💫 She Traded Medicine for Poetry

Hello friend! ✨

Welcome to another day of Joy Hour, your 3x weekly dose of positivity and inspiration!

In the heart of London's bustling Oxford Street, above a Lush store's familiar scent, there's a different kind of pharmacy. One where prescriptions come in verses, and medicine arrives in the form of carefully chosen words. Welcome to the Poetry Pharmacy, where emotional healing gets a literary twist.

The story begins with Deb Alma, who discovered poetry's healing power in her late 40s. After emerging from what she describes as a "horrible relationship," she made an unusual purchase: a 1950s ambulance from Facebook Marketplace. This wasn't for emergency medical services - it was for something far more unique.

As the self-dubbed "Emergency Poet," Alma began traveling across the country, offering "poetry on prescription." Her approach was gentle but structured. She'd ask patients about their reading habits, favorite places, and ways they liked to relax. Then, she'd prescribe them the perfect poem for their emotional needs.

From Ambulance to Oxford Street: Five years ago, Alma opened her first permanent Poetry Pharmacy in an old ironmonger's shop in Shropshire. The concept was simple yet profound: create a space where people could find literary remedies for emotional ailments. The success of this venture led to a bold move - opening a second location in the heart of London.

How the Pharmacy Works: Inside, you'll find:

• A magnificent mahogany cabinet filled with glass bottles labeled with emotions

• Prescriptions for everything from 'love' to 'existential angst'

• A 'dispensary' serving coffee for contemplative reading

• Carefully curated books of poetry, philosophy, and psychology

• A flask labeled "Serenity: Keep out of reach of children" (a touch of pharmacy humor!)

The Healing Process: 

The same issues often emerge: loved ones' cancer diagnoses, workplace stresses, bullying, heartbreak. But Alma is clear - this isn't therapy. "I'm not giving advice," she says. "I'm giving them a gift of some carefully chosen words."

The Impact: In just two months since opening in London, the pharmacy has been constantly buzzing with:

• Curious visitors seeking emotional solace

• Gift-buyers looking for meaningful presents

• Readers enjoying quiet moments with coffee and verse

• A diverse clientele discovering poetry for the first time

Why It Matters Now: As Alma observes, "In the absence of religious faith, we are all searching for meaning, for deeper connections with each other." The Poetry Pharmacy provides exactly that - a space where words bridge gaps and build community.

Favorite Prescriptions: Some poems become reliable remedies. Alma shares two favorites for the power of pausing:

• Seamus Heaney's "Postscript"

• Tony Hoagland's "The Word" which reminds us to pencil "sunlight" between "green thread" and "broccoli" on our to-do lists

The Future: While her Emergency Poet service is temporarily on hold, Alma dreams of training others to continue this unique form of prescription. Meanwhile, both pharmacies continue serving as sanctuaries where emotions find their voice through carefully chosen verses.

"At weddings and funerals, it's a poem that's read. It's the art that people in states of heightened emotion turn to." - Deb Alma

Next Week's Feature Could Be Yours! What brings you joy? Share it with our community - every photo tells a story!

💌 Have more to say? Reply to this email with your thoughts!

Enjoyed this issue of Joy Hour? Share it with your friends.

See you next time for more inspiring stories! 👋