Seated and chatting at the bedside, Graham-Pole and Fox jot down words of a young girl describing her cat and, moments later, as they read them aloud back to her, an instant poem is created.  Closing a wordless dance therapy session with Bertie, an adolescent suffering nine years in and out of hospital from intractable pain, the words of patient, therapist and others at the bedside are combined to poetically articulate the sense of community and connection with larger landscapes the viewer cannot help but marvel at. 

A read excerpt of Ruth Stone's, "dear children / You must try to say something when you are in need," introduces her (and their) belief that poetry is an emotional outcry coming from wounds, which can carry us from illness and loss to understanding and hope.  The metaphor of illness as a journey and ways we can be changed by musing on it is the raison d'etre of the film - this is reflected in another read excerpt, from Donald Hall's "The Ship Pounding" (see annotation and link to the poem.)

For teaching purposes, knowing that a 60 minute piece is almost impossible to work into educational settings, I'd suggest a series of "triggers" (even chapters)- varying from 3-10 minutes to evoke discussions.  The film-makers are considering the possibility of this additional offering, along with a study guide and continuing education credit opportunities. But for now, two video clips --Bertie and Jill [Sonke-Henderson], 5'50", cited above, and Does Poetry Heal, 6'07", are excellent introductions  to the art of, and the arts in, the practice of medicine.