On the road again
The Poems for Doctors video kiosk (pictured above at the Byre Theatre during Stanza 2018) is going to be on the road again later this month.
On June 28th the Scottish Medical Humanities Group is hosting an evening event called “Differing ways of seeing: what medical humanities can offer” at St Cecilia’s Hall in Edinburgh. The event is a celebration of humanities in healthcare education, and the PfD kiosk will be on show during the event.
I asked the Dr Eleri Williams, who is coordinating the event, to check out possible spaces where we might put the kiosk, and send me some photographs. I was more than a little impressed with what came back – this is the Laigh Hall …
… which I think is rather a splendid location! The kiosk will be in a quiet wee corner in this grand space, with a handy seat in case anyone would like to take a moment or two to listen and reflect on some of our readers’ videos.
Further details of the event “Differing ways of seeing: what medical humanities can offer”
The Bird that was Trapped has Flown
This poem is part of the Poems for doctors project. You can find out more about the project here.
Season 2 : poem 2
Medical Lecturer Veronica O’Carroll reads The Bird that was Trapped has Flown by James Robertson
The Bird that was Trapped has Flown
James Robertson
in memoriam Vicky Patterson
The bird that was trapped has flown
The sky that was grey is blue
The bone that was dead has grown
The dream that was dreamed is true
The locked door has been swung wide
The prisoner has been set free
The lips that were sealed have cried
The eye that was blind can see
The tree that was bare is green
The room that was dull is bright
The sheet that was soiled is clean
The dawn that was dark is light
The road that was blocked has no end
The unknown journey is known
The heart that is hurt will mend
The bird that was trapped has flown
Rights: by permission of the author
A moderated Facebook group hosts discussion for medics and others who would like to follow up on ideas arising from ‘Poems for Doctors’.
To ask to join, or add to the discussion if you are already a member, please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/poemsfordoctors/
On Hearing for the First Time
This poem is part of the Poems for doctors project. You can find out more about the project here.
We’re very pleased to start our second season of medics reading poems from Scottish Poetry Library’s anthology ‘Tools of the Trade: Poems for New Doctors’. We hope you enjoy the readings, your thoughts and comments are welcome.
Season 2 : poem 1
Medical Demonstrator Linda Proven reads On Hearing for the First Time by Carole Bromley
On Hearing for the First Time
Carole Bromley
‘It sounds very very high’
and she sobs for the joy of it,
for the reds and blues of it,
the shock, the hullabaloo,
the kerfuffle, the Sturm und Drang,
the sudden ice cream in a shake,
the sherbet firework burst.
‘It’s just amazing’ she cries
her face in her hands.
‘I’m going to say the months of the year’
and she hears them, shaking,
‘January February March’
April overwhelms her.
lt’s like never having seen a bird,
or the sea or the stars
never tasting an orange,
like living all your life in a cave
and coming out into the light,
the sun on your face.
Afterwards she walks by the Tyne,
daren’t go alone for fear
the birdsong, the traffic, the ship’s hooter
will be too much. They are not.
It’s like falling in love.
Rights: by permission of the author
A moderated Facebook group hosts discussion for medics and others who would like to follow up on ideas arising from ‘Poems for Doctors’.
To ask to join, or add to the discussion if you are already a member, please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/poemsfordoctors/
Poems for doctors – season 2 teaser trailer
July 5th is the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS. In celebration of all the good things that the NHS does for us, we’re going to be timing Season Two of Poems for doctors to finish on the anniversary itself.
Season Two will show eight new video readings of doctors reading poems about health, medicine, and experience from the Scottish Poetry Library’s ‘Tools of the trade’ anthology. You can hear about why some of the poems were chosen in this teaser trailer.
There are some special moments to come – we hope they might make you pause for thought, perhaps sometimes shed a tear, and maybe occasionally break out a broad smile.
Please enjoy, and thanks for watching.
IMPORTANT NEWS ABOUT SEASON TWO of Poems for Doctors
Season Two of Poems for Doctors is coming soon! Watch out for our teaser trailer very soon!