William Sieghart’s Poetry Pharmacy

**** This programme was suggested as part of BBC Radio 4 Extra’s All Request Weekend. *******

Daljit Nagra presents this specially selected programme from the BBC poetry archive.

William Sieghart welcomes you into his Poetry Pharmacy where he serves up poetic prescriptions to soothe the soul.

He is the founder of the Forward Prize for Poetry and National Poetry Day. For William, poetry has never been the distant, lofty pursuit that it's sometimes portrayed as.

He's always been an advocate of the therapeutic power of poems.

It was this conviction in the power of poetry to transform our lives that led him to become a very different kind of pharmacist.

Following a consultation, William dips into his extensive library and selects a poem that's perfectly suited to advise, console or otherwise illuminate whatever is preoccupying his patient.

This is a process in which poetry leaps off the page and reveals its vital curative properties.

This time William meets:

* Rebecca who has been experiencing a loss of control in her life due to serious illness

* Sarah whose 18 year old triplets are about to the fly the nest and head off to university

* Suzanne who is coming to terms with her role as carer within her family.

Producer: Caroline Thornham

A Novel production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in January 2020.

**** To nominate a programme from the BBC poetry archive that you would like to hear again, please email [email protected] and tell us details of why you'd like to hear it.****