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Your Poetry Pharmacists have been observing a marked outbreak of Late-Summer Listlessness across the UK population. Symptoms include: staring blankly out of train windows, an irresistible urge to lie in the garden with one shoe off, and forgetting what day it is entirely.
Fear not. We have prepared highly concentrated tonics of verse to treat seasonal listlessness. Dosage: one poem at dawn with a cup of tea, another at dusk with cooling drink. Side effects may include sudden contentment, peculiar bursts of gratitude, and the ability to watch clouds without guilt.
This week’s prescriptions encourage you to embrace the pause. Let your mind wander. The rest of the year will be here soon enough.
Prescription List – For the Promotion of Restless Daydreaming
“The Lake Isle of Innisfree” – W.B. Yeats
For symptoms of sudden longing to live in a hut and eat beans in peace.
'Blackberrying' - Ramona Herdman
For sticky memories of wandering late summer lanes.
"Nocturne II" - WS Merwin
Take on hot August nights when you can't sleep.
“A Blessing” – James Wright
Immediate relief from urban fatigue; may cause urge to run in fields with ponies.
“August” – Mary Oliver
Preserves the taste of ripe fruit for the long months ahead.
“The Summer Day” – Mary Oliver
Warning: may cause sudden life re-evaluation mid-picnic.
“Afternoon on a Hill” – Edna St. Vincent Millay
Ideal for mild escapism and unrepentant cloud-watching.
“Leisure” – W.H. Davies
For emergency counteraction of over-productivity.
“The Peace of Wild Things” – Wendell Berry
For restoring calm during bouts of late-summer restlessness.
And our subject line this week comes from “Sleeping in the Forest” – Mary Oliver
For immersive doses of green, damp earth, and unhurried time.
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This week, we recommend a dose of our Wild Remedy poetic medicine for summer listlessness: to embrace it, to wander inward and outward without aim, and to savour the slow, golden hours of the season. Encourages gentle awareness, lingering daydreams, and a deep appreciation for the unhurried rhythm of sun-drenched, hazy summer days.
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And of course for a more chronic conditions, where you may find yourself stuck at work, or in the city we recommend carrying this slim volume with you at all times.
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Further Reading
We’ve curated a selection of our favourite poetry and non-fiction books to help you reconnect with the natural world and embrace moments of calm and curiosity. Our Wild Remedy list features reflective and inspiring works on nature, landscapes, and the rhythms of the seasons. You can browse the full list and purchase any of the titles from us on Bookshop.org by clicking here.
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School of Life's Simplicity Cards are perfect companions for hot summer days when reflection is on the agenda—but energy is optional. These clever little prompts help you untangle the chaos of life while lying in the sun, drifting in a hammock, or watching clouds float by. They guide you to consider what you truly need, what you can happily let go of, and invite gentle exploration of your relationships, family life, and broader ambitions. Available here.
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Ronald Blythe: The writer who inspired a generation of nature writers
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.
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Explore the literary landmarks and poetic stories
of Marylebone and Soho
Included in the walk will be tales about Lord Byron, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Katherine Mansfield, Dylan Thomas, William Blake, Shakespeare, Shelley, Oscar Wilde - and we’ll be making a few connections between some of the writers and Taylor Swift, but you don’t need to be a Swiftie to enjoy this! The aim is to “take poetry for a walk” so we will be including readings along the way.
Included in the ticket price:
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A copy of Poems for Tortured Souls (paperback edition)
- A limited edition print, featuring artwork from the anthology
- Hot or cold drink and cake at the Poetry Pharmacy
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We're very excited to be welcoming Dan Whitlam to the Poetry Pharmacy on Oxford Street a day ahead of publication of his first collection I Don't Want to Settle
Meet and Greet with Dan Whitlam
Wednesday 3rd September, 6-8pm
Oxford Street
Free entry and no need to book
Meet spoken word poet Dan Whitlam and have your copy of I Don't Want to Settle signed. The first 30 people will also receive a free bath bomb containing a small extract of poetry and Lush are generously donating some give-aways on the ground floor for visitors to the event.
We're also working feverishly with Bonnier Books to hand-make a new bottle of restoratives, Don't Settle - for Self-Worth & to Reignite an Inner Flame - all extracts taken from Dan's poems. Available from our website very soon.
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Breath and Verse: Unlock your creative flow
Discover how controlled breath can guide you through your inner landscape, revealing new insights and igniting your most authentic, creative expression.
Prepare to breathe, reflect, and release the vibrant world within you.
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Explore the life and work of 19th-Century
Romantic Poet John Clare
I found the poems in the fields. And only wrote them down - John Clare
John Clare was a nineteenth-century poet who had little formal education but who wrote about his lived experience of nature in detailed and beautiful poems. He also lamented changes in the agrarian world which foreshadow present day concerns about loss of habitat. He wrote movingly about his own sense of alienation and profound loneliness.
Come and join Jan in a guided exploration of Clare’s poetry, his life and the times he lived in.
"The greatest labouring-class poet that England has ever produced. No one has ever written more powerfully of nature, of a rural childhood, and of the alienated and unstable self." - Jonathan Bate
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How can we make more space for poetry among all the pressing demands of daily life?
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"Sophie's new book Everyday Wonder is available on our website.
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A gentle walk with poetry readings, beautiful views of the Shropshire hills and tea and cake to finish
Saturday 4th October 2025,10:30-1pm
Bishops Castle
Join poet Jonathan Davidson for a Poetry Walk starting and finishing at The Poetry Pharmacy Lab in Bishop's Castle.
Using a circular route, we will stroll along small roads and footpaths, stopping now and then to hear some poems read aloud in the open air. Copies of poems – by various carefully selected poets – will be provided, although participants are welcome to bring along short poems of their own to share.
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Explore the richness of our inner and outer landscapes
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. We will explore the richness of our inner and outer landscapes where new creative ideas can spontaneously arise and be used for experiments in writing poetry.
“Roz Goddard is one of my favourite poets and Small Moon Curve shines with all that I admire in her poems: mystery, beauty, deep tenderness and a willingness to venture into the dark and light it with love.” – Liz Berry
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Join Tom and Rozi for an intensive poetry weekend
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.
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Personalised poems crafted on a vintage typewriter
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
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From travelling as the Emergency Poet, to opening the world's first walk in Poetry Pharmacy
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.
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Thank you so much for reading.
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