Coping with grief and illness is a poetry book written by a retired psychiatrist, Dr Audrey Coatesworth. It is written to help children in some of varying situations of illness and grief by the use of rhyming verse.
This poetry book is book two of a series by Dr Audrey Coatesworth - 'Verses that mean a lot' - and is entitled 'Coping with illness and grief'
It is a paper back ( 240x180 mm) and has 43 poems in the 'illness section' and 37 poems in the 'grief' section
As a psychiatrist for 35 years, working with people coping with illnesses and much grief, and having personal experience of illhealth in childhood and grief in later life, Dr Audrey Coatesworth is in a unique place in time to write such a book.
Excerpt
Poem from the 'illness section'of Coping with Illness and Grief
A Bird
In times gone by, life was tough
For children who were ill
No medicines to make them well
Just days in bed, keeping still
§
Who are you? The child was asked
She thought- so hard she tried
‘I know the name I'm given’
She said and then she cried
‘I am a ’pet lamb’ to my Daddy
I am 'naughty' to my Mum
A ‘real nuisance’ to one brother
And I rarely have much fun
A bossy sister to another
A nursemaid to the third
But most of all I am ill
And I wish I was a bird
I would fly over the trees
To see what lies beyond
This quiet, little village which
Doesn't even have a pond
I think my world is really
A very small place to be
It could be better, I am sure,if
Something different I could see
But really I do nothing
My life is quite absurd
I just cough and wheeze daily
Yes -
-I wish I was a bird
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A poem from the 'grief section'
Loneliness
Surrounded by faces
With laughter around
People so happy
Old friends are found
Amongst the crowd
I want to hear
A familiar voice
But you are not here
The river flows past
A scene of delight
Beauty of mountains
All day and all night
The orchestra plays
Yet I shed a tear
The music is golden
But you are not here
Alone in the quiet
I ask, shall I find
Where you have gone
It puzzles my mind
Still I keep looking
For somebody dear
I keep on wishing
That you could be here
Professional Reviews
Coping with Illness and Grief
Review by Professor K Jones, York
Dr Audrey Coatesworth, Verses That Mean a Lt: 3 vols, Choice for Teenagers, Coping with Illness and Grief, Growing Up. 2007
Dr Coatesworth ----understands the way in which pain isolates people and diminishes them, and robs their world of meaning. Like most psychiatrists, she holds that verbalising the situation will take away its terrors and make it more manageable.
I particularly liked ‘Things that Cannot be Bought’( Growing Up. P 51), and the theme of Courage-Kindness- Endurance – Hope which is repeated in many of the other poems.
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Other poems I particularly appreciated include ‘Hidden Cost’( Choice,p.44),
‘Life’ ( Choice, p.53), ‘Chronic Asthma (Coping,p.13) and ‘Normal Reaction’ (Growing Up,p.33).
These books are sensitive and kindly, and are beautifully produced and illustrated. They (Coping with Illness and Grief) should be of help to many sick children and their parents.
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Dr Coatesworth’s poems express the deep emotion which went into their composition, and which finds an answering emotion in the reader.
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Dr Coatesworth has not retired. She has entered a new phase of her professional experience, in which she has a great deal to offer. I hope that there will be more poems.
Coping with Illness and Grief
Coping with Illness and Grief
'I have almost finished reading this book and have been very moved by the poems, especially 'One Day'
Already I have read several of them more than once and know I shall keep dipping into the book.
---------- I could go on -----.These poems will be a great encouragement and comfort to many people.
