The Poetry Remedy

September 15, 2019
The world of alternative medicine has a new resource: The Poetry Pharmacy. Sieghart has written extensively on the ability of poems to cure what ails us. This more-than-an-anthology serves as a psychic first-aid kit, allowing readers to self-diagnose based on Sieghart's wide range of conditions?from "Loss of Zest for Life" to "Dealing with Siblings"?and then find his recommended poetic remedy. Five sections are arranged by category of malady. Each poem is introduced by a mini-essay in which Sieghart describes the condition both clinically and philosophically, and explains his choice of poem and what readers should expect to gain from reading it. Some of the prescriptions are right on-the-nose?Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman" alleviates insecurity, and some catch the reader off-guard, as with Wendy Cope's cure for unrequited love. The practical, earnest approach of this book, along with a useful short essay, "How to Read a Poem," makes this an excellent anthology for general readers seeking Prozac for the soul even as it maintains high standards of literary merit.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)