Saved by a Poem: The Transformative Power of Words [With CD (Audio)]

       Can someone really be saved by a poem? In Kim Rosen’s book, the answer is a re­sounding “Yes!” Poetry, the most ancient form of prayer, is a necessary medicine for our times: a companion through difficulty; a guide when we are lost; a salve when we are wounded; and a conduit to an inner source of joy, freedom, and insight.

       Whether you are a lover of poetry or have yet to discover its power, Rosen offers a new way to experience a poem. She encourages you to feel the poem as you might an affirmation or sacred text, which can align every level of your being.

      In an uncertain world, Saved by a Poem is an emphatic call to cultivate the ever-renewable resources of the heart. Through poetry, the unspeakable can be spoken, the unendurable endured, and the miraculous shared. Weaving teaching, story, verse, and memoir, Rosen guides you to find a poem that speaks to you so you can take it into your life and become a voice for its wisdom in the world.

Inspirational CD Included! Featuring the voices of well-known authors reading a favorite poem and discussing its personal significance: Joan Borysenko, Andrew Harvey, Jane Hirshfield, Marie Howe, Grace Yi-Nan Howe, Robert Holden, Stanley Kunitz, Elizabeth Lesser, Thomas Moore, Christiane Northrup, Cheryl Richardson, Kim Rosen, and Geneen Roth.

In these times of global and personal uncertainty, why turn to poetry? In Saved by a Poem, Kim Rosen reveals how a poem can be a companion through difficulty—acting as a guide when we are lost; a salve when we are wounded; and a conduit to insight, freedom, and joy.

Since Kim understands that many avoid poetry because they are intimidated or “just don’t get it,” she offers a new way to experience a poem. She rejects the traditional academic approach and encourages you instead to feel the poem as an affirmation or prayer that brings every level of who you are—your thoughts, feelings, and even your physical energies—into alignment with what matters most. This can help you gain deeper insight into your life and may just inspire a profound transformation.

      Kim weaves her story with those of people around the world who use poetry to light a path through the darkest moments. She teaches how to select a poem with personal significance, how to find your voice, and how to free your expression from fear and habit. Speaking poetry aloud brings its medicine to all who hear it—dissolving separation, fostering truth, and awakening the heart. Also included is a CD featuring well-known authors and visionaries reading a favorite poem and discussing its impact on their lives.

Kim Rosen, MFA, is a spoken-word artist, a teacher of self-inquiry, and an award-winning poet. She has given poetry concerts, lectures, and workshops in venues from cathedrals to juvenile lockdown facilities. She has been on the faculty of Wisdom University, the Omega Institute, and Kripalu.