A friend is assistant dean of liberal arts at the University of Minnesota. As on every campus, the students are suffering the anguish of the world. She decided they could use a steadying dose of poetry, so she asked her Facebook friends for suggestions to share in her next letter to the students. I’ve seen the list, a good one, with Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things,” Jack Gilbert’s “A Brief for the Defense, Adam Zagajewski’s “Try to Praise the Mutilated World” and many others I forget, possibly including your Roethke talisman. It certainly deserves to be there. You are a true friend, Mary. There’s no more important role in life. I wish your friend comfort and peace. Having suffered from depression myself, I know--as you know--the light is out there.
Thank you for sharing this, Rona. I'm so glad to hear that there are compassionate teachers and academics who who know the value of poetry in comforting those who are wounded. What a wonderful list. I 'm going to share these with my friend. And I'm so glad you've weathered your depression. There is always hope.❤️
I loved the Roethke poem. This was a tender and moving post, thank you. I don't know if poetry can save a life. It hasn't saved mine. But it's made it a better one.
Thank you, Jeffrey. It is a marvelous poem, and I've shared it many times. And poetry does have a way of inspiring us and opening our hearts to a beautiful world.❤️
Mary thank you for this post. Today a wonderful memoirist wrote a poem in the form of a memoir for my Friday memoir group. He wondered if he was a good poet. He is . i would like to. share it with him.
I'm sorry to hear that your friend is having to run a gauntlet for her insurance company to approve necessary treatment for her. The last thing a clinically depressed person needs is to be faced with a 14-page questionnaire to fill out.
As far as poetry is concerned, I keep a folder labeled "Poems for Troubled Times." I make audio recordings to post on my blog when hope is needed.
Dépression is extra hard because its expensive to find medical coverage. Not to mention the stigma but that seems to be making progress thank GD. I hope with all my heart this will change soon. I live with it as well and pray for all the beautiful people trying to manage this, to find solace. Human connection and exercise have been game changers for me. Blessings to all.
Oh, thank you for speaking so eloquently and sensitively about this topic. It is so hard to understand why there’s such a stigma about depression, and how the right to parity in treatment is so flagrantly ignored. I can’t imagine any other life-threatening condition
My pleasure. I can not imagine it either but I’m so grateful some celebrities like Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez and the Olympian swimmer have come out to talk about their struggles. I believe this helps make the topic easier to speak of and more accepted. We definitely have a long way to go but I’m staying hopeful 🙏 Thank you again for writing about depression and mostly for your kind heart .
Mary, you are a deeply compassionate person. I'm grateful your Substack has grown to reach more people and showcase your beautiful work. I'm praying for your friend to return to health. I know all too well how difficult that can be in the best of circumstances, let alone with the complications of red tape. Godspeed to both of you.
Oh, Colleen, thank you. Your support and understanding mean the world to me. And your Substack, This Side of the Couch, is such a great, safe place for anyone struggling with mental health issues. You are kind and generous.❤️
.. such compelling & thoughful impressions you write & express .. ! Was thinking very early this morn hours before the dawn.. of ‘altruism.. just how precious & powerful - an attribute - & so akin to kindness / compassion .. almost midnight & now can end the day - quite complete now, thank you ! 🏴☠️🦎
Every poem is a bridge for connection, however brief it may be. That feeling, beyond our individual callings, is our shared human purpose. Thanks for the beautiful post.
Kiel, I’m so glad that this post resonated with you. I believe that poetry is a powerful form of expression on many levels. Thank you for your kind and generous words.
I love this post. Thanks for sharing. You might also like the book Saved by a Poem by Kim Rosen and How Writing Heals by Louis DelSalvo. They give great insights into how reading poetry and writing anything can be harnessed to help heal even harder. You might enjoy.
Thank you, Trisha! I’m so glad this resonated with you. I haven’t heard of these books; I’ll definitely check them out. I really do believe that poetry does save lives. It’s happened to me. I’ve seen the healing with others. 🙏
Angel, yes! Poetry has enormous power. It has saved me more times than I can count. ❤️
A friend is assistant dean of liberal arts at the University of Minnesota. As on every campus, the students are suffering the anguish of the world. She decided they could use a steadying dose of poetry, so she asked her Facebook friends for suggestions to share in her next letter to the students. I’ve seen the list, a good one, with Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things,” Jack Gilbert’s “A Brief for the Defense, Adam Zagajewski’s “Try to Praise the Mutilated World” and many others I forget, possibly including your Roethke talisman. It certainly deserves to be there. You are a true friend, Mary. There’s no more important role in life. I wish your friend comfort and peace. Having suffered from depression myself, I know--as you know--the light is out there.
Thank you for sharing this, Rona. I'm so glad to hear that there are compassionate teachers and academics who who know the value of poetry in comforting those who are wounded. What a wonderful list. I 'm going to share these with my friend. And I'm so glad you've weathered your depression. There is always hope.❤️
Btw, my friend teaches history, not literature, which makes her list even more inspiring to me.
That’s lovely to know. Thank you for sharing this. Glad to hear that a liberal arts education can include all of the arts.
I loved the Roethke poem. This was a tender and moving post, thank you. I don't know if poetry can save a life. It hasn't saved mine. But it's made it a better one.
Thank you, Jeffrey. It is a marvelous poem, and I've shared it many times. And poetry does have a way of inspiring us and opening our hearts to a beautiful world.❤️
Thanks
BY W. S. MERWIN
Listen
with the night falling we are saying thank you
we are stopping on the bridges to bow from the railings
we are running out of the glass rooms
with our mouths full of food to look at the sky
and say thank you
we are standing by the water thanking it
standing by the windows looking out
in our directions
back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging
after funerals we are saying thank you
after the news of the dead
whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you
over telephones we are saying thank you
in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators
remembering wars and the police at the door
and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you
in the banks we are saying thank you
in the faces of the officials and the rich
and of all who will never change
we go on saying thank you thank you
with the animals dying around us
taking our feelings we are saying thank you
with the forests falling faster than the minutes
of our lives we are saying thank you
with the words going out like cells of a brain
with the cities growing over us
we are saying thank you faster and faster
with nobody listening we are saying thank you
thank you we are saying and waving
dark though it is
Thank you, Mary, for sharing this.❤️
Mary thank you for this post. Today a wonderful memoirist wrote a poem in the form of a memoir for my Friday memoir group. He wondered if he was a good poet. He is . i would like to. share it with him.
Thank you. I feel so honored.❤️
thank you
I'm sorry to hear that your friend is having to run a gauntlet for her insurance company to approve necessary treatment for her. The last thing a clinically depressed person needs is to be faced with a 14-page questionnaire to fill out.
As far as poetry is concerned, I keep a folder labeled "Poems for Troubled Times." I make audio recordings to post on my blog when hope is needed.
Liz, what a great idea. Thank you so much.❤️
You're welcome, Mary!
Poem perfectly describes winter in the Midwest! Thanks for sharing this.
Ye. Love this poem. And now it’s actually winter.❤️
Dépression is extra hard because its expensive to find medical coverage. Not to mention the stigma but that seems to be making progress thank GD. I hope with all my heart this will change soon. I live with it as well and pray for all the beautiful people trying to manage this, to find solace. Human connection and exercise have been game changers for me. Blessings to all.
Oh, thank you for speaking so eloquently and sensitively about this topic. It is so hard to understand why there’s such a stigma about depression, and how the right to parity in treatment is so flagrantly ignored. I can’t imagine any other life-threatening condition
being subject to such hurdles. And yet it seems to be the cynical norm.
My pleasure. I can not imagine it either but I’m so grateful some celebrities like Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez and the Olympian swimmer have come out to talk about their struggles. I believe this helps make the topic easier to speak of and more accepted. We definitely have a long way to go but I’m staying hopeful 🙏 Thank you again for writing about depression and mostly for your kind heart .
Mary, you are a deeply compassionate person. I'm grateful your Substack has grown to reach more people and showcase your beautiful work. I'm praying for your friend to return to health. I know all too well how difficult that can be in the best of circumstances, let alone with the complications of red tape. Godspeed to both of you.
Oh, Colleen, thank you. Your support and understanding mean the world to me. And your Substack, This Side of the Couch, is such a great, safe place for anyone struggling with mental health issues. You are kind and generous.❤️
yes ...love that you chose to highlight poetry here, Mary. So beautiful. And these words from Roethke...
"The bones of weeds kept swinging in the wind," .....pure shivers.
Oh, thank you, Kay. I cherish this poem. It truly has seen me through some difficult times. And “the lively understandable spirit” does return.
.. such compelling & thoughful impressions you write & express .. ! Was thinking very early this morn hours before the dawn.. of ‘altruism.. just how precious & powerful - an attribute - & so akin to kindness / compassion .. almost midnight & now can end the day - quite complete now, thank you ! 🏴☠️🦎
Thank you, Thomas, for your kind words. A poem may not be everything, but it is sometimes enough to keep us going for a while.
Every poem is a bridge for connection, however brief it may be. That feeling, beyond our individual callings, is our shared human purpose. Thanks for the beautiful post.
Kiel, I’m so glad that this post resonated with you. I believe that poetry is a powerful form of expression on many levels. Thank you for your kind and generous words.
Which one?
poems can touch people in ways other media can’t so i would say yes, poems could possibly do this
David, I agree. Poetry has enormous power in our lives. It certainly does in mine. I'm glad you're here. Thank you for commenting. ❤️
Can a poem save your life? maybe readers can>
I love this post. Thanks for sharing. You might also like the book Saved by a Poem by Kim Rosen and How Writing Heals by Louis DelSalvo. They give great insights into how reading poetry and writing anything can be harnessed to help heal even harder. You might enjoy.
Thank you, Trisha! I’m so glad this resonated with you. I haven’t heard of these books; I’ll definitely check them out. I really do believe that poetry does save lives. It’s happened to me. I’ve seen the healing with others. 🙏