Boost Your Memory, Imagination and Creativity through Poetry

Did you know? The benefits of engaging with poetry are immense!

Poetry encourages self-reflection and awareness. It also helps to boost memory, imagination and creativity, which are all vital aspects of brain health.

So read a poem, write a poem, or do both!

And during this National Poetry Month, our Dr. Robert. L.A. Keeley Healing Arts program invites you to submit your original work for a chance to be featured in our Healing Arts program materials!

Choose between a haiku, limerick, acrostic or freeform style following the guidelines below. See the sidebar for more information on sharing your poem with others. 

Haiku

A haiku contains three lines. The first line has five syllables, the second line has seven and the third line again has five syllables. See this haiku by Mastuo Basho as an example:

An old silent pond
A frog jumps into the pond—
Splash! Silence again

Limerick

A limerick contains five lines. Lines one, two and five all rhyme with each other, and lines three and four rhyme separately. This limerick shows the "AABBA" rhyming pattern:

There once was a fly on the wall,
I wonder, why didn’t it fall?
Because its feet stuck?
Or was it just luck?
Or does gravity miss things so small?

Acrostic

An acrostic contains several lines with the first letter of each line spelling out a vertical word:

Preserve the high honour of poems dear,
Oh poor acrostic-writer: by design,
Each line of verse that you will lay down here
My name discover, line by singing line.

Freeform

A freeform poem allows you to choose your own pattern guided by an image, emotion or idea that inspires you. This freeform poem by Anais Nin is a short example:

And then the day
came,
when the risk
to remain tight
in a bud
was more painful
then the risk
it took
to blossom.

Find out More

If you have questions about creating poetry, email Lisa Linger, director, at healingarts@carilionclinic.org.

For more information about our Dr. Robert L.A. Keeley Healing Arts program, visit the Healing Arts hub and the Healing Arts page on CarilionClinic.org.