Book Details: “The unlikely union of poetry and medicine has rational and affective dimensions. Poetry works to cure the disease of the psyche and soul, whereas medicine works, using human skill and an arsenal of herbal and chemical cornucopia, to cure the diseases of the body.
This anthology, Healing Words: Medical Poetry and Prose, offers an encounter with poetry and prose from practitioners of the medical profession (doctors, nurses) and non-practitioners (patients, ordinary folk) from around the world—Africa, Asia, Europe and North America and the Caribbean—who share experiences related to the challenges of illness and taking care of the ill.
It is significant in bringing together voices from around the world to tackle subjects so germane to human existence: disease and illness and the challenges of prevention and cure. The fact that the voices are mostly healthcare personnel addressing their experiences by letting loose their prose and poetic muses makes this collection rich and enticing. It holds within its pages many lovely and unsettling poems and prose narratives that will cajole, enlighten, and entertain.” - Tijan M. Sallah, PhD, economist and author of numerous books of poetry, short stories, ethnography, scholarly articles and books, including a biography of Chinua Achebe, Africa's foremost novelist.