The Calming Effects of Poetry During a Lockdown

I’ve been thinking about writing a post on connecting with poetry for a while but wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to say.  One of the things Coronavirus has given me is more of a desire to read poetry.  I suspect the reason for this is that poetry can bring a calmness in just a few lines which is not always available in other places.

For many of us poetry can feel scary, I certainly think I felt like this at one time.  I suspect I thought poetry to be too clever or beyond my grasp.  I know I must have studied poetry at school but I remember little more than William Wordsworth’s ‘I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud”. I don’t really know where these reservations came from, but thankfully, I now understand, poetry is for everyone. Like anything you just need to find the bits, or in this case, the poets or poetry you enjoy.

Poetry and Mental Health

A study conducted in 2009 by the University of Sussex revealed that reading for just 6 minutes a day can be enough to reduce stress levels.  It slows the heart rate and eases muscle tension, both of which lead to a more relaxed state of mind.

When feeling fragile and concentration is a monumental effort, as it can be in periods of uncertainty or in this case lockdown, reading poetry can be easier than a novel.  It’s far shorter and can be approached in tiny chunks.  A single verse may be all that is managable and yet this alone could be enough to soothe a troubled mind.

One thing I haven’t really done is learn poetry by heart.  I don’t have the best memory, so not sure how I would fare with this!  However I have been interested to read how helpful this is, particularly if dealing with anxious times.  When things are especially tricky and hanging on by a thread seems the best you can do, the ability to bring to mind familiar lines of a poem or verse is known to be immensely calming and even healing.

The ebb and flow of a short burst of words, or even a single stanza, and the rhythm of language has the power to soothe and calm and heal.

Where to Start with Poetry

How do I know what I will like?  Where should I begin? Common questions for anyone wanting to read poetry. When I first started to realise I enjoyed it, it was from discovering Wendy Cope.  I think I came across her poem Another Valentine in The Guardian, and from there started to read much more of her work.   She writes with a pithiness, and pin point observation that immediately appealed and felt instantly accessible.  

Find a Good Anthology

This is how many people come to poetry.  I remember the Puffin Book of Children’s Verse from when I was small. In fact I can still remember the blue cover.  And although I have no recollection of the specific poems contained within it I have a vague memory of chuckling as I read through the pages.  Since then I have had other anthologies and still find flicking through them a good source of inspiration.  I have a copy of Poem for the Day (1) and still enjoy finding todays date to discover which poem was deemed suitable for such a day (Today’s is The Eagle by Tennyson) if you’re interested!  The breadth and variety of poems contained in anthologies make it relatively easy to find something which resonates.

 Listen to Poetry being read 

One of my go to clips of poetry is DylanThomas reading his poem ‘Do Not Go Gently’.  The richness of his voice, as he delivers this famous poem is completely beguiling.  It adds a depth and meaning to the words which I don’t get from reading it myself.  This poem resonates particularly with me at the moment and when I listen to Dylan Thomas recite the final two lines of the poem ‘Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light’, it makes me shudder with the intensity of it. I really recommend you have a listen.  

Or listen to Maya Angelou recite her poem ‘And Still I Rise’  She gives it life and breath.

If you already have a poet or poem you enjoy, it is highly likely you will be able to find readings on youtube or else where,

Ask Friends / Family / Social Media

Talk to your friends or family about any poetry they like or would recommend.  Or if that doesn’t feel like an option, ask social media.  Search twitter or instagram for poetry or ask a direct question about recommendations using an appropriate hash tag on twitter.

How to Read Poetry 

Read it Twice and Read it Once More

I remember hearing that all poems should be read at least twice.  I completely agree with this.  Some poems will synch with you immediately you read them, others may take a bit longer.  I tend to think of the first read as the familiarisation read.  Often this is the quick run through, as you acquaint your self with words and phrases.  Subsequent readings are ideally slower as you linger over words and phrases and try to understand what the poet is trying to covey.  This is when I go back to particular lines, finding the link between ideas and opening my senses to the imagery.

Read it Aloud

This is something I have been doing more of in recent days and weeks too. There is real pleasure to be found in speaking poems aloud, and bringing them to life for yourself.  Enjoy the lilt and lift of the words, roll them around your tongue and enjoy their taste on your lips.

Personal Recommendations

  Family Values by Wendy Copes

Wendy Copes poems, sometimes humorous and always meaningful on life family and Christmas are some of my favourites.  She is a great place to start.

  The Poetry Cure edited by Julia Darling and Cynthia Fuller

A recent purchase for me.  This lovely collection of poems is written for all who go through illness, age, bereavement and have anything to do with hospitals or medical professionals.  So basically everyone!  One of the poems entitled ‘Everything is going to be alright’ by Derek Mahon is another poem which resonates especially right now.

“The sun rises in spite of everything / and the far cities are beautiful and bright /I lie here in a riot of sunlight / watching the day break and the clouds flying / Everything is going to be alright

  Return by Minor Roads by Heidi Williamson

Heidi was part of the Dunblane community during the tragedy of the primary school shooting.  This latest collection of her poetry explores the landscape, experiences and memories of that time melding them together beautifully There is a depth of feeling and lightness of touch to these poems which move me deeply.  (This is a collection I shall be sharing more of soon).

  Inside the Wave by Helen Dunmore  

I regularly speak of my love for this gorgeous collection of poetry.  It was written by Helen when she was unwell. With a gentleness and an insight which perhaps can only be found when facing ones own mortality she explores the silver thread which connects life and death and the journey from one to the other.

  New and Selected Poems by Mary Oliver (vol 2)

Mary’s poems about the natural world is just glorious.  She has a unique connection with nature drawing out its beauty, its harshness and its reliability in her poetry. Wild Geese by her is a favourite poem.  I have only chosen this collection as it is the one I own and one I dip into mostly.  I feel sure any Mary Oliver collection you choose will be equally good.

“Whoever you are, no matter how lonely / the world offers itself to your imagination / calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting—over and over announcing your place / in the family of things.”

And finally…..

Consider listening to a poetry podcast.  A recent and happy discovery is perhaps a surprising one. I have recently been enjoying Frank Skinners Poetry podcast.  It is new, so I think at the time of writing there are only about 4 episodes.  They are about 30 mins long and Frank reads and dissects a couple of poems during each edition.  His love of poetry is infectious and I now find myself looking forward to this each week.