The Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2025 has introduced a unique and captivating attraction: the Poetry Pharmacy. This innovative stall, designed to resemble a traditional dispensary, offers visitors a literary remedy for their emotional needs. Rows of glass jars, neatly labeled with titles such as ‘First Aid,’ ‘Calm,’ ‘Words for Love,’ and ‘Joy,’ contain not medicine but verses printed on tiny scrolls of paper. Each scroll, rolled like a capsule, is ready to be “prescribed” to soothe the heart and mind. The concept, originating from the UK, has become one of the most photographed and talked-about features of this year’s fair. Visitors can browse shelves marked ‘Prescriptions’ and select a poetic cure tailored to their emotional state, guided by a chart that suggests categories like ‘Feeling Lost? Start Here.’ Founder Deborah Alma, known as the ‘Emergency Poet,’ explained that the idea stems from the belief that literature can function as therapy. ‘In the UK, our bookshops are divided by emotional state,’ she said. ‘Here, poems are presented in pill bottles, each containing a verse that resonates with your feelings.’ At the stall, visitors receive personalized prescription slips filled out by ‘pharmacists’ dressed in white coats. The scrolls inside the capsules feature works by renowned poets such as Tagore, Emily Dickinson, and Maya Angelou. The Poetry Pharmacy also offers bottles and matching books for purchase, each color-coded to represent different emotions. For many attendees, the stall is a perfect blend of literary charm and visual delight, making it a memorable highlight of SIBF 2025.