The Poetry Cure
Published on 28. April 2005
Book
Paperback/Softback
112 pages
978-1-85224-690-7 (ISBN)
Description
'This book of poems is for all of us who go through illness, deal with doctors, hospitals, and experiences such as bereavement and ageing, and who struggle to find language to describe the suffering we have to go through. Medical language baffles and alienates us. It's a harsh, unforgiving vocabulary that often seems to bear no relationship to our own emotional predicament. In this uplifting anthology we see how poetry can give us metaphors and images to help us understand our feelings and communicate them to people around us. This is a book that should be in every waiting-room, and should be by the bed of every GP and consultant. It may inspire you to write poetry, and also help you to find order in the chaos of ill health. By giving us words, poetry can help cure us.' - Julia Darling & Cynthia Fuller
Reviews / Votes
When we're ill we're forced to recognise that we've become another person - unfamiliar, frail and mortal. The adjustment is painful and it's well-nigh impossible to find the words to describe how alien our sick self seems. These poems magically supply the images and emotions that help us to accept our inexpressible vulnerability. -- Dr Miriam StoppardMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Tyne and Wear
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 7 mm
Weight
155 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85224-690-7 (9781852246907)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Julia Darling (1956-2005) was a poet, playright and fiction writer. She was a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics at Newcastle University. In 2003 she became the second winner of the the UK's biggest literary prize, the GBP60,000 Northern Rock Foundation Writer's Award. Fiona Ellis, the Foundation's Director, paid tribute after Julia's death: 'We were incredibly proud when Julia became the second holder of our Award. She was a wonderful writer and a quite extraordinary ambassador for writing.' In 2005 she lost a long battle with cancer. Her published work includes: a collection of short stories, Bloodlines (Panurge); two novels, Crocodile Soup and The Taxi Driver's Daughter (Penguin); and two collections of poetry, Sudden Collapses in Public Places and Apology for Absence (Arc). A new edition of her poetry, Indelible, Miraculous: Collected Poems, was published by Arc in 2015. With Cynthia Fuller she edited The Poetry Cure (Bloodaxe Books/Newcastle University, 2005), an anthology about illness and health. Her work for theatre and radio was collected in Eating the Elephant and Other Plays (New Writing North).
Cynthia Fuller was born in Kent, but has lived in the North East since the 1970s. She has published five collections with Flambard: Moving Towards Light, Instructions for the Desert, Only a Small Boat, Background Music, and Jack's Letters Home, a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Her most recent collection is Estuary (Red Squirrel Press, 2015). With Julia Darling she edited The Poetry Cure (Bloodaxe Books/Newcastle University, 2005), an anthology about illness and health. She was poetry editor for the magazine Writing Women for twelve years. She works freelance in Adult and Higher Education, teaching literature and creative writing, and runs writing workshops with different groups in the community. She is also involved in research into poetry and health at Newcastle University, and developing courses in this field.
Cynthia Fuller was born in Kent, but has lived in the North East since the 1970s. She has published five collections with Flambard: Moving Towards Light, Instructions for the Desert, Only a Small Boat, Background Music, and Jack's Letters Home, a Poetry Book Society Recommendation. Her most recent collection is Estuary (Red Squirrel Press, 2015). With Julia Darling she edited The Poetry Cure (Bloodaxe Books/Newcastle University, 2005), an anthology about illness and health. She was poetry editor for the magazine Writing Women for twelve years. She works freelance in Adult and Higher Education, teaching literature and creative writing, and runs writing workshops with different groups in the community. She is also involved in research into poetry and health at Newcastle University, and developing courses in this field.