The world moves fast. Government shutdowns, special investigations, devastating climate change and near daily social controversies are thrown at us rapid fire from the evil light boxes we call phones. This information vortex steals our minds, our sleep and our sanity. There’s no escape. Or is there?
Self care is a word we throw around to describe anything we do to restore us to ourselves. Buy new shoes, self care. Eat dinner in bed, self care. Do a face mask, self care. And while all of those things can be valid forms of self care, too often we use them as superficial coping mechanisms, downgrading the meaning of self care.
Audre Lorde was the first to use the term, calling it an “act of political warfare” for the fully oppressed. As a black lesbian activist in 1988, she knew what she was talking about; but today, self care has become commodified. Trending hashtags and influencers have rewrought the word into just another thing we aspire to. But the original intent of holistic well-being is something we need, now more than ever. My solution? Poetry.
Reading poetry is how I recenter myself. If I need to calm down before bed, I’ll pull out my phone and read a few favorites. The words are intentional, deliberate and slow, letting me focus on just the poem. No monetary input is required – although we should support artists financially if we’re able, you don’t have to drop money on a book you don’t know if you’ll like. Plenty of poems can be found free online. When I find a poem I really like, I’ve found that repeating lines throughout the day can refocus me. While the act of reading is restorative in itself, the content of poetry adds another layer of comfort.
Many poems are written in notice of a small, beautiful, comforting thing: when you read poetry, you start to pay attention to the thousand small beautiful things you see everyday, which makes regular life more optimistic. Poems remind us of the essential human condition, helping us feel less alone. And so often, poems remind us of the beauty of nature. Many of us have lost our connection to nature and that loss has real, damaging effects on our health. Poetry gives you a more thoughtful lens through which to view the world. It replenishes your ability to appreciate. It refuels your heart. It recenters your soul.
With lots of poetry to choose from, it can be confusing to know where to start. Websites like poetryfoundation.org and poets.org let you browse through their collections. My personal recommendation would be to read Mary Oliver. Oliver was a prolific and powerful poet, winning the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. She died on Jan. 18 of this year, leaving behind a legacy of connection to nature. Morning Poem is one of my favorites from her. But poetry is all about expression; you’ll have to explore on your own to find something that speaks to you.