Emergency Poet was conceived by poet and writer Deborah Alma as a fun way of bringing poetry to people. She is assisted in this by creative partner and poet James Sheard.
Deborah Alma is a UK poet, with an MA with distinction, in Creative Writing from Keele University. She taught for 3 years at the University of Worcester and now lectures part-time at Keele University, where she is also an Honorary Research Fellow. As well as teaching part-time at Keele, she works as a writer in the community, especially in schools and with vulnerable groups.
She is editor of Emergency Poet-an anti-stress poetry anthology, The Everyday Poet- Poems to live by (both Michael O’Mara), and #Me Too – rallying against sexual harassment- a women’s poetry anthology (Fair Acre Press, March 2018). Her True Tales of the Countryside was published by The Emma Press in 2015and her first full collection Dirty Laundry was published by Nine Arches Press (May 2018).
As well as the strong, fun visual appeal of the Emergency Poet concept, Deborah believes strongly in its ability to engage all audiences in the relevance and therapeutic nature of poetry, through one to one consultations, the poetry pharmacy and workshops and delivers this experience in festival settings, libraries, schools, city centres conferences and at various other events.
Schools: Deborah is a qualified Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA), is trained as an Arts Award advisor for Bronze and Silver awards and is CRB checked. Emergency Poet carries Public Liability Insurance and is familiar with H&S issues.
Please, please ,please. I am working too hard what can you do?
Steven…sorry to hear that! Maybe this poem by Brian Patten will help?
Inessential Things
What do cats remember of days?
They remember the ways in from the cold,
The warmest spot, the place of food.
They remember the places of pain, their enemies,
the irritation of birds, the warm fumes of the soil,
the usefulness of dust.
They remember the creak of a bed, the sound
of their owner´s footsteps,
the taste of fish, the loveliness of cream.
Cats remember what is essential of days.
Letting all other memories go as of no worth
they sleep sounder than we,
whose hearts break remembering so many
inessential things.
© Brian Patten
oh yes, those creatures of leisure i had forgot with so much to remember
Hello Steve!
Read this! http://www.blueridgejournal.com/poems/bp2-cats.htm
Deborah
What a fantastic way to engage people. I love the video, clearly people enjoy your consultations. The idea is so simple and appealing well. I write stories for children and loved the awning photos of kids getting involved. There are no imaginations like childrens and you should be prescribed for every school in the country at least once a term.
I will try and find you sometime as I would love to know what poem you would prescribe for me.
Well done you.
Thank you very much, you’re very kind! Hope you can find me at some point! Deb
Do you have any poems about hens?
I can recommend this lovely book called The Henkeeper’s Almanac!
http://thehenkeepersalmanac.wordpress.com/
I shall check it out. Thank you!
Hello Deb. We met at Coseley library. Thank you very much for the poems you recommended. I especially love A Song of Living and read it every day. It has made a big difference to my sense of well being. Thank you again. Good luck to you and in all your consultations.
Oh lovely to hear from you Diane and so nice of you to take the time to do it! So glad you like the poems! Hope our paths cross again!
Love Deb xx
words have a lovely vibrational frequency that blend . . . . . and get us thinking and creating . . . . . so that we can empower our own spiritual self . . . ..
just the ticket . . . ..
keep up the great work . . .. .
Thanks for taking the trouble to comment and thank you for your kind words Rob!
Hi Deborah, I love this!! I wrote my master’s thesis in nursing on poetry as therapy. I’m a nurse and an artist and write a blog called the Art Prescription: A daily dose of art and haiku. artprescription.com My mission is to encourage people to live a creative life for wellness! You are delivering great “medicine.” Thank you, Beverly Dyer
Oh Beverly!
Thanks for your kind words and lovely to see there’s a kindred spirit out there! I’m been working with people with dementia and poetry for the last few years too! We have a lot in common! Deb x
What a great concept. Just coming to your website has brightened a grey day.
That’s very nice of you to say so! Deb x
Dear Deborah,
News of your astonishing activity has appeared in the Italian newspaper La Stampa. I’d be interested in interviewing you for the online literary magazine http://www.margutte.com, of which I’m an editor (I look after the poetry page).
Can we communicate by email?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Silvia Pio
poesia.margutte@libero.it
Hello Silvia,
Thank you for your kind words. I’d be happy to chat. My email is kittythefish2@aol.com. Best wishes, Deb
Hello Deborah, I’m from Bishop’s Castle – not too sure if your catchment area reaches us? All the best, Valerie
Hello Valerie! Only just spotted your message for some reason! Sorry! I live quite near you actually in Abermule! But I go where I’m invited!Deb x
What a wonderful way of taking poetry to the people. We all need it. I find if my kids are fighting or feeling bitter, we write a family poem. Stress goes right (write?) out the window. 🙂
Oh thanks for taking the trouble to write this Brenda! Family poem is a wonderful idea!
Best wishes, Deb x
My pleasure. I told my kids about your ambulance, and my daughter announced that she wants to do that when she grows up.
How lovely! Be lovely to meet her one day! Deb x