_ royale elixir pharmacia du amor -- a poetry pharmacy 2009

Suffering an existential crisis? The pain of heartbreak? Psychic bail out? Disconnect between mind and body? General malaise or melancholia? The Royale Elixir Pharmacia du Amor is a poetry pharmacy that prescribes just the right poem to heal you. Poets, writers, artists, and musicians will listen carefully to your symptoms, assess your situation, and provide you with a poem scrolled in a pill bottle, along with detailed directions on how to consume it. Contact us for more details. Love is limitless. The Royale Elixir Pharmacia du Amor knows just what you need.

for people...

SAMPLE PRESCRIPTION:

NAME: Dxxxxxx Exxxxxxx
AILMENTS: lack of creative identity/boxed in/low ceiling/scratchy, institutional voice/high doses of florescent lighting
SYMPTOMS: longing, hunger, aching, numbness, dull pain
ALLERGIES: no known allergies
SHIPPING ADDRESS: xxxxxxxxxx Chicago, IL 606xx

Rx: Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

Directions: Read poem 3x over the next 3 weeks until signs of awakening occur. Memorize 2 lines and whisper to self at night. Repeat as necessary until symptoms wane.

Take as directed.

BEFORE READING POEM: Breathe. Find a quiet place away from distraction.
CAUTIONS: Do not read poem under florescent lighting; do not panic if healing lag time occurs.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: heightened criticality of the institution; desire to bolt and run free; belief that you can fly
OVERDOSE: not possible

Once healed, feel free to distribute as needed.

December 2009

for outer space objects...

SAMPLE PRESCRIPTION:

NAME: SPUTNIK
AILMENT: less than nominal orbit, currently at 200 km x 917 km but should be 223 km x 950 km
ALLERGIES: hypergolic propellants; bad poetry but not bad enough
SHIPPING ADDRESS: xxxx xxxxx Chicago, IL
606xx

Rx: A Clear Midnight, by Walt Whitman

Directions: Keep in sealed, dry space pocket; Astronaut whispers once at 203 km x 924 km; wait 5 days; shout poem at highest volume when reaching 223 km x 950 km; if toxicity occurs, contact god immediately; nominal orbit depends on faith

BEFORE READING THIS POEM: make peace with the mystery of stars; let go of nationalist performance anxiety
CAUTIONS: may cause euphoric visions of world peace; may cease space-race; POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: inter-planetary communion with other life forms; hydrozinical hallucinations; the desire to learn how to swim with dolphins.
OVERDOSE: contact god immediately for further direction should you keep spinning in orbit but never align.

December 2009

for adored household items...

SAMPLE PRESCRIPTION

NAME: ISOMAC VENUS
AILMENT: slight calcification of pressure lines
SYMPTOMS: less crema than usual
ALLERGIES: Starfucks

Rx: "An instant of the earth..." by Italian poet Milo de Angelis, copyright 2005

Directions: Channel 52-watt vibratory pump as pressure builds; read poem 3x fast just as temperature rises to optimum heat; face pressure-gauge and read again slowly as steam rises; repeat as necessary

BEFORE READING THIS POEM: make sure relief-valve allows excess anxiety to be redirected to water resevoir
CAUTION: reading poem at high speed may cause extreme steam production; crema may taste more Italian than usual
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: profound homesickness
OVERDOSE: stop taking poem as soon as calcification fades; contact the Elektra family for more information

December 2009