You'll Never Walk Alone: Poems for life's ups and downs

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The pursuit of happiness is about connecting more deeply with yourself, not attempting to be like anybody else.

A second approach to reaching those who really need help is to provide much more targeted medical NHS relief for specific communities who are vulnerable, such as minorities and the aforementioned middle-aged men. Sir Michael Marmot’s recent research has focussed on how much harder Covid has been for the wellbeing of the economically disadvantaged. Solutions are much harder to deliver to these groups, all of whom suffer disproportionately from poor mental health. Mental health campaigner and journalist Rachel Kelly has published a new book You"ll Never Walk Alone While many argue that the reason for our mental health epidemic is the stress of modern life, our deteriorating diet is a more important factor. Our brain’s large size was made possible by our evolutionary relationship to fish; fish were not only our main source of protein and calories, but also they gave us important vitamins and minerals, and, crucially, omega 3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

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Yet the spiritual achieves its power by juxtaposing the longing for freedom, and the desire to be reunited with home in every sense, with the finality and utter desperation of the last line: ‘But we’re so far from home’. And, despite all this suffering, at no point does the writer call for retribution. Like Rachel Kelly, I passionately believe in the power of poetry to reach the soul. In times of heartache and joy, this wonderful anthology will help and delight all through the year. Kelly’s brilliant introduction and explanations of each choice make this an indispensable companion, always.’

Some of the poems are from well known poets such as Keats, Wordsworth and Cummings, well known names such as Abraham Lincoln and Emily Brontë and others are from less well known ones (although my knowledge of famous poets stopped accumulating upon leaving education!) Their biographies are in a section towards the end of the book. Rachel's wonderful book offers a carefully curated and wisely annotated selection of poems designed to offer support and solace during the more heart-stopping, heartbreaking, exhilarating, joyful, and unpredictable times of our life.' Jul 2023 Rachel Kelly: Navigating mental health, the NHS crisis and the power of poetry in “You’ll Never Walk Alone”This idea is developed in the second verse, in which the writer longs to fly ‘closer to my home’. Repetition adds to the plaintive feel of this cry from the heart. The third verse suggests quite how tough the experience is of being motherless: it is ‘hard’; ‘such a hard time’; and ‘such a really hard time’. In the last verse, that word ‘Sometimes’ again suggests the possibility of hope. Kelly's brilliant introduction and explanations of each choice make this an indispensable companion. -- Bel Mooney No. At the height of my depressive episodes, I only thought about myself. I was utterly preoccupied with how unwell I felt – I was in screaming agony, in a fetal curl in bed, holding onto my husband or mother or a nurse or whoever was nearby… it felt as if I was falling into a bottomless pit of darkness and if I didn’t hold on, I would die. Another analogy – it felt as if I was on a plane which was going to crash… as if an emergency landing had been announced and I was hanging on for dear life. The feelings were terrifying and continuous. My heart raced; I felt nauseous; and my thoughts were darker and darker and darker … it felt as if taking my own life would be a relief. It all sounds dramatic, and it was… so no, at that point I didn’t think of others at all. Only when I began to get better did I want to share my experience and the reality of severe mental illness, how it could happen to anyone, and why charities like SANE are lifesavers to those who were desperate like me.

Bestselling UK author and Mental Health Advocate Rachel Kelly believes in the power of writing for wellbeing. It has helped her to navigate challenging times in her life, especially when she suffered from depression. You’ll Never Walk Alone: Poems for life’s ups and downs is a collection of the kind of inspirational texts – mainly poems – that can accompany us, whatever we are feeling, from sorrow to delight. The poems are organised according to the season in which they ‘belong’: we all have seasons of our minds, be they wintery and dark, or more spring-like and hopeful.It was something my own mother recognised: it was she who gave me this poem. Now a mother myself, I too sometimes feel powerless in the face of the suffering of my own children, or indeed my own feelings of abandonment. This spiritual allows me to accept my own limitations, just as it may have helped my mother to accept hers. A poetry book can be a gift of healing, and Rachel Kelly's anthology You'll Never Walk Alone: Poems For Life's Ups And Downs is the perfect present. A true evangelist for poetry as an aid to wellbeing, the mental health campaigner begins, 'Words can be a way to make sense of our feelings', and divides her choices into the four seasons, representing moods of sadness, hope, joy and reflection. The range is engaging, offering old favourites such as Keats and Derek Walcott as well as songs and new writers. Kelly follows each poem with a beautifully concise explanation which will be welcomed by anyone unaccustomed to reading poetry - and bring fresh delight to those who encounter familiar poems anew. The whole book is an essential companion. -- Bel Mooney * Daily Mail *