The Poetry Pharmacy
Allison, from York Road in Montpelier, was inspired to make a Poetry Pharmacy in her window from the start of the first Lockdown onwards. She wasn't a poet herself, but before the pandemic she had been sharing poems with her late friend Robin Young. They met when he was her local postman, posting poems with the letters. Allison was also inspired by the Bishop's Castle Poetry Pharmacy, run by Deb Alma, an 'Emergency Poet', who rode around in an ambulance dispensing poetic prescriptions.
In March 2020, Allison put her first poem in the window, written on a whiteboard she was borrowing from a friend. She displayed one poem a day in Lockdown 1. They were a combination of her own words, professional poets' work, and suggestions from friends and neighbours. Sometimes on Sundays, Allison made up poems about what had been happening on the street WhatsApp group that week.
There was a really positive reaction from passers by, and some of them dropped poem suggestions into her letterbox. Sometimes they let Allison know a poem had struck a chord with them that day, sometimes they would ask if she was OK.
Poems included Star Wars Day, the American elections, Black Lives Matter, beaver conservation, an unmanned mission to Mars, Mary Anning, and Jackie Weaver (who went viral in a parish council Zoom meeting!). They evolved into having an accompanying illustration, which Allison says made her look at the poems much more closely.
The final board coincided with April 2021's change in lockdown rules, when 6 people could meet together again. Occasional boards may still appear though.
In March 2020, Allison put her first poem in the window, written on a whiteboard she was borrowing from a friend. She displayed one poem a day in Lockdown 1. They were a combination of her own words, professional poets' work, and suggestions from friends and neighbours. Sometimes on Sundays, Allison made up poems about what had been happening on the street WhatsApp group that week.
There was a really positive reaction from passers by, and some of them dropped poem suggestions into her letterbox. Sometimes they let Allison know a poem had struck a chord with them that day, sometimes they would ask if she was OK.
Poems included Star Wars Day, the American elections, Black Lives Matter, beaver conservation, an unmanned mission to Mars, Mary Anning, and Jackie Weaver (who went viral in a parish council Zoom meeting!). They evolved into having an accompanying illustration, which Allison says made her look at the poems much more closely.
The final board coincided with April 2021's change in lockdown rules, when 6 people could meet together again. Occasional boards may still appear though.