The inaugural Launceston Poetry Festival is fast approaching and over the last couple of days preparations have been made for one of our most anticipated community events, The Poetry Pharmacy!
The Poetry Pharmacy was founded by Deb Alma in 2011, when she started dispensing poetry from the back of a vintage ambulance going by the name of The Emergency Poet. The poetry ambulance travelled to festivals, conferences, hospitals, care settings, libraries and schools in its mission to bring poetry to those who might not ordinarily encounter it, or are intimidated by the perception that poetry is “difficult, obscure and not for the likes of me”.
In her work with dementia patients Deb used poetry to assist communication and was amazed at how poetry could change a person’s state of mind. The opening of The Poetry Pharmacy, first in the small town of Bishop’s Castle in Shropshire, and more recently in London inside the Lush store on Oxford Street, meant finding bigger and stationary homes that continue spreading the therapeutic effects of poetry in a relaxing and welcoming environment.
The Poetry Pharmacy offers walk-in prescriptions in the form of pill bottles which contain snippets of poetry for all occasions and emotions. There are pill bottles and first aid kits for improving your well-being with labels including Resilience, Restoration and Sense of Belonging, all filled with colourful capsules that contain an uplifting message rather than bitter medicine. There is only one exception to this positivity and it takes the form of the Poetical Poison Pills. These have a playful, darker twist, containing poetry verse which demonstrates poetry’s capacity to be both a blessing and a curse.
The Poetry Pharmacy has been growing in success, gaining much attention nationally, more recently internationally, whilst creating a buzz on social media. Deb credits the light-hearted theatrical approach to poetry as the successful ingredient which continues to lead customers to find new experiences and emotions through verse.
The Bishop’s Castle Poetry Pharmacy provides consultations for those who are interested in poetry but might need some help in finding the most appropriate poetry for their mood or need. Deb says, “I think the combination of being carefully listened to; being taken to idealised places through the poetry consultation, putting your feet up on the chaise longue and then having a hand-picked poem is always a winning combination.” And indeed, a well chosen poem, along with a cup of coffee or tea and cake, is just the comforting prescription we need sometimes.
The Causley Trust team loves the work of The Poetry Pharmacy and we are thrilled to host their first foray into Cornwall at the Launceston Poetry Festival. We are working to make this a longer term relationship which brings the joy and benefits of the Poetry Pharmacy to the town.
Prescriptions will go on sale on 29 May in the Causley Creative Hub, Merchant House and on 30 May in the Town Hall – so drop by and get your prescription!
