Poems That Heal

Note: This essay was written by Gabriella Ragusa, a student at FranU, in 2024. One might be able to find poetry in the newspaper, in children’s books, or framed in grandma’s house, but one place you might not suspect to find these works is in a doctor or therapist’s office. Poetry does not discriminate; it is not only for authors and writers but can be for anyone wanting to express themselves in various ways. Poetry as therapy is gaining traction not only for at-home personal use but is also now being used as a means of narrative medicine in the clinical setting. Councilors, therapists, psychiatrists, and doctors have implemented the practice of recommending that patients write poetry to help identify and process emotions in hopes of evoking a journey of mental healing. The poem "Talking to Grief" by Denise Levertov was published in Jennifer Healey’s blog titled “Healing Brave,” which can be found at https://healingbrave.com/blogs/all/talking-to-grief-poem . This poem has the...

  Note: This post was written by A. Chiasson, a student at FranU, in 2024. Szymborska wrote “The End and the Beginning” about the aftermath of a war. She describes citizens having to clean up the streets, carry away the bodies, and rebuild the city. I think this poem could be therapeutic for anyone who has lived through a major historical event, such as a war or natural disaster and is struggling to find closure. Particularly for those of us living in Louisiana, this poem could be therapeutic for someone who has lived through a major flood or hurricane. As with a war, those who are affected by a harsh storm will have to work towards emotional recovery and healing, as well as having to literally rebuild the community.  Szymborska begins the poem by describing the work that is required to clean up after a war. There is rubble to be cleared away, bodies to be buried, and buildings to be repaired. In gruesome detail, she writes “Someone has to get mired / in scum and ashes, / sofa...