How I use poetry-writing to cope with stress

Stress Ball - Mr. Carrot Comic by The Mollusc Dimension

Stress Ball - Mr. Carrot Comic by The Mollusc Dimension

Before I started writing poetry, I wrote lyrics for my songs. Those who have found my song lyrics entertaining, might be surprised to discover how the lyrics often came into existence. Sometimes when I feel stressed, depressed or anxious, I reach for WORDS.

For my first blog post I shared about mental health and crisps, and now I’d like to move to talking about writing poetry.

DISCLAIMER: Please note: I am just sharing what’s worked for me and I am NOT trained as a therapist. I have heard from people who suffer from PTSD and CPTSD that mindfulness doesn’t work for them. If you are struggling with severe mental health difficulties, please consider calling a mental health helpline/ consulting a professional. UK MIND

Whatever my state of mind, and wherever I am, writing poetry helps me focus and calm my agitated state regarding any tricky difficult thought or situation. I say “writing” but as I could be walking to the shop, cleaning or showering, I actually verbalise quite a bit of the poetry and then write it down to remember it.

Focusing writing into the rhythms of lyrics or poetry helps me process ideas and what starts off as a distraction for feelings such as: turmoil, pain or confusion. I can end up with the start of a song, poem and eventually I collected enough for my first song album. The thing is, the aim of producing work is more something for when one has the energy to think about these things. Sometimes, simply the mental and muscle process, saying some words, rhythms, using your voice and mind diversion can be helpful.

Taking sorrow/ worry as a starting point to write poetry or song lyrics

  • If a phrase or a word pops into my head, I repeat it and find a note to sing it to. If I’m out walking, I’ll do this under my breath. If you’re on the Tube, it’s actually possible to hum it quite loudly without anyone noticing.

  • The motion of walking creates a beat. Even if you are doing something like tidying, cooking or laundry, you may be able to sing the words while you’re doing the activity. It’s better if you’re alone but even people who work around others sometimes sing to themselves. It’s like singing along to a track from your music collection, except it’s one you’re making up.

Plenty of artists, writers and songwriters wrote lines when feeling miserable and also working. Just think of the blues.. You can also write lyrics/ poetry/ draw/ make music if you’re feeling great too!

Remembering what you created

  • If I don’t have a pen and paper handy, I record a line on my phone voice memo or using the mic on my phone and Voice Recognition on a Note. (The last one usually ends up changing my words so much it actually makes me laugh - a really good mood booster..!)

  • If I’m not able to write it down, I’ll pick the main words of some of the ideas and repeat the word/s, and hope that I’ll remember them later.

Poetry can help with thought organisation

People like my parents thought all artists were doomed to lead chaotic and poverty-stricken lives, and likewise with poets. (Check out the funny illustration I picked that exemplifies this..) Far from spiralling into chaos, I’m finding that writing poetry has helped me with thought organisation and even to develop persuasion skills. Organising your ideas, forming convincing, arguments and having the confidence to present them could be HIGHLY USEFUL for many areas of study and work. (This is the kind of thing that parents like to read). By the way, if you’re a parent reading this, please do check out my blog on why society needs artists, musicians, storytellers and teachers as much as doctors and lawyers.

Fast Turnaround

Unlike writing a novel which can take a long time, (some of my novelist friends spend years on them), having written poems for a few years now, I find I can write a poem in a minute - or choose to spend longer if I wish to. Writing poetry is really cool for those spaces in between doing other things… and as a coping mechanism. In a world where things take a long time to sort out, or are paved with hurdles which seem impossible, I find the feeling of COMPLETING SOMETHING is important for building confidence and feeling more positive. Moreover, the process of figuring out the puzzle of the poem is something to occupy my mind and lessen the worry, fear or despair I might be initially feeling.

Poem research can be relatively well-suited for short attention spans

Similarly, checking out other poets’ work can to some extent take less time than reading a novel. To be honest, since my dad died in traumatic circumstances, I have found my concentration span affected so much that I haven’t really finished reading ANY entire books in print since then. I do read articles on the internet - even very long ones, so staying on one column might be helping.. As an ex-illustrator for clients, I am accustomed to beginning my projects with research. Access to the internet enables you to explore some of the myriad of poetic voices and forms from which to learn and be inspired.

Performance Writing is a thing!

The term “performance writing” was new to me. I only heard it a few months ago from Sebastian Buser who interviewed me a few months ago for his research about WAN cafe. Since 2012, I wrote lyrics for my own songs on my album, Welcome to The Mollusc Dimension. Inspired by many artists including Travis Alabanza, and attending or participating in performances which amplify the work of queer and POC artists, the Raze Collective and The Bitten Peach. I noticed I have been gradually getting more drawn to performance poetry, reading performance writing in printed (books) and poems on the web (in lockdown). The other day, I saw watched poets reading their moving poems about loss from Magma 75 by video.



I am ready now for the directness of poetry without music.

Adding music and images remains an aspiration, along with using poetry in video so I will find a way to switch around, to continue creating work that has varies in medium. Different forms appeal to different people, some people are more drawn to words, while others like music. I want to find ways for my ideas to reach more people. 


NEXT BLOG POST: “What is a tanka and why am I writing them?”

  • I stumbled upon this website: Shadow Poetry which is a great poetry resource. I am lured by the atmospheric visual patterns and exploring the explanations and examples.

  • If you ever can’t find a poem about a topic you want, I hope you’ll see this as a sign to write one yourself!

 
poetry, writing, mental healthThe Mollusc Dimension