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“Poetry and Science; individually, but especially together are instruments for knowing the world more intimately and loving it more deeply. We need science to help us meet reality on its terms and we need poetry to help us broaden and deepen the terms on which we meet ourselves and each other.” – Maria Popova
This is the world we live in. The juxtaposition of poetry and science. This is the head and the heart, the yin and the yang, the earth and the sky, the body and the soul, nature and art. This is the quantitative and the qualitative. In science we need the quantitative, to measure and test outcomes. And in poetry and art we need the qualitative, the ‘feeling’, and the experiences that goes beyond numbers. And the question I’d like to pose is - Can you really have one without the other? Poetry and Science?
Take the poem Trees by Joyce Kilmer:
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
A poem? Yes. An aesthetic work of art? For sure. But a tree? Nature… science. Without science, do we have this art? And after reading this poem, do you think of a tree differently?
And then there is Leonardo da Vinci. A painter. And an engineer, an architect, an astronomer, a botanist, a sculptor, a cartographer. An artist and a scientist. For no one in history does one’s art influence one’s science and does one’s science influence one’s art. He studied geology, mathematics, optics, tribology, and anatomy (to name a few) - all of which influenced his art. He conceptualized flying machines, armored fighting vehicles, solar power, and neuroscience, all in intricate drawings… art. All of which were brought to fruition hundreds of years after his time, scientifically matched in his sketches.
And when Leonardo painted, he didn’t just look at a subject subjectively, he studied all of the underlying elements, including light, color and focal point. When painting people, he exhaustedly studied anatomy. He studied, skeletal structure, the nervous system and the intricate workings of muscles. The study and understanding of human anatomy had a profound impact on his art, believing that a painting was a scientific activity and that every aspect of a painting should be based on a true understanding of nature. He literally dissected approximately 30 corpses for study and made detailed drawings of muscle structure and the inner workings of the human body. All to inform his art. He’s considered the first painter in history to capture ‘motion’ in a still painting. And his most famous painting of all? The Mona Lisa. Is she smiling? How many muscles does it take to make a smile? Leonardo knew.
“To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.” – Leonardo da Vinci
Think of architecture… science and art. Fashion… science and art. Aerospace design… science and art. Look up at the stars, a flower in bloom, a child developing from conception to birth, furniture construction, a perfect glass of wine, Scarlett Johansson. And food! The chemistry of the ingredients and temperatures and how we cook… science for sure. But when you look at the perfect shrimp scampi in a restaurant, or my grandmother’s tomato sauce, it’s poetry on a plate. (And your palate!)
And Music
Music is designed sound. Sound is heard through sound waves interacting with our anatomy and creating a map in our brains to put it all together in magical harmony. And if the aesthetics of the music speaks to you, to your soul, dopamine is released in your brain (the pleasure neurotransmitter). You ‘feel’ it on an almost spiritual level. You experience it in your body and in your soul. Poetry and science.
Music Therapy
Music therapy, like all the creative arts therapies (art therapy, drama therapy, dance therapy, etc.), is a combination of science and art. It’s quantitatively and qualitatively measured. The statistics of the research shows the outcomes of intervention in producing change and the aesthetics of the art creates felt and lived experiences.
In a hospital setting, music therapy addresses both the physical needs (such as stress and anxiety) as well as the psycho-social needs (such as emotional support and coping) of the patients we work with. On the physical side, our bodies work with music. We want harmony in our lives and to feel ‘in-tune’. We ‘entrain’ to rhythm. For example, when working with a patient who is anxious, I will initially match the tempo of the music to their heart rate (entrain) and then as I gradually slow the tempo, the heart rate will often follow, prompting a relaxation response. Or, when working with pain, I will use tension and release in the music to help with pain perception. (Minor to major chords – dissonance to resolve - tension to release). On the psycho-social side, I will find meaningful songs that helps bring back a ‘sense of self’ or a ‘sense of control’. Or, perhaps, songs that enhance feelings of empowerment or reflection. Songs that comfort the body and soothe the soul. We may write music together that expresses their feelings about their illness or struggles.
Imaging shows that our brains respond differently when music is involved. When we speak, one area of the brain actives, ‘Broca’s’ area, located in the left frontal lobe. However, when we sing, play an instrument, or even listen to music, we see activity in multiple parts of the brain in both hemispheres. This is why we can help, say, someone who has had a stroke get their voice back through singing:
A word. One word. One word to start. She had an unexpected stroke, a left-brain injury that also took away her ability to speak. But with intense work, our brains can heal… (and music can help.) One reason we use music therapy in neurorehabilitation is that music activates multiple parts of our brains in both hemispheres. And when both hemispheres are ‘active’, neuropathways are created, working to ‘help’ the compromised areas. But our speech comes from a specific area, on the left side, so a stroke can cause aphasia, and verbal communication is hindered. Speaking is compromised. But if we sing… other areas of the brain kick in. I heard that she loves Elvis. When I walked into the room, she was sitting in the chair, her face ‘flat’ and just gazing at me. She said nothing when I said “Hello”. She said nothing when I asked, “How are you doing?”, although, she appeared to try. There were no words. But I saw ‘life’ in her eyes. I took out the guitar and started an easy shuffle rhythm, just bringing some music in to start. I eventually worked my way to the first verse of Hound Dog. She seemed to be listening. I stopped, then sang the first verse again. After a few times, I stopped, looked at her and said, “Ready?” “You ain’t nothing but a hound ____.” I paused. Again, “You ain’t nothing but a hound ____.” And then the third time was the charm… I heard it - “dog.” She sang “dog”. I looked at her and smiled. “Yes! Let’s do it again!” And again… “dog”, right in rhythm. Right on pitch too! A word. Sung. A lyric, so embedded in her brain—our brains also love predictions that it is taught throughout our lifetimes, like lyrics of favorite songs. “Dog.” One word. One word sung. One word to start. A new beginning. Poetry and science.
Music therapists study neuroscience, anatomy, physiology, and psychology. Music therapists are also trained musician. A blend of poetry and science (art and science). Every day in my work I see the benefits of science and I feel the benefits of art - and how one informs the other and vice-versa. Or, more importantly, how one needs the other and vice-versa.
Science shows us how things work. Poetry (art) helps us feel why things work. Science shows how things exist. Poetry (art) shows us why we exist. It’s the perfect combination.
To quote the character George, when referring to art, in Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday In The Park With George:
“Order.
Design.
Composition.
Tone.
Form.
Symmetry.
Balance.
More light!
Color and light
There's only color and light
Yellow and white
Just blue and yellow and white
Look at the air, miss—
See what I mean?
No, look over there, miss—
That's done with green...
Conjoined with orange...”
The power of poetry and art. And music… And music therapy…
Raymond Leone, MMT, MT-BC is a board-certified music therapist based in Northern Virginia and writes extensively about music and wellness.
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