16/01/2025- a kind of weary happiness

Welcome to the Poetry Pharmacy's newsletter!  Here you will find upcoming events, new and featured books, poems, prescriptions, and panaceas. 
We're delighted to see the first of our two Poetry Prescription series  appearing in bookshops all over the UK over the last few days even though they are officially published next week. We now stock them in both Poetry Pharmacy bookshops and our website. They aren't available in the US until May but we're happy to ship them from here.

Poetry Prescription - Comfort
Poetry Prescription - Words for Love

We may be very biased, but we think they're gorgeous!  The collection comprises eight themed titles to match each of the sections of our bookshops, and are scheduled to be published in pairs throughout 2025. 

Gaby Morgan, editor at Macmillan says: “I am a Poetry Pharmacy fangirl – they are completely tuned into what readers are looking for emotionally and their themed shelving and achingly cool aesthetic welcome everyone in. A series of poetry books matching their perfectly curated sections made so much sense and I am so delighted to be working with Deborah and the Poetry Pharmacy team.”

And for £22.50 you can also buy a bundle of book, poetic medicine and medicinal chocolate as a gift for yourself or a loved one.

Comfort bundle
Words for Love bundle 
 

Our subject line this week comes from this new-to-me poem by Irish poet Kerry Hardie, recommended by friend of the Poetry Pharmacy, Anna Dreda and you can read the whole poem here.  

A splashed white van appeared from a side road
then turned off and I drove on into the drab morning

which was mudded and plain and there was a kind of weary happiness
News 

Deb was asked by the Guardian to prescribe poems for banishing the Winter Blues and you can read her recommendations here and they might help lift your spirits too if you're feeling a bit January-ish.

Further Reading 

This year's TS Eliot prize has been awarded to Michigan-born Peter Gizzi for his collection Fierce Elegy. Congratulations to Peter and Penguin Books. Written in the aftermath of grief, this collection draws on the poet’s experience of losing his brothers.

Events
February in Bishop's Castle means it's the Arts Festival which has been growing for the last for 13 years and is now a much loved, 5-day event. There are  workshops, talks, exhibitions, music, dance, competitions and open studios, as well as poetry of course, with over 60 different events. It is always held during the February half-term holidays, and there are events each day for children which are free.
The Poetry Pharmacy is proud to be a part of the festival with events happening in the bookshop every day and you can see our part of the programme on our website. 
 
January 19th London 12 to 4pm
Bespoke Poetry with Jen Feroze
Pop in to our Oxford Street bookshop on Sunday the 19th of January where award-winning poet Jen Feroze and her trusty vintage typewriter will be back by popular demand! Jen will be writing bespoke, on-the-spot poems about anything you can dream up.
No need to book - drop in on the day.
After a chat with Jen she'll write you a beautiful bespoke poem on the spot, on her vintage typewriter.
Personalised poems £6

January 26th Bishop's Castle 12.30 to 2.30pm
Touch Paper with Pat Edwards
Touch Paper is a relaxed two-hour workshop run by experienced poet and workshop leader and Welshpool Poetry Festival director, Pat Edwards.  Come along to write, reflect and chat - there's no need to book.
£10 to include refreshments

 


Book of the Week


"This is the only self-help book that will tell you to give up. Except . . . you don't need to give up, do you? Because you didn't start."

Leena Norms is a half-arser. A shave-one-legger. A rinse-the-plates-and-tell-herself-any-residual-dirt-will-improve-her-immune-system-er. And yet, she is determined to live better, build a career, strengthen her relationships, be good to her body, sort out her wardrobe, find meaningful hobbies, act on her ethics, and live a full, passionate, varied life.

And it's possible. Half-Arse Human will show you to harness the power of considered chaos and upgrade the parts of your life that really matter, without expending more than you have to give. Trying to be superhuman is out - being a half-arse human is in. Find out why living a life of slap-dash isn't as shameful as it seems; in fact, it might be the key to living the life you've always wanted. In a world of high-flyers, let's at least get you in the air.
Find signed copies while stocks last from us here