Poetry as Healer: an exploration of poetry’s ability to speak the words we need to say | Cathey Capers, PPM

Poetry Summit

Austin, TX

Saturday, April 5th, 2025

This daylong event was jointly sponsored by Eremos (a Center for Contemplative Life) in Austin, Texas and The Institute for Poetic Medicine. It welcomed many faces new to both organizations and drawn by the allure of its title and promise. The total number of participants was between 75-100. I was impressed by the number of younger voices as well as by the participation of many people of color.  In this current environment of refusing diversity, equity, and inclusiveness, this showing demonstrated the power of people to forge their own way forward.

With two keynote addresses and five breakout sessions as well as a closing reading with five poets (including Dr. Reverend Trina Leshay and myself), participants had several opportunities to choose sessions that spoke to their needs. The individual as well as the collective healing and medicinal aspects of poetry were highlighted in each, with themes ranging from the deeply personal (Wisdom of Our Wounds) to the universal (Praising Nature Praising Earth). The Institute of Poetic Medicine was introduced in several of them, with four graduates or facilitators available to address people’s interest in IPM (Trina Leshay, Cathey Capers, Athena McClendon, and Marshall Lyles, pictured left to right below).

Eremos made certain there was also ample opportunity for participants to gather together in small groups over lunch and generous breaks to connect about their experiences, interests, and responses to the poetry and inspirations they encountered.

For my part, I took the opportunity within my afternoon session, Words in Us, to extol the unique approach I found at IPM through John Fox’s training program. John's book Finding What You Didn’t Lose perfectly captured the conviction realized through IPM to nurture everyone’s inherent poetic voice. We shared through poems and quotes, children’s demonstration of this birthright gift. Because this workshop was occurring the same hour as the “Hands Off” demonstration in Austin, and because throughout the day references were made to the enormous changes we are undergoing, I brought two poems of dissidents who raised their poetic voices in the midst of extreme repression.

Why Then Do We Not Despair, by Anna Akmatova, and It is I Who Must Begin, by Vaclav Havel, each offered much to respond to. We did so aloud by mirroring words and lines and we followed this by time to write our own words about These Days (Charles Olson) or our response to whatever was stirring within. We shared with a triad or partner because our time was short but I was privileged to hear two poems that touched on personal decision-making. 

The room was loud with 19 individuals excitedly sharing and the buzz from the poems and invitation. It was important and gratifying to demonstrate that poetic medicine can not only affect personal healing, but through this, and through its gift of witness, can lead to societal transformation as well.

The enthusiasm and gratitude for this event was palpable throughout the day.

Several poets from out-of-town expressed the hope that this could be an annual event.  Participants were eager to learn more about IPM and Eremos, reminding us of the unique nature of their offerings.

This event marks a powerful beginning to the dream to forge a diverse coalition of poets, healers, writers, spiritual leaders and seekers, and community members. There has never been a more crucial time for us to dedicate ourselves to provide continuing opportunities to gather to “speak the words we need to say.”

---

You may experience this event and support Eremos by purchasing an audio recording of the event sessions.