Hospitals celebrate Poetry Day -

To celebrate Poetry Day Ireland last Thursday, a ‘Menu of Poems’ was distributed throughout Irish hospital wards, waiting rooms and other healthcare settings for patients, visitors and staff to enjoy. The poetry was selected by Dublin poet Ailbhe Darcy.

 

‘Menu of Poems’ takes the form of a short anthology of poetry which is distributed annually to healthcare users in a range of healthcare settings. Produced by Galway University Hospitals Arts Trust on behalf of Arts and Health Co-ordinators Ireland, supported by Poetry Ireland and HSE Health Promotion and Improvement, over 10,000 people in healthcare settings will receive the Menu on Poetry Day Ireland. The anthology includes poems by Marianne Moore, Muriel Rukeyser and Tara Bergin.

 

Since its conception in 2008, the Menu of Poems project has been a positive development in the lives of both patients and those who work in healthcare settings across Ireland. The poetry is circulated on meal trays in hospitals and other healthcare settings with readings and workshops taking place on Poetry Day Ireland. Participating hospitals and health centres commented that the Menu lives long after Poetry Day with the ‘Menu of Poems’ on display throughout the year.

 

Ailbhe Darcy, poet and editor of the 2019 ‘Menu of Poems’, said: "What a pleasure and a privilege it has been, to be allowed to choose the poems that will be served up in hospitals this Poetry Day. I think poetry should infiltrate every space and institution, should be there to stop us in our tracks at every turn. ‘The Menu of Poems’ is a little, lovely contribution to this much-needed poetry revolution." 

  

A downloadable version of the ‘Menu of Poems’ is available at:

www.artsandhealth.ie/resource/articles-documentation/menu-of-poems-2019/

 

For information on Poetry Day Ireland visit www.poetryireland.ie/