For me, poetry has been crucial in my healing journey.
I started writing poetry during a really difficult time. I was living in London, working 40+ hours a week in a lab, studying for my maths degree part-time and trying to manage fibromyalgia – and the dozens of symptoms that come along with this umbrella-term of a diagnosis.
I remember that night I wrote my first poem vividly; unable to sleep due to the intense widespread pain I felt I grabbed paper and a pen and just decided to write about it.
It was suggested to me many times to try writing poetry as a way of expressing all that I was feeling but I never thought I could.
So much self doubt! Very little confidence in myself and even though I wasn’t going to show anyone I felt like it wouldn’t be good – actually I felt it wouldn’t be perfect!
Anyway, I wrote and wrote and once I finished I read it back to myself and felt lighter!
I was then able to sleep. I didn’t know it then but here I was healing creatively! That was the beginning of my love affair with poetry.
The next night I couldn’t sleep so I wrote another poem, I was hooked! Hooked on how I felt after releasing my emotions and both physical and mental suffering.
I know so many people who use poetry to heal, to express themselves, to be true to who they are.
I know how it helped me and… I know it can help you too!
Firstly, who cares if it’s good, the whole point is to express yourself and speak truthfully about what is going on in your body and mind right now. You don’t need to show anyone!
Secondly, perfection is not real! Took me a long time to figure this out but that’s a story for another day.
Thirdly, just go for it. Just write whatever is in your head, let the poem flow through you!
Sometimes I just write what is in my head at that time and then go back and add to or amend the poem.
So what are you waiting for?
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