Otherwise: A Discussion of Jane Kenyon and Her Place in the Medical Humanities

Jane Kenyon (1947-1995) died from leukemia in 1995, a writer in her prime whose work was steadily rising in popularity and amassing critical acclaim. Earlier that year, she had been appointed Poet Laureate of New Hampshire and left behind a rich body of work, including "Otherwise"-the featured work in this Poet's Pen. Kenyon was married to fellow writer Donald Hall (1928-2018) and wrote this piece in response to her husband's presumptively terminal cancer diagnosis. Though Hall's writings have been used extensively in the medical humanities, an argument can be made that several of Kenyon's works are just as worthy of inclusion. Many of her poems provide important insights into topics like bereavement, caregiving, and mental illness, making them ideally suited for consideration as part of health humanities education.