Poetry Pharmacy offers personalised verse prescriptions at SIBF

November 08, 2025 / 6:43 PM

Sharjah 24: At the 44th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025, held under the theme “Between You and a Book,” visitors can explore the Poetry Pharmacy. This UK-based interactive concept provides personalised “prescriptions” of poetry. Presented in small, elegant bottles with bilingual Arabic and English labels, each “dose” of poetry is tailored to the visitor's emotional state, offering a thoughtful and creative way to engage with literature.

Poetry for every mood

The initiative offers visitors “pills” containing poetry or verses from writers around the world. Whether someone is feeling low or seeking inspiration, there is a poem designed to reflect their mood. The aim is to enhance readers’ well-being while serving as “a literary prescription for the soul,” making reading not just an intellectual pursuit but also a therapeutic experience.

Founder Deborah Alma on the healing power of poetry

As the founder of the Poetry Pharmacy, Deborah Alma, a UK-based poet and editor, believes in the restorative power of literature. Speaking at SIBF, she explained that the idea behind the Poetry Pharmacy is simple yet profound: poetry can heal emotional wounds and bring comfort through words.

In an interview, Alma said: “In the UK, our bookshops are divided by emotional state, so you shop according to what you need. For instance, if you have a broken heart, there are books and other resources to help mend it. What you see here at the Book Fair is our poetry in pill bottles. Inside the capsule is a tiny scroll of paper with an extract from a poem to address that particular emotional state.”

From creative experiment to international recognition

Alma’s journey with the Poetry Pharmacy began with her anthology, Emergency Poet: An Anti-Stress Poetry Anthology, which explored how poems could act as emotional remedies. The concept has grown from a creative experiment into an internationally recognized project, and Alma has expanded it into two bookshops in the UK.

Returning to Sharjah

This year marks Alma’s second visit to Sharjah. Her first was nine years ago when she participated in a panel discussion with poet Rupi Kaur. She shared: “It’s lovely to be back. People here are so kind and welcoming, and coming from a UK winter to the Sharjah sunshine feels like stepping into summer.”

A universal connection

Reflecting on the response to her work, Alma noted that the Poetry Pharmacy has struck a universal chord: “It’s been quite amazing to see this small idea grow, from poems on prescription to an international movement that celebrates the healing power of words.”