Poetry for chronic pain

Book Recommendation:
Poetic Medicine– The Healing Art of Poem Making by John Fox.

This is an all-time favorite book– inspirational and supportive to read. John teaches how to, and invites you to write your own poetry to respond to difficult life circumstances, like illness and loss. He offers wonderful ideas and questions to get you started, and illustrates each chapter with a number of poems, some by his students, others by published poets, with their comments about the experience of writing the poem. I have had this book by my bedside over many weeks each year, and return to it with appreciation each time. It is written in a beautiful poetic language that I find deeply nourishing. John has had his own health and pain issues. Do I write poetry? Only in my mind usually.

I could give you dozens of quotes, here just the one:

Poetry is a companion through dark times. The poem is the friend who calls you at just the right moment on a bad day when above all you feel the need to be known. The poem is a voice that makes it clear you are not alone ( page 5).

This poem is by John Fox himself and deeply speaks to me about my work. It can be found at his website.

When Someone Deeply Listens To You

When someone deeply listens to you
it is like holding out a dented cup
you’ve had since childhood
and watching it fill up with
cold, fresh water.
When it balances on top of the brim,
you are understood.
When it overflows and touches your skin,
you are loved.

When someone deeply listens to you
the room where you stay
starts a new life
and the place where you wrote
your first poem
begins to glow in your mind’s eye.
It is as if gold has been discovered!

When someone deeply listens to you
your barefeet are on the earth
and a beloved land that seemed distant
is now at home within you.

— John Fox

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