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Journal of Religion and Health

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01.12.2010 | Original Paper

The Psychological Benefits of Bad Poetry

verfasst von: Donald Capps

Erschienen in: Journal of Religion and Health | Ausgabe 4/2010

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Abstract

The author was the founder and secretary pro-tem of the Bad Poets Society at Princeton Theological Seminary. This distinction does not appear on his official resume. The Society did not have meetings but it had a newsletter that came out several times a year comprised of bad poetry written by members of the faculty and staff. These poetic works included reflections on institutional matters. This article contains bad poetry by the author relating to such matters. This poetry illustrates Sigmund Freud’s (Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious. Norton, New York, 1960) view of humor as saving in the expenditure of painful emotions, costly inhibitions, and difficult thinking. The parasitical nature of bad poetry is also noted and illustrated with the author’s own poems.

Speaking of toilets and the thought processes of a grade school kid, I have wondered whether T. S. Eliot was aware that the letters of his name could spell toilets. However, as he was a good poet, it is unlikely that the word was in his working vocabulary.

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Titel: The Psychological Benefits of Bad Poetry
verfasst von: Donald Capps
Publikationsdatum: 01.12.2010
Verlag: Springer US
Erschienen in: Journal of Religion and Health / Ausgabe 4/2010
Print ISSN: 0022-4197
Elektronische ISSN: 1573-6571
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-010-9364-5

Springer Medizin

Abstract

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