22/07/2025- There's a rhythm out there

Here in the UK, schools have just broken up for the summer. For children it's a time of great excitement, a long exhale after months of early mornings, assemblies, homework, and hard work. Now begin six weeks of well-deserved rest, the promise of adventures in nature, and the kind of spacious freedom that only summer can bring.

For many of us, this time of year brings a sweet nostalgia — remembering our own childhood summers, the endless light-filled days and scraped knees, and now, as parents or grandparents, watching the next generation make memories of their own. There’s a quiet joy in seeing those rhythms continue, a sense of time stretching both backward and forward.

In this newsletter, you’ll find book recommendations to keep little hands and curious minds busy – encouraging creativity, outdoor exploration, and moments of wonder.

Our Poetry Prescription this week for the grown-ups is our popular Happy Pills. We believe poetry can do so much to match or alter a mood, and these small doses of joy are designed to enhance feelings of happiness and gently lift the spirits in low moments or maybe if days at home with the kids can be a little exhausting! You’ll find the full prescription below.

And sometimes, of course, the very best memories are made in the quietest moments — the unscheduled, half-wild days that drift by in a haze of sunlight and mischief. We love this mischievous poem by Meg Cox.

Summer holidays

Me and my friends
did a lot of poking about
in a desultory kind of a way
for weeks, it seemed like.

Sometimes we went 
as far as 'the dam' 
which wasn't one
any more.

Everywhere was covered
in wild garlic.

Sometimes we went
to the pine wood forest
where we had a den
and showed each other
our bottoms.
Maybe that was just once. 

Sometimes we looked
for adders and found 
grass snakes.

Sometimes we sat
in hedges and
didn't do anything much.

Meg Cox from Poetry Prescriptions: Calm published October 2025

Happy Pill Prescriptions found here

Book of the Week

Out There in the Wild
Nicola Davies, James Carter and Dom Conlon
Illustrated by Diana Catchpole

 

''Hand and root and heart and seed
Nature gives us all we need
We are of one kin, you and me,
The bird, the beetle, and the tree''

- Nicola Davies, from the poem Green Song
in Out There in the Wild

 

 

Out There in the Wild is a beautiful poetry collection for children, celebrating the wonder of the natural world, from ocean depths to treetop nests. It’s packed with poems about creatures of all kinds: eagles and elephants, foxes and frogs, bees, bats, and butterflies. Each poem invites young readers to see the world with fresh eyes, and to recognise that we are part of nature too.

One of our favourite poems from the book is The Rhythm by James Carter. You can read some of it below or find the whole poem here.
 
There’s a rhythm out there
there’s a rhythm within
as the seasons turn
as the planets spin

It’s the call of the wild
it’s the breath of the world
and it’s life so alive
that it has to be heard

There’s a rhythm out there . . .

It’s the river that rolls
as it picks up pace
it’s the moon and the sea
and those great grey waves

There’s a rhythm out there . . .

It’s the feet of the child
as it steps in line
to the beat of the song
to the ring of the rhyme


The Rhythm by James Carter from Out There in the Wild

Keep Kids Busy this Summer
 

This creative scrapbook invites children to explore their imagination through nature. Packed with playful prompts from drawing and writing to collage and collecting, it encourages kids to engage with the wild world, learn about nature, and transform the book into a unique record of their discoveries.

Perfect for wild summer adventures, Make This Book Wild inspires curiosity, care for the living world, and a sense of joyful wild hearted fun, whether you're exploring a park, cloud gazing, or bug hunting in the garden. You can read some of the activities from the book in the section below.

 Helping Kids Name and Navigate Emotions Through Play

At the Poetry Pharmacy, alongside our books, we offer a range of tools and games that support mental health and wellbeing for all ages. This week, we have a new game that could be just the thing for your little ones this summer.

My Feelings Bingo features 48 emotions, from happiness and sadness to anger, apathy, and anxiety, and helps children recognise and explore their feelings in a playful, pressure free way. Created by developmental psychologist Dr Emily Midouhas, it’s designed to support children’s emotional growth and wellbeing. It’s easy to play for all ages (be the first to match all 16 emotions on your card and shout BINGO!), beautifully designed, and a thoughtful gift to spark meaningful conversations about feelings for kids and adults together.

Our Summer Reading Recommendations for Kids
 

You can browse more of our favourite summer books for children on our bookshop.org page, with emphases on play, curiosity and the natural world. 

'Summer is the perfect time to encourage children to read. Books draw us into other worlds. A child who reads on holiday enters one new world inside another.' – Guardian

The Forward Prizes Shortlists


The Forward Prizes for Poetry are some of the most influential awards for new poetry in the UK and Ireland, honouring fresh voices alongside internationally established names. You can browse the shortlist on our Bookshop.org page.
 
 
Events and Courses

Write Through the Storm: A poetry workshop for
difficult times

Find courage, creativity, and hope through writing with two acclaimed poets
 
In this workshop, poets Julia Webb and Rosie Garland show how poetry can help us come to terms with the past and help us reimagine the future - building beauty from adversity, and finding hope in unexpected places. The poets will lead a writing workshop and each do a short reading with Q&A at the end of the session. Tea or coffee and cake will be provided.
Book here

Ronald Blythe: The writer who inspired a generation of nature writers
Join us for a special event celebrating his legacy through art, biography, and conversation
 
Join Ian Collins for a talk about his newly acclaimed biography of the forefather of nature writing: Ronald Blythe. Loved and admired by the greats of the nature writing genre, such as Robert MacFarlane, Roger Deakin, Patrick Barkham, Richard Mabey; Blythe inspired artists, poets and writers alike.

Ian will be joined by artist Dan Llywelyn Hall, a friend of Ronald's after painting his portrait, here he exhibits for the first time a series of drawings inspired by the dream-like Bottengoms: Blythe's home in Colchester now bequeathed to the Wildlife Trust. Refreshments included.


Reviews of Ian Collins' Blythe Spirit

'An intimate and insightful portrait of the peerless observer of rural life' Richard Mabey

'Moving, candid, vivid, it is all that we could hope for in a memoir of this unique and treasured writer' Rowan Williams

Book here

The Poetry Habit - Online Workshop
with Sophie Howarth

How can we make more space for poetry among all the pressing demands of daily life? Why would we want to? And if we did, what creative magic might happen?

Join Sophie Howarth for
The Poetry Habit

Five Tuesdays 9 September - 7 October 2025
18.30-20.30 BST, via Zoom 
£95
 
The Poetry Habit introduces you to the transformative effects of a daily poetry prescription. We explore innovative ways to read, write, learn and share poetry, placing particular emphasis on cultivating everyday habits that inspire joy, deepen meaning and build creativity.

This course will reward anyone who wants to bring more wonder and connection into their daily life. It is designed to reward both those who are completely new to poetry and to bring fresh inspiration to more experienced poetry readers and writers. All that matters is to come with an open heart and mind.

 "Brilliantly structured, thought provoking, mind expanding and playful"
Book here

Explore writing as a path to embodiment and self-connection
Join Holly Winter-Hughes for a guided online session

A Poetry Workshop with
Holly Winter-Hughes: How to Leave a Body

Wednesday 15th October, 7-9pm GMT+1
Online

Join poet Holly Winter-Hughes for a gentle workshop exploring how writing can help us reconnect with our bodies and the stories they hold. With readings from her new collection How to Leave a Body and space for reflective, somatic writing, this session invites creativity, healing, and connection

''Holly Winter-Hughes' visceral writing turns the human form inside-out, mapping the contours of trauma, abuse and hard-won resilience. It urges the reader to follow and 'Breathe deep to the creak of your heartwood'. Darkly imaginative and pearled with fresh phrase-making, these are poems that compel attention and linger." John McCullough

Book here

A Morning of Spaciousness: Poetry Workshop & Readings 

Join poets Jane Commane and Roz Goddard for a one day poetry retreat: Deeply Rooted
Sunday 2nd November 2025, 10.30-3pm
Bishops Castle

Join poets Roz Goddard and Jane Commane for a poetry spa morning of workshops and readings, exploring our inner and outer spaciousness.

Book here

Discover the poetry that lives at the heart of you 
A weekend to explore the wild and courageous edges of your voice

Join poets Tom and Rozi for a weekend
poetry intensive:
Wielding the Green Knife

Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November 2025
9.30-5pm
Bishops Castle


Join Tom Hirons and Rozi Hilton for a weekend intensive in the territory of what they call the Feral Angels of Poetry: poetry with its blazing head in the cosmos and its feet in the muck and murk of this world. Immersive, alive, embodied and richly experiential, these are not your average poetry weekends.

Book here

Personalised poems crafted on a vintage typewriter
Join Jen Feroze for an intimate experience of live, bespoke poetry

Jen Feroze's Personal Poetry
Sunday 27th July, 28th September and 19th October
12-4pm

Poetry Pharmacy, Oxford Street
Drop in
 
Jen is an award-winning poet and creative copywriter who transforms feelings, memories and ideas into heartfelt, personalised poetry. At her regular drop in events at the Poetry Pharmacy on Oxford Street, she crafts bespoke poems live on her trusty vintage typewriter, capturing individual stories and emotions and turning them into unique keepsakes.
 

Jen is an exceptionally talented writer. Her poetry conjures such vivid images that transport you somewhere else, and the way she puts words together is a beautiful art in itself.” Ceri, Poem recipient


Poetry as Medicine: Healing life’s ailments with
Deborah Alma

Join the Poetry Pharmacy founder at Edinburgh Book Festival for a conversation on poetry’s power to comfort and inspire
 
Join Deborah Alma, editor of the Poetry Prescription series, in conversation with author and poet Nadine Aisha Jassat as they explore how poetry can be a practical tool for good mental health. From easing anxiety to offering encouragement, poetry has a unique power to comfort, inspire and connect. After the event, you’ll have the chance to receive your own poetry prescription.
Book here

From travelling Emergency Poet to opening the worlds first walk in Poetry Pharmacy's
Join Deb Alma to explore her journey, new poetry collections, and enjoy live poetry prescriptions

Join Deb and Juliette at 
Jersey Festival of Words

Sunday 28th September, 4.30-5.30pm
Jersey Arts Centre 

Join our own Deb Alma in conversation with local poet Juliette Hart, discussing Deb's journey from the Emergency Poet to the Poetry Pharmacy. The event will include a live poetry consultation and some readings from The Poetry Prescription anthologies, including poetic cures for life’s ailments.
Book here

Thanks for reading & have a wonderful weekend! 

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