. Dr. Rosenthal guides the reader, showing us how to get the most out of a poem. He explains each poem, points out takeaways, and gives us a backgrounder on the poem and the poet who wrote it. It's like having a friend of the family over for dinner that shares his enthusiasm for poetry, and in the process, entertains and enlightens us. I highly recommend this book.

[Barbara Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection of poems. The front cover says “How fifty inspiring poems can heal and bring joy to your life.” It’s true.This book was a lovely gift.

[Dianne Leader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The poems included some of my old favorites, and some very new acquaintances.

Each chapter first presents its poem, to be experienced in its own terms and fully savored, for the first time ever or with warm familiarity.

The author joins the party when you're ready, sharing his own insights, inviting deeper exploration, recounting stories from his clinical experience of how the poetry has moved and helped his clients in their psychic healing and finding joy in life.

Dr. Rosenthal then offers some professional "takeaways" from each poem. He takes the opportunity to connect his learning from life, including as a psychiatrist, with the message of each poem. I found this feature surprisingly helpful in applying the practical implications of a poem’s message into real life. The “takeaways” were only obvious and usable once they’d been articulated.

Each chapter delightfully ends with more information about the poet and the poem, adding another layer of understanding or appreciation.

For me, this book's a keeper and a lovely gift for friends.

[Danielle Palmer]

DNF. Most of the poems in here are ones I’ve come across fairly often. There’s a very simple explanation and lesson after each poem, as well as an author bio. I did love the daffodil poem about the asylum, that one was new to me. I’d pick this up at a used booksale for a buck or two

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to start reading more poetry in 2022 in honor of my Dad. This was a user-friendly, non-academic place to start, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to crack the surface on enjoying and reading more verse. It is written from the angle of a therapist who has recommended these fifty classic poems to various patients over the years as they struggle with the common ups and downs in life (death of a loved, end of a relationship, professional struggles, etc.). Each chapter covers one poem as it relates to one emotional concern, a bit about the author and the structure and history of the poem, and how one mine apply it to themselves in a way to find comfort and connection. I think any true academic or poetry lover might find this book too simple, but as an entry point, I found it more important to approach poetry (or any art) from a place of relating emotionally directly to it before worrying too much about things like form and structure.

[Simon Shapiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting premise: that poetry can be helpful to people in tough times.

The poems are - not surprisingly - brilliant. The analysis of the poems helped me enormously to understand and appreciate them. Many were poems that I've read but didn't fully appreciate. The analyses of the poems helps not only with these poems but will appreciating any poetry. After reading this book I've read other poems and said "Oh, here's a volta".

The stories of Rosenthal and his patients and their relationship to the selected poems are fascinating. The short biographies of the poets bring them to life.

I highly recommend this well-written book to anyone interested in poetry, and to anyone not yet interested in poetry.

[Valeria Koopman · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Poetry can not only inspire and delight, but can actually help you feel better, soothe your pain, and heal psychological wounds.”

Poetry Rx: How 50 Inspiring Poems Can Heal and Bring Joy To Your Life is calling for change and transformation in the most graceful way.
I love Norman’s work, intention, and creativity.

This is a must-read for anyone ready to experience a gentle, yet profound and impactful approach to healing. Norman illuminates our minds with 50 timeless poems. They will change the way you feel, and ultimately, your way to being in the world.

It was a wonderful experience to have had the conversation with Norman E. Rosenthal in a podcast interview! His wisdom, clarity, and loving presence reflected his commitment to changing lives!

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book!

The book has instructions for how to enjoy each poem, which is helpful. There's information on how to read them out loud and what to look for.

For each poem there's dissection of the poem after it. There's information about the structure of the poem, some information about the author, talk about what identified sections of the poem mean, and the themes of the poem and how they apply to joy are highlighted as well.

While I like this structure and like the approach, the poem selection still felt pretty limited to me. A lot of them are famous poets who are dead and mostly straight, white men. There's a lot that could be learned from a wider variety of poets.

Overall an interesting read.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading this book 3 poems at a time for the past half year with 15 other poetry students. My primary reaction when beginning this book was doubt that I would enjoy and benefit from reading it.

WAS I WRONG!

Rosenthal chose these poems as potential inspiration for poetry readers with doubts about their place in the world and their ability to cope. Rosenthal is a psychiatrist and his explanations of the poems often reflect his knowledge and experiences in this field.

I recommend this book to everyone, both the experience and the inexperienced poetry reader. Rosenthal has chosen poems that were often new to me and some were previous favorites. Discovering them and/or rereading them was always a treat. His psychological approach did not irritate me but shared their possible benefit for others as well as myself.

[Ma'lis Wendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Brody mentioned this book in one of her columns and I am so happy I followed her advice. Norman Rosenthal is a psychiatrist who uses poetry in his therapy practice. He has chosen fifty poems that have inspired him and his patients in areas such as relationships, depression, death etc. He gives us each poem, explains how he's used the poem and then something about the author. It's a book to read slowly and dip into now and then.

[Tom Romig · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique and effective approach to understanding and navigating the stages, challenges, and joys of life. Norman Rosenthal provides often penetrating explications of the 50 poems together with pertinent biographical information on the poets. (Turns out many of the poets' lives are often surprisingly bleak!)

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good primer for poems and how to interpret them on an emotional level.
Not keen on the self-help entries.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful gift. There are 50 poems...many old favorites. The text about each poem was very helpful and insightful

[Martha]

Poetry - pick up, read, put down.

[Dara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 classic poems.

[Evil Secret Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fine and I enjoyed most of the poetry but I found it heavily into white men and the struggles they face and not so much for women or people of color.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very rudimentary and common poems. Did not resonate with the therapized poetry analysis

[Darryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating concept. I really enjoyed the stories. And I found some new favorite poems and poets in this collection. "Not Waving but Drowning" will always stay with me.

[Anne Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much to love in this book. For one thing, I love it when people who know about poetry explain it to me.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly what I expected--most of the poems were the classics that you read in English class, and while it was interesting to reflect back on them in a more personal rather than academic way, I was hoping for more modern (and less over-shared) works.