Struggling Torontonians have turned to poetry and its therapeutic effects to help with their emotional woes during the pandemic.
Poetry therapy is defined as a form of expressive arts therapy involving the therapeutic use of poems, narratives and other spoken or written media to promote well-being and healing.
Many people taking part in poetry therapy have used it as a vehicle of expression throughout the pandemic and its measures, giving an outlet to the emotional trauma.
“To me, hope is the last straw of us being human, so if we lose hope that’s it,” said Randelle Ellis, page performer and slam street poet, better known by his stage name The LKN Poetry when spoken with over the phone. “I think poetry therapy has created much hope in both myself and the lives of many throughout this pandemic. With the restrictions and new reality, going about your day just isn’t possible, at least with poetry it’s restored the hope we once had when we were able to explore and see each other.”
Several studies support poetry therapy as one approach to the treatment of depression, shown to relieve depressive symptoms and encourage the expression of feelings, according to the National Association for Poetry Therapy (NAPT).
In light of poetry therapy, many virtual workshops, sessions and events worldwide have been held to continue the use of expressive arts, especially throughout the pandemic.
On Wednesday, SocietyXCommunity had held a poetry therapy workshop from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT, hosted by the CEO and founder of Ars Poetica Lisa Ann Markuson.
“Poetry therapy was something I thought I’d try, especially given current affairs. My girlfriend brought up the idea and since then, we’ve been attending at least three weeks of classes. So far, it’s been effective in helping me with my mental health as we discussed poems I could personally relate too and were taught effective ways of writing poetry and the use of language,” said Girik Monga, a York University student and a regular attendee when spoken with after the workshop.
“I found that it helped me with managing my emotions, as I’ve started to feel depressed with the restrictions and lack of seeing anyone. My communication just hasn’t been the best, at least here I have something to drive my thoughts on,” said Shail Dave, one of the student panelists from the University of Oshawa who spoke at the event.
The workshop covered key poetic terms and devices used by many modern and contemporary poets, giving participants a chance to write poem drafts from several prompts and had the opportunity to workshop them and get feedback.
“People have become more humble and much more honest with themselves through this type of work. In analyzing the different written styles, structure and language people have begun to discover their self-identity through their art, being caught in a time of change,” said the host of the workshop and founder and CEO of Ars Poetica Lisa Ann Markuson when spoken with over the phone.
“Poetry therapy is something for everyone whether you’re experienced or not. You don’t need to be a professional writer, just someone eager to learn, grow and strive,” said another one of the student panelists from the University of Toronto who spoke at the event, Jaskaran Saran.
Engaged learners and passionate poets, learning the way of the arts especially through this unprecedented time. (MTAPhotos via Creative Commons)
SocietyXCommunity holds poetry therapy workshops every Wednesday of every week from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT.
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