(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

At first glance, the Poetry Pharmacy stall at the Sharjah International Book Fair looks like a dispensary. Rows of small glass jars line the wooden shelves, neatly stacked and labelled with bold, comforting titles, First Aid, Calm, Words for Love, Becoming, Comfort, Joy, Wild Remedy, and Inspiration. But these bottles hold no medicine. Instead, each one carries verses printed on a tiny scroll of paper, rolled like a capsule, ready to be“prescribed” for the heart and mind.

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It is a pharmacy for emotions, not ailments. Visitors pause to browse, choosing their own literary treatment from shelves marked Prescriptions in bright red and yellow. A chart nearby guides the undecided: Feeling Lost? Start Here. Under each category, a poetic cure waits,“For days when the world is too much,”“For courage and authenticity,” or“For all matters of the heart.”

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The UK-based concept has become one of the most talked-about attractions at the 44th edition of SIBF, held under the theme“Between You and a Book.” It invites readers to see poetry not as something distant or academic, but as something practical, intimate, and healing.

Founder Deborah Alma, a poet and editor often referred to as the“Emergency Poet,” says the idea was born from a belief that literature can work like therapy.“In the UK, our bookshops are divided by emotional state,” she said, speaking at SIBF.“You shop according to what you need. What you see here are poems in pill bottles, each capsule contains a scroll with a verse that fits your feelings.”

At the stand, visitors receive small paper prescription slips headed Poetry on Prescription. The“pharmacists,” dressed in white coats, fill in the visitor's name and write a dose of words, sometimes funny, sometimes tender. Inside the capsule might be a verse by Tagore, Emily Dickinson, or Maya Angelou, printed on a narrow strip of paper.

The concept began with Alma's anthology Emergency Poet: An Anti-Stress Poetry Anthology, which explored how poems could soothe anxiety and grief. Over time, her travelling“poetry ambulance” in the UK grew into two full bookshops and an international project.“It's lovely to be back in Sharjah,” she said.“People here are so warm and curious. Coming from a UK winter to the Sharjah sunshine feels like stepping into summer.”

At SIBF, the stall stands out with its deep red facade glowing with the“Poetry Pharmacy.” Inside, everything from the display jars to the books themselves feels carefully arranged to calm and invite reflection. Visitors can buy the bottles for Dh45 or the matching books for the same price. Each category, from Comfort to Joy, is colour-coded: blue for serenity, orange for love, pink for inspiration.

For many fairgoers, it is one of the most photographed spots of this year's event, combining literary charm with visual delight. Several visitors described it as the“perfect gift” - something small enough to hold, yet thoughtful enough to last.

As one visitor said while unrolling a verse from her“First Aid” bottle,“Sometimes you don't need advice or solutions - just the right words at the right time.”

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