Poetry is a Comfort Blanket

I go through periods of insomnia, and when I can’t sleep, I keep a book of poetry by my bed. I can’t explain why, but poetry feels like the closest form of comfort I can get when my mind is racing. Maybe it’s the sparseness of the language compared to prose that feels soothing, or maybe it feels easier to get meaning from something shorter, rather than trying to read a fully fledged narrative.

That is not to say that poetry is easy. I often read and re-read verses, lines and even words to reignite the feelings I had when I first read them. Poetry has felt vital to me since I was forced to learn swathes of Plath and Heaney by heart for my Leaving Cert, and I’m sure I’ll continue to bring it with me through the rest of my life.

I associate different experiences and people with poets and poems. My sister is a devotee of Adrienne Rich and I also have a Mary Oliver tattoo in her honour. I remember love poems sent to me by former partners and lovers fondly and sadly, depending on who they remind me of. I am a profoundly sentimental person, and I think poetry helps me navigate feelings and memories.

Poetry also doesn’t have to be found in books. I’ve found little verses on Instagram a comfort in my waking hours. My sister sent me this one earlier today, as she has many times before, and it has always brought soothing feelings.

Anyway, a quick and messy list of my favourite poets. It definitely isn’t complete, but I’m operating on less sleep than usual.

• Mary Oliver

• Sylvia Plath

• Seamus Heaney

• Adrienne Rich

• Ocean Vuong

• Kim Addonizio

• Langston Hughes

• Tracey Emin

• Jenny Holzer

You can also sign up to receive the Poetry Foundation’s Poem of the Day if you want an easy way to inject more poetry into your life.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/poem-of-the-day