Poetry: Powerful Healing

The power of poetry when it comes to healing and improving mental health is incredibly evident, and recommended by our practitioners as a tool available for anyone to use. A general search pulls up article after article about the benefits of poetry, whether writing or reading, when it comes to our mental health and overall wellbeing. It is a very relevant discussion when thinking of how we can begin to heal in a holistic way, as poetry serves to help with coping with stress, anxiety, depression, and pain.

Not only does poetry offer a way to cope, but it also is shown to improve memory recall and function, ability to reflect creatively, and create meaning in life. It is a great way to vent, express, and manage big emotions we may encounter in everyday life. An appeal to using poetry as a healing tool is that the individual is in control of who they share this with. Some may keep their writings/readings completely private, while others may use it to create deeper more meaningful communication with those around them; maybe even utilizing poetry to begin healing strained relationships. I encourage you to try poetry as a tool of connection, try it with your children as a bonding experience, as a a bid of affection with your partner, or self exploration within yourself.

In appreciation of International Women's Day, I am sharing a small poem I wrote while reflecting on my power as a woman who is entwined with nature, fairies, and my inner Celtic magic. 
​
Is She There
There she is.
Pounding on the earth,
strong yet silent.
Strong enough to shake dead leaves.
Strong enough to sprout new trees.
Silent enough to go unnoticed by oblivion. 
Then once she is done for the day,
she takes a drink of water from rain
dripping from the purple bells,
she dances in the dew
and lays to sleep in the moss,
as the shine of the moon shimmers off of her auburn hair.
There she is. 
Aleteah Wilson