Contributions of a poetry writing group to the treatment of severely disturbed psychiatric inpatients

A poetry writing group in a Veterans Administration Hospital had unexpected advantages for the treatment of patients. As an elective group that de-emphasized the discussion of emotions and concentrated instead on technique and writing of poems, it attracted a variety of patients. Some were initially too disorganized to participate effectively in other treatment groups on the ward, but were able to behave in a more organized way in this group. Their writing allowed staff to see treatment possibilities that were otherwise obscured by the patient's withdrawn or confused presentation on the unit.Red violet in the neighbor house. Poster paints climbing the chromatic scale. G. H.