Students find expression in pharmacy’s Poetry Project

What do Alicia Keys, the NSYNC, T-Pain, and Adele have in common?

Their lyrics can collectively capture the pain, disorientation, and tragedy of dementia. At least, they can in the hands of a creative pharmacy student.

“Old Memories,” a poem by MUSC College of Pharmacy student Vincencia Trowell, provided a poignant moment during a poetry reading on November 15, 2023. The reading was the dramatic culmination of the Poetry Project, part of the “Intro to Pharmacy Practice” course taught by Kristy Brittain, professor of clinical pharmacy and outcomes sciences.

Each student submitted a poem of at least 16 lines with each line coming from a different work of art, creating a narrative about something health care related. Brittain read many of the poems on behalf of reticent or anonymous poets, but several students performed their own.

Touching on subjects from depression and suicide to dementia, with a few lighter moments on issues like constipation, the poems allowed students to express themselves in cathartic ways.

“The assignment helps them build research skills but it also gives us great insight into how well they’ve internalized the impact of various disease states,” said Brittain. “It can also give us some perspective on the class; if half the students choose stress as a topic, we need to make sure they start taking fuller advantage of all our wellness resources.”

For Trowell, the Poetry Project provided the opportunity to pull together lines from artists and works meaningful to her and craft them into a powerful evocation of loss. Her grandmother had early onset dementia before passing away.

“She was aware of who she was and who she was talking to but she would always tell us the same stories about the funny things her grandchildren did when we visited as young children,” said Trowell, a first-year pharmacy student who is a U.S. Navy veteran and served as a pharmacy technician since 2012.

After finishing her last tour with the Navy, she decided to pursue furthering her career while continuing to provide service in the pharmacy field.

“I had the opportunity to work with very inspiring pharmacists throughout the years,” she said. “Now I am enjoying learning about the many career fields offered behind the pharmacy profession.”

 

Old Memories

By Vincencia Trowell ’27

Woke up this morning, Can’t remember nothing.

Old memories

It’s a black and white that you cant change 

I must be losing my mind

Say my name say my name

You know my name

Try it if it feels right

I really need mine now

 

Old memories

It’s a Black and White that you can’t change

Is it insane?

I know your face I know your name

But I don’t Know you

Going out my head I think I’m losing my mind

Though my heart is beating for you, I Can’t stop cryin

 

Old Memories

It’s a Black and white that you can’t change

Hello from the other side.

It ain’t nothing you can do about it

It’s been real hard to talk to one another

Since we had a chance to get together

You’ll be looking for me in the morning

But the truth remains

The truth remains you’re gone

Old Memories

 

References

Adele. “Hello.” 25. XL Recordings; 2015

Tamia. “Stranger in my House.” A Nu Day. Elektra Records; 2001

Destiny Child. “Say My Name.” The Writing on the Wall. Columbia Records; 1999

T-Pain. “Say It.” Rappa Ternt Sanga. Zomba Recording;2005

Takeoff. “Memory.” The Last Rocket. Quality Control; 2018

Tasha Cobbs. “You now my Name.” Heart Passion Pursuit. Capitol CMG, Motown; 2017

Tems. “Free Mind.” For broken Ears. Tems; 2020

Keys, A. “Old Memories.” KEYS II. RCA Records; 2022

Keys, A. “Is It Insane.” KEYS II. RCA Records; 2022

Keys, A. “You don’t know my Name.” The Diary of Alicia Keys. RCA/JIVE; 2003

Aiko, J. “Stranger.” Sailing Souls. Def Jam Recordings; 2011

Ashanti. “Foolish.” Ashanti. Murder Inc.; 2002

R. Kelly. “When a Women’s Fed Up.” R. Zomba Recording Corporation; 1998

The O’Jays. “Family Reunion.” Family Reunion. Sony Music ENT; 1975

Odunsi. “In the Morning.” Universal Music Nigeria; 2017

NSYNC. “Gone.” Celebrity. Zomba Recording; 2001

Jorja Smith. “I am.” Black Panther: The Album. Top Dawg Entertainment;2018