LETTERS : Oh what . . .

I WAS very interested in Hester Lacey's report ("A poem a day keeps dejection at bay . . . '', 1 January) on poetry taking the place of Valium. I am a manic depressive and have been right through the drugs spectrum and none seemed to work the orac le; however, an interesting point is when I am in a manic depression I find it easy to write serious verse, some quite beautiful - here is an example: Last night in the twilight gloom A butterfly flew in my room Oh what beauty Oh what grace Who needs visitors from outer space.

Spike Milligan London W2