I recently presented a workshop training for my program Loving Words Again for professional caregivers, at a local home health agency, and the initial response was typical. When I asked how many yays and nays, on poetry, I received the typical 50% for each.
You can't effectively teach poetry to individuals with dementia unless you feel inspired yourself, so how do you get there?
I remind my participants to recognize the beauty in the words they hear every day. Like the song that comes on the radio and the words spoken over the loudspeaker at a baseball game, " And it's out...out.........out of here!"
If you think poetry doesn't have some meaning in your life, consider maybe you're not seeing and hearing the things presented to you everyday. Consider this example that describes the beauty of the game, the beauty of the man and the beauty of the words spoken by Jim Abbot.
“How does it all happen?”
“For a tiny second, you’re outside yourself.”
Poetry in Motion
Or what about the moving interpretation of the song Amazing Grace performed by Arlo Guthrie.
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch; like me!I once was lost, but now am found,Was blind, but now I see
So, consider this fact. Even if you can’t wrap your head around reading Frost, Dickinson, Angelou, or any of the great poets, then embrace the words you encounter every day like in song, movies, TV or books. Be inspired and then maybe you’ll see If You Think You Don't like Poetry; Maybe You're Not Being Honest!
Loving Words Again, a creative program presented by Aging Creative.