AURORA - Sometimes words can heal the soul like no drug or doctor's visit.

This truth circulated through Wells College last Tuesday, as several writers and physicians read portions of “The Healing Muse,” a compilation of literature centered on the stories of practitioners, patients and caretakers.

The not-for-profit journal, now in its sixth year of publication, blends poetry, essays and short stories submitted from across America and proof-read by staff at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Wells English professor Bruce Bennett began the event by welcoming Dierdre Neilen, Ph.D, the editor of “The Healing Muse.” Neilen acquainted audiences with the journal by going over its genesis with the late Dr. Bonnie St. Andrews, a professor of bioethics and humanities at SUNY Upstate.

“It seemed like the kind of work that should come to everyone's attention,” Neilen told the audience. “It was Bonnie's idea of a place for people to talk about real things.”

Neilen soon introduced Dottie Holcomb Doherty, a first-time contributor to “The Healing Muse” whose face had not been seen by even the journal's editorial staff prior to the day's event. Doherty read aloud “Quaking Bogs,” a densely detailed account of her struggle with the neurological distress caused by multiple sclerosis.

“Looking across the sparkling water, I know the gathering clouds could bring a downpour at any moment, with accompanying lightning and hail. Such warnings are not available with MS; I do not know what form my next neurological storm will take, nor when it will arrive,” Doherty wrote.

Dougherty's account of her trials as the afflicted was contrasted by “Letter to a Young Doctor,” an essay from Dr. Deborah Young Bradshaw about the alienating effects of caregiving.

“The loneliness has its real origin in the general agreement in society and in organized medicine itself that physicians are not allowed to feel anything other than compassion. Exhaustion, rage, revulsion, fear. Nearly every day of your work you will feel these things. Yet your profession requires not just that you deny it but that you not feel it in the first place. What would people say if they knew their doctor was frightened?” Bradshaw wrote.

Dr. Nancy Schreher then shared with the audience a deeply personal piece about her father-in-law's fight against colon cancer titled “Second Glance.” The story spans from Dan's diagnosis to a suspenseful series of upturns and downturns in his condition. Its conclusion comes in a Friendly's restaurant, where Scherer and her husband, Bill, tearfully rejoice in their ability to dine out with the recovering Dan.

“If you had seen us, nothing remarkable would have caught your attention or lingered in your mind after your initial glance. But if you had taken a second glance, if you had watched carefully, you might have wondered why we held our breaths to maintain the delicate equilibrium, why we wiped stray tears aside as Dan ordered his grilled cheese sandwich and a chocolate milkshake,” Schreher wrote.

The storytelling continued with selections from “Distortions” by Naomi Heilig and “A Melian Dialogue” by Karen Malpede, which were read to the audience by Neilen and associate editor Rebecca Garden, Ph.D., respectively. Two poems penned by Bennett - “Sign Language” and “Cycle” - wrapped up the reading.

“('Cycle') is about how bad things happen, but we still hope, we have to hope and sometimes it's justified because it's part of our nature to struggle against bad things and keep hoping,” Bennett said. “I think the magazine is all about facing bad things with the right attitude.”

Before the evening's concluding supper was served, Neilen and Garden answered questions from the students in attendance. Several focused on the possibility of publishing their work in “The Healing Muse,” and both Neilen and Garden sought to encourage submissions - even funny ones.

“I don't want people to think this is just a drag,” Neilen said.

Neilen and Garden went on to outline the rule of submissions to the journal: Nothing can be previously published and any number of works can be sent, but they must not total more than 10 pages. Garden encouraged any aspiring writers to speak about any experience they have in the realm of health or medicine.

“The 'Muse' is our fantasy world where we give physicians a voice alongside the patients themselves,” Garden explained.

The writing ambitions of Wells students were piqued by the opportunity “The Healing Muse” represents as a potential outlet for their work. But they were also riveted by the raw emotion of the stories told in Macmillan Hall's Art Exhibit Room that day.

“I thought they were very moving and a good representation of what the magazine is, it's important for anyone who's gone through health issues or just been to the doctor,” said sophomore English major Ali Nolan. “And the writing was very good.”

Schreher's “Second Glance” resonated strongly with sophomore English major Eric Freel.

“My uncle died of cancer, and before he died he was a big fan of milkshakes,” Freel said.

Bennett's other English students in attendance were similarly touched by the stories told from “The Healing Muse.”

“Both in classes and in e-mails I got, they kept using the word 'wonderful,'” he said. “I think the magazine really speaks to everybody in just the right way.”

Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net