Celebrating National Poetry Month
Psychiatric Times contributors share poems about psychiatric issues from grief to Black mental health.
April is National Poetry Month. To celebrate, here are highlights from some recent poems by Psychiatric Times™ contributors touching on a range of psychiatric issues, from grief after suicide to Black mental health.
During war and winter, can hope shine through? Ronald W. Pies, MD, shares “Our Lady of Tenacious Hope.”
What does a doctor look like? Medical student Madeleine Mendelow reflects on this question in “White Coat.”
“While he lost his life to his disease, I was comforted to know that he accomplished recovery, a goal he never thought possible. This poem is an ode to the core of who he really was—to his recovery.” Claudia P. Rodriguez, MD, shares “To See You Go,” about a patient who died of an overdose.
How can words and music help with healing? Frank A. Clark, MD, shares “Black Catharsis,” the finale of his Ode to Black Mental Health series in collaboration with composer and violinist Nicole Neely.
Adolescent psychiatric RN Robbi M. Kulik shares “Heavy Damage,” a poem about managing grief after losing her youngest son to suicide.
Richard M. Berlin, MD, who writes poetry about his experience of being a doctor every month in the Psychiatric Times™ column “Poetry of the Times,” shares “Dress Rehearsal,” for his Boston Symphony Orchestra neighbors.