Maintaining Mental Health through Poetry

Authors

  • Mirza Sibtain Beg Professor, Dept. of English Shia P.G. College, Lucknow, U.P.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56062/gtrs.2022.1.8.172

Keywords:

Poetry, poetic therapy, rhyme, rhythm, stress, nature.

Abstract

Poetry is the passion that a poet possesses in genes, and through poetry, mental health and peace of mind can be maintained at a pace immeasurable. The waves of passion that run through the poet’s sensibility soothe the readers' senses. Poetry reading, writing, and listening cast good therapeutic effects. Poetry provides peace, calmness, and comfort to the minds by elevating moods in distress and duress. Studies show that poetry therapy has proven a boon to patients suffering from serious ailments, augments their emotional resilience, and brings joy. Our brains are electrified with the rhyme and rhythm of the poetry to give emotional reactions to joy and sadness. Like the sweet melody of music, poetry heals our emotional hurts. The metaphors embellish the poetic lines with magical brilliance and glitter with astute meaning and message. Diction plays a very decisive role in discerning the poet’s leanings. Reflection, perception, and attachment are interwoven in diction so inextricably that they turn the poet’s mouthpiece and roar and rave with perfect resonance to poetic experiences. Through the intoxicated taken-for- grantedness of the laidback reading public will take a turn at the melody of the tone and exquisiteness of diction.

The paper, however, explores how poetry can be a natural tool to heal mental stress, trauma, and agony and maintain mental health.  We will examine some poetic utterances of great poets like Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Emily Dickinson, Kamala Das, etc. Moreover, we will also examine how nature can extend peace, purpose, and poise to the mind.

References

References:

Harms, Earnest. “The Development of Art Therapy”. Leonardo. Vol. 8, no. 3, 1975. p-241.

Wakeman, Brian E. “Poetry as Research and as Therapy”. Transformation. Vol. 32, no. 1, Jan. 2015. p- 27.

Kirti Sengupta (Edited). “Poems that Heal and Empower”. Hibiscus. Hawakal Publishers, Calcutta. 2020. p-v

J. Leedy (Edited). “Poetry as Healer:Mending the Troubled Mind”. Vanguard Press, New York. 1985. p-33.

Anne Sexton. “The Complete Poems of Anne Sexton”. Ecco Press, California. 1999.. p- 142

Anne Sexton. “The Complete Poems of Anne Sexton”. Ecco Press, California. 1999.. p- 84

Anne Sexton. “The Complete Poems of Anne Sexton”. Ecco Press, California. 1999.. p- 290

SylviaS Plath. The Collected Poems, Harper and Rowe Publishers, New York, 1981. p- 161

SylviaS Plath. The Collected Poems, Harper and Rowe Publishers, New York, 1981. p-76

Sylvia Plath. The Collected Poems, Harper and Rowe Publishers, New York, 1981. p- 112

Emily Dickinson. “The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson”. Global Grey Ebooks (www.globalgreyebooks.com).p- 264.

Emily Dickinson. “The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson”. Global Grey Ebooks (www.globalgreyebooks.com).p- 762.

Emily Dickinson. “The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson”. Global Grey Ebooks (www.globalgreyebooks.com).p- 762

Kamala Das. “Selected Poems of Kamala Das”. Gurgaon: Penguin Random House, 2014. p-49.

Kamala Das. “Selected Poems of Kamala Das”. Gurgaon: Penguin Random House, 2014. p-49.

Downloads

Published

2022-11-25

How to Cite

Mirza Sibtain Beg , translator. “Maintaining Mental Health through Poetry ”. Creative Saplings, vol. 1, no. 8, Nov. 2022, pp. 39-49, https://doi.org/10.56062/gtrs.2022.1.8.172.

Similar Articles

11-20 of 119

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.