Summer seems to be challenging autumn at the moment. Conkers lying on the ground but with July temperatures. What an incredible week of weather! It is so nice to see summer trying to last as long as it can, especially in the long evenings when you can unwind outside. Despite the lovely weather, it is still a stressful time. That is why i think that this book is perfect for today’s situation. Deborah Alma edited a wonderful collection of poems to help in those times of stress and worry. ‘The Emergency Poet: An Anti-Stress Poetry Anthology’ is full of an amazing array of quick little ailments to relieve those stressful moments.
This book has different sections where the poems are targeted to different situations. They include, “for days when the world is too much with us…”, “talking to grief” and “tonics to lift the spirits”. Obviously, a poem can only go so far in solving the world’s problems. However, I do believe that a beautifully written uplifting reminder that things will get better is always helpful. The editor of this brilliant book, Deborah Alma, believes in the power of poetry. She travels round in an old school ambulance where she will prescribe poems as cures for various maladies. This book has definitely inspired me to value the impact a poem can have.