Poets Respond to Covid-19: Collaborative UK and International Poetry Project
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth University
Department Name: Sch of Humanities & Performing Arts
Abstract
Our project proposes the writing, exchange, publication and discussion of poetry as a significant
cultural response, benefiting the UK (and global) public's processing, healing, and wellbeing during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Our approach includes editing an anthology of 30 poets (15 UK / 15 other
countries) responding to COVID-19, and an accompanying interactive website enabling collective
public participation/engagement with poetry. CI and PI will situate poetry as a mode of response
to COVID-19 in a multi-format essay speaking to our contemporary moment and within the
context of other historical poetries of crisis (published in a peer-review journal, and also the
anthology/website). The website (edited by PI/CI) will mitigate distancing and isolating effects of
lockdown, inviting people to engage in forum discussions of COVID-19-related poetic
performances and Q&A sessions. It will also provide a curated platform for public-submitted
poetry responding to COVID-19. Target audiences include those suffering bereavement, physical or
mental health issues, and those in need of 'wellbeing' (in line with the long-published research
regarding the therapeutic value of reading and/or 'reflexive' writing of poetry). The print book
(published 01/2021) formulates an immediate, static artistic response to COVID-19. The website
will be edited for 12 months from the contract's proposed start (06/2020), enabling dynamic
ongoing responses, exploring the impact of the virus as it requires ever-changing modes of
engagement. The website further proposes value in its legacy-archiving and its exemplary use of
digital technologies, enabling discourse (in this case, poetry) to be freely accessible during this
crisis and future lockdowns.
cultural response, benefiting the UK (and global) public's processing, healing, and wellbeing during
the COVID-19 pandemic. Our approach includes editing an anthology of 30 poets (15 UK / 15 other
countries) responding to COVID-19, and an accompanying interactive website enabling collective
public participation/engagement with poetry. CI and PI will situate poetry as a mode of response
to COVID-19 in a multi-format essay speaking to our contemporary moment and within the
context of other historical poetries of crisis (published in a peer-review journal, and also the
anthology/website). The website (edited by PI/CI) will mitigate distancing and isolating effects of
lockdown, inviting people to engage in forum discussions of COVID-19-related poetic
performances and Q&A sessions. It will also provide a curated platform for public-submitted
poetry responding to COVID-19. Target audiences include those suffering bereavement, physical or
mental health issues, and those in need of 'wellbeing' (in line with the long-published research
regarding the therapeutic value of reading and/or 'reflexive' writing of poetry). The print book
(published 01/2021) formulates an immediate, static artistic response to COVID-19. The website
will be edited for 12 months from the contract's proposed start (06/2020), enabling dynamic
ongoing responses, exploring the impact of the virus as it requires ever-changing modes of
engagement. The website further proposes value in its legacy-archiving and its exemplary use of
digital technologies, enabling discourse (in this case, poetry) to be freely accessible during this
crisis and future lockdowns.
Publications
Berengarten Richard
(2021)
Balkan Spaces: Essays and Prose-Pieces (1) 1984-2020
Caleshu A
(2023)
Poetry and COVID-19: the benefit of poetry and the poetryandcovidarchive.com website to mental health and wellbeing
in Journal of Poetry Therapy
| Title | Poetry & Covid-19: An Anthology of Contemporary, International, and Collaborative Poetry |
| Description | The publication of this anthology comes a year into the Covid-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2020, we invited nineteen UK poets to partner with poets from around the world, to work collaboratively on poems responding to the virus. The poems herein are as personal as they are communal, and as local as they are international. Between them, the writers reside in all of the world's permanently populated continents, recognising that the pandemic has truly hit us everywhere. Geographic spread, of course, is only one point by which we recognize our participating writers. Their diversities of aesthetics and poetics, of Covid experiences - at a distance and/or embodied, anecdotal and/or dramatic - are further significant to their inclusion and their work. An introductory essay offers an overview of pandemic poetries in English, and concludes with mention of our ongoing Poetry and Covid project, of which this anthology plays one part in the documentation and artistic processing of our current crisis. |
| Type Of Art | Creative Writing |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | The book will be published on 10 March. No impacts noted as yet. |
| URL | https://www.shearsman.com/store/-p294597003 |
| Title | poetryandcovid.com |
| Description | poetryandcovid.com is a website dedicated to hosting public poetry (over 500 poems to date by 300 poets) and our invited anthology poets. The website enables 'comments' by the reading public as well as the ability to 'share' or 'like' the work. |
| Type Of Art | Creative Writing |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Impact | Impact has been noted by numerous participants writing directly to us as editors. We have an ongoing file dedicated to collecting impact as expressed and exemplified in the following: 'I'm glad I can contribute and feedback something positive into our overall current situation. The 'Poetry and Covid' project sounds as though it can hopefully offer both a valuable contribution and record, as well as provide some level of solace and contemplation. It certainly makes you stop and think of what is happening, of what we are all living through. It's good to be involved (in a small way) in the project' |
| URL | https://poetryandcovid.com/ |
| Description | Some 500 website users took part a health and wellbeing survey we instigated and also supplied us with over 10 pages of public testimonials, demonstrating the profound impact the project, and specifically POETRY, has had on them. Almost 90% of our website visitors told us poetry helped them Actively express themselves. 81% that they felt inspired by poetry on the website 71% that the poetry on the site helped them to feel closer to other people 68% that they felt better able to process their feelings about the pandemic Over 10 pages of public testimonials referred to the value of Poetry in general (to health and wellbeing) and to the Poetry and Covid website, in particular. Examples: • "Poetry has been a life-line throughout the pandemic, both reading and writing it, (sometimes a strong rope and other times a thin little string.)" • "The project is a wonderful idea and captures the kaleidoscope of feelings and emotions elicited by COVID-19. There will be plenty of historical records telling all the facts and figures of the pandemic but this project captures the unseen impact on all those affected by this terrible virus. These feelings, many of which portray an aching sense of loss and pain, are normally washed away by the seas of time like footprints in the sand but this project will cement them into our memories for ever. Future generations will know how the pandemic of 2020 brought us together as a nation and helped us all to appreciate and rediscover a sense of community - common unity - that had been somewhat lost as we faced the challenges together." • What an extraordinary example of the evocative nature of poetry! This inspiring initiative has provided a healing sanctuary and hub of interconnectivity around the world at an especially dire time. • This site is absolutely necessary. I say this as a psychotherapist who sees so many anxious and depressed people who have come to feel even more anxious and depressed during this pandemic. This poetry site can break people out of their isolation and help them to feel connected to others who are struggling just as they are. Thank you so much for creating this site and giving an outlet for creative expression to so many during this difficult time. |
| Exploitation Route | We are currently liaising with Pandemic and Beyond (University of Exeter) on producing a podcast and film to further disseminate findings. PI and CI have made new partnerships and co-produced a 'Follow on Funding' bid to the AHRC, title: 'Enabling and Evaluating Social Prescription of Arts Activity to Benefit People with Common Mental Health Symptoms' |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Description | Scottish Poetry Library |
| Organisation | Scottish Poetry Library |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | PI and CI and poets associated with the Poetry & Covid-19 Anthology produced two podcasts: 1) Rory Waterman (CI), Declan Ryan, Linda Zisquit; 2) Anthony Caleshu (PI), David Herd, Sharmistha Mohanty. |
| Collaborator Contribution | SPL made and broadcast the two podcasts. They also promoted the project to the wider public via their website, networks, and/or e-mailouts. |
| Impact | Two Podcasts: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/scottishpoetrylibrary/episodes/2021-03-04T02_04_25-08_00 |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Devon based Community Radio station, Soundart Radio |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | PI Caleshu discussed 'Poets Respond to Covid' project with Devon based Community Radio station Soundart Radio on a NHS Devon CCG funded project about lived experiences of Covid. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.soundartradio.org.uk/ |
| Description | Nottingham Creative Writing Hub |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Poetry & Covid event, hosted by Nottingham Creative Writing Hub at NTU, intended to draw awareness the Poetry & Covid project. Chaired by Caleshu (PI) and Waterman (CI), with collaborative readings and discussions by David Herd and Sharmistha Mohanty; Sinéad Morrissey and Jan Wagner and Iain Galbraith (trans); Carol Leeming and Rakhshan Rizwan. 99 people from around the world attended the webinar and a recording of the event was then put on our website, extending the reach. Questions and discussion after the reading concerned the usefulness and value of poetry during the pandemic (to provide solace etc), the nature of collaboration, and various ideas about creative response (formal, literary etc), amongst other things. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://poetryandcovid.com/videos/ |
| Description | Scottish Poetry Library Podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Two podcasts were made in cooperation with, and distributed by, the Scottish Poetry Library. Podcast 1 was released 4 March 2021. Contributors to this podcast were Colin Waters (SPL); Rory Waterman (CI), and contributors to the Poetry & Covid-19 Anthology, Linda Stern Zisquit, Declan Ryan. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/podcast/poetry-and-covid-19-part-one/ |
| Description | StAnza Panel Presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Public reading, panel title: 'POETRY IN THE LOCKDOWN GARDEN: A SHEARSMAN ANTHOLOGY Poetry and Covid-19: A Showcase' Poetry and Covid 19, edited by Anthony Caleshu and Rory Waterman and published by Shearsman, is one of the first anthologies responding to our experiences of the Covid pandemic. In the summer of 2020, nineteen UK poets were invited to partner with poets from around the world to work collaboratively on poems responding to the virus. During today's reading, we will hear work from one of the two editors (Anthony Caleshu), two UK-based contributors (Harriet Tarlo and Vahni Capildeo), and one overseas contributor (Vivek Narayanan) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://stanzapoetry.org/events/lockdown-garden/ |