What were you doing on the last day of the 2025 ASTRO Annual Meeting? Some of us decided once again to walk the streets of San Francisco, dodge Waymos, and gather at the conference center for one last hurrah — this time to discuss poetry. With fresh coffee, free books, and Red Journal swag, we met for “A Dose of Poetry: A Poetry Workshop Hosted by the Red Journal.”
Why do we love poetry? Let us count the ways. A small but growing body of literature supports the value of Poetic Medicine, which involves reading and writing poetry to enrich our lives and strengthen our clinical practice through honing our powers of attention, creativity and empathy. Studies, including randomized controlled trials, show that poetry and expressive writing can improve pain and quality of life in patients with cancer and can reduce burnout in health care workers.1-4 For the trophy seekers among us, one study noted that scientists who had won a Nobel Prize, compared to scientists who had not won a Nobel Prize and compared to the general population, were much more likely to engage in the arts.5
Actor Stephen Fry, who was knighted by the King of England earlier this year, had this to say about poetry: “For me the private act of writing poetry is songwriting, confessional, diary-keeping, speculation, problem-solving, storytelling, therapy, anger management, craftsmanship, relaxation, concentration and spiritual adventure all in one inexpensive package.”
So, if you have any interest in winning a Nobel Prize or achieving knighthood, it wouldn’t hurt to read and write a few poems.
A Dose of Poetry Workshop moderators Matthew Farrell, MD, MFA, and Puja Venkat, MD
At the inaugural ASTRO poetry workshop, we did just that. Puja Venkat, MD, and I led a group of students, residents, physicians, Red Journal editors and others in the art of Poetic Medicine. We introduced the topic, described elements of poetic craft, and explored journals and artistic resources. We sharpened our close reading skills by reading poems, including the first poem published in the Red Journal 6 as well as a brilliantly poignant poem by Raymond Carver, “What the Doctor Said,” about his being diagnosed with lung cancer, written shortly before he died. Dr. Venkat and I have read these poems dozens of times, but we were amazed by the new insights offered by the attendees. Lastly, we participated in a writing exercise and shared our work together. We learned profound things about colleagues we had known for years and ones we had just met, exemplifying art’s ability to bring us together.
In the six months since the launch of the Red Journal section dedicated to the poets among us — A Dose of Poetry — we have received 50 poetry submissions and counting. Submissions have come from all over the world, from academic centers and community practices, and from authors at all stages of their careers. The subject matter has been equally diverse, exploring not only radiation oncology but grief, connection, inequality, cultural traditions, parenthood, and even the inner life of a gorilla in a zoo. Two poems have been published so far — “If medicine were my spouse” 6 and “Sarva Aathmika Sarvatra: Reflections from the Space of Healing” 7 — with more to arrive in the coming weeks.
Through the poetry workshop and through reading your poems, we have deepened our understanding of and appreciation for our radiation oncology community. We encourage all of you to submit your own work, about any subject that is meaningful to you. Please use the IJROBP online submission system and select Poetry as the article type. You may also look forward to more poetry workshops in the future.
We are excited to continue learning together!
References:
- Arruda MA, Garcia MA, Garcia JB. Evaluation of the Effects of Music and Poetry in Oncologic Pain Relief: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Palliat Med. 2016;19(9):943-948. doi:10.1089/jpm.2015.0528.
- Abu-Odah H, Su JJ, Wang M, Sheffield D, Molassiotis A. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of expressive writing disclosure on cancer and palliative care patients' health-related outcomes. Support Care Cancer. 2023;32(1):70. Published 2023 Dec 29. doi:10.1007/s00520-023-08255-8.
- Kwok I, Keyssar JR, Spitzer L, et al. Poetry as a Healing Modality in Medicine: Current State and Common Structures for Implementation and Research. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2022;64(2):e91-e100. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.04.170.
- Phillips CS, Becker H. Systematic Review: Expressive arts interventions to address psychosocial stress in healthcare workers. J Adv Nurs. 2019;75(11):2285-2298. doi:10.1111/jan.14043.
- Root-Bernstein R, et al. Arts Foster Scientific Success: Avocations of Nobel, National Academy, Royal Society, and Sigma Xi Members. J Psychol Sci Technol. 2008;1:51–63.
- Mumber M. If medicine were my spouse. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2025;122(5):1088-1089.
- Chowdhry VK. Sarva Aathmika Sarvatra: Reflections from the Space of Healing. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2025;123(3):615-616.
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