This column by Tom Radzienda, an instructor in poetry and culture at Srinakharinwirot University, aims to encourage your interest and develop your skill in creating poetry. Poetry is a combination of visualisation, observation, imagination and creative use of language. Discover your poetic side, too!

Poetic health care WDo you want a happy new year? A happy new year must begin with good health. This column is based on a holistic approach to a poetic lifestyle, rather than just reading and writing poetry. The suggestions go far beyond the traditional concept of poetry. Consider the ideas and find ways of improving your own poetic health. Silence A poet needs more silence than other professions. For some, this simply means, “Shut Up!” For others, it means seeking a quiet place where there is little noise and even less interruption. Find a place where you can enjoy a silent 30 minutes each day. Create a “sanctuary,” a quiet and peaceful place where you can sit quietly without speaking or being disturbed. Many people say they don’t have time, but this technique will refresh you and make you more efficient in everything you create. Art Art is to the soul of the poet, as food is to the stomach of the chef. If you live on a diet of silly soap operas, predictable action films, and nonsense game shows, then your poetry may reveal silly, predictable and nonsense themes. Put more art into your poetic diet. In a city the size of Bangkok, there are at least 20 art exhibitions every week. Scan through the newspaper and select an interesting exhibition to visit. Go to the opening if possible and meet the artist (and have some free wine and snacks). Exchange ideas with the artist or other guests and find inspiration for your poetry. Try this activity at least once a month and watch the improvement in your poetic strength. Music and concerts Music is poetry written for instruments. Fill your head with rubbish pop lyrics and you’re asking for rubbish pop poetry. Most radio programming today is an endless repeat of the same top 40 songs over and over again. Alternatives to “pop-agenda” are rare, but there is a solution. Search your radio for classical, jazz or other alternative styles of music. Further, swap CDs with friends or colleagues to expand your musical awareness and tone up your poetic ears. Make music an essential part of your relationships. Live music is even more nourishing. Find a concert, choir or recital to fill your heart with refreshing music. Check at local universities for free performances, or find a visiting jazz combo at a hotel. Give Poetry is planted in the heart long before it is produced as words. Most of our society focuses on TAKE. Poetry focuses on GIVE. Where can you volunteer to offer some help to people in need? This could include picking up litter in your neighbourhood park, or guiding the children next door in their homework. Go one step further: Challenge yourself and see how many pieces of chocolate you can give away in one day! Exercise A healthy poet needs poetic exercise. How many times do you exercise each week? Exercise increases the breathing rate and heart rate. This increases the flow of oxygen to the brain, and to the imagination. Try exercise suitable to your lifestyle that also brings new colour into your life. After working out 30 to 60 minutes, sit down and write in your poetry journal. Write quickly, wildly and freely until your imagination runs out of breath. Detoxification Detoxification is vital to good health. It includes getting rid of dangerous, toxic chemicals and waste in our bodies and in our minds. Detoxify by eating less meat, less sugars and less fats. Cleanse yourself using a detoxification kit from the chemist to deeply clean your colon and intestines. This helps your body and brain work more effectively because your energy becomes more pure. A pure body writes pure poetry. Fasting A stronger form of detoxification is fasting. Stop eating food for a while. A fast can be anywhere from one meal up to ten days long, depending on your situation and needs. Seek professional guidance when pursuing this ancient technique for purifying the body and soul. Fasting the body feeds the soul. As you become very weak due to lack of food, the deep toxins in your body are removed. Then, the deep energy of life wakes up and nourishes you. You will find deep inspiration arising from within you. During your fast, read inspirational poetry to fulfil yourself. Check your heart beat Listen to your heartbeat and feel your own pulse. Concentrate on the life force inside of you and be deeply aware of your own living self. You may discover how much poetry you have inside of you, just for the listening. Then, hold hands with another person. Absorb their love, warmth and friendship, and let this encourage you. Exercise friendship to achieve maximum poetic health. Tom Radzienda lectures in poetry (and poetic health) at Srinakharinwirot University. Teachers can contact him to present poetry recitals and poetry writing workshops at their respective universities and schools. Review poet tree at www.bangkokpost.com/education/site2003/ptsum.htm You can send your poem by email. Mark the subject line: Poet Tree and send to this address: learningpost@bangkokpost.co.th Visit Tom's poetry column at http://www.bangkokpost.com/poetry

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Last modified: December 29, 2003