Pause for Peace: Loving in a Broken Time

Pause for Peace: Loving in a Broken Time

Episode Title: Pause for Peace: Loving in a Broken Time — featuring a poem by Frederick Joseph Episode Description: In this Midweek Pause for Peace, Laura Davis brings a poem that looks directly at the wreckage of our moment — and finds something glowing in the rubble. Frederick Joseph's "Loving in a Broken Time" neither flinches from the mess nor surrenders to it. Paired with peaceful imagery, this episode offers a midweek breath for anyone who needs a reminder that love and hope still have something to say. What Laura Covers in This Episode: Why Laura was drawn to this poem's rare ability to hold unflinching honesty and tenderness at the same time The thread of hope Joseph weaves through a landscape that doesn't pretend the world is anything other than broken How poetry can serve as a nervous system reset — even, and especially, when it names hard truths An introduction to Frederick Joseph, a three-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose work spans poetry, nonfiction, and young adult fiction About Host Laura Davis: Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with over 35 years of experience helping writers craft powerful, authentic stories. She is the author of seven books, including the award-winning memoir "The Burning Light of Two Stars," which won the BookLife Prize in 2021. Laura is also co-author of the groundbreaking book "The Courage to Heal." Through her Midweek Pause for Peace podcast series, Laura pairs carefully selected poetry with peaceful imagery to support listeners' emotional wellness and nervous system regulation. Each week, host Laura Davis pairs beautiful imagery with meaningful poetry, offering listeners a respite for both heart and nervous system. These midweek pauses provide essential moments of reflection, healing, and inspiration in our complex world. Perfect for: Anyone seeking Laura Davis' signature blend of poetry and peace, those managing stress and anxiety, and listeners who appreciate thoughtful, heart-centered content. About Frederick Joseph: Frederick Joseph is a three-time New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from Yonkers, New York, whose work spans poetry, nonfiction, children's literature, and young adult fiction. His books include the poetry collection We Alive, Beloved; the bestselling nonfiction titles The Black Friend and Patriarchy Blues; the collaborative volume Better Than We Found It; and the acclaimed YA novel This Thing of Ours. He is the recipient of both the Letter Review Poetry Prize and Essay Prize, and has been recognized on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and honored with the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Vanguard Award, among many other honors. Visit him at: https://frederickjoseph.com/ [https://frederickjoseph.com/] and on Substack at https://frederickjoseph.substack.com/ [https://frederickjoseph.substack.com/] CONNECT WITH LAURA DAVIS Join Laura's Community: Subscribe to Laura Davis' Midweek Pause for Peace series for consistent, nurturing content that honors both your need for beauty and your nervous system's need for calm. The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully crafted reflections, prompts, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more. Subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/ [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/ [https://lauradavis.net/]   This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

The Work I Am Not at Liberty to Quit

Episode Title The Work I Am Not at Liberty to Quit: A Writing Prompt That Gets to the Heart of What Matters Episode Description In this episode, acclaimed author and writing teacher Laura Davis shares one of her most powerful and enduring writing prompts—a favorite she's returned to again and again in more than twenty years of teaching. Drawing on a beloved essay-turned-poem as inspiration, Laura invites listeners into a prompt designed to strip away the noise and get straight to the core of what a person is here to do. She reads her own raw, deeply personal response, offering a rare glimpse into her own creative and emotional life. What Laura Covers in This Episode The essay Laura uses as a launching pad for one of her most resonant writing prompts Why this particular prompt cuts through surface-level answers to reach something truer Laura's own unfiltered response to the prompt, touching on family legacy, marriage, creativity, and presence How repetition and rhythm can become a writing tool for emotional excavation The difference between what we do and what we are not at liberty to quit Why Laura believes this prompt works for writers at any stage, on any subject Episode Highlights Laura introduces the essay-turned-poem that inspired this week's prompt and explains why it resonates so deeply with writers She reveals the exact prompt she gives her students: "The work I am not at liberty to quit" Laura reads her own response, beginning with a raw, repeated line about opening her heart She reflects on inherited anxiety, ancestral legacy, and the pull toward stillness Laura explores what she's learned about love and marriage from a place of hard-won self-awareness She names the habit she considers the "antithesis" of her real work—and why she keeps circling back to it Laura shares a story about a friend's parenting philosophy that changed how she thinks about saying yes The episode closes with an invitation for listeners to try the prompt themselves About Host Laura Davis Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with more than 35 years of experience helping writers uncover and tell their most essential stories. She has written seven books, including her BookLife Prize-winning memoir The Burning Light of Two Stars, and co-authored the groundbreaking The Courage to Heal. Laura teaches online writing classes, workshops, and international retreats through The Writer's Journey, including her Creative Camino pilgrimage program through Spain. She writes and podcasts weekly at The Writer's Journey, sharing prompts, craft techniques, and reflections on the writing life. Resources Laura Mentions "An Address to My Fellow Faculty Who Have Asked Me to Speak About My Work" [https://brevitymag.com/nonfiction/an-address-to-my-fellow-faculty/] by A. Papatya Bucak, published in Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction Laura's memoir, The Burning Light of Two Stars [https://lauradavis.net/the-burning-light-of-two-stars/] The Writer's Journey Roadmap [https://lauradavis.net/] — Laura's weekly writing prompts The Writer's Journey Substack and podcast [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Key Takeaways from This Episode A single, well-chosen writing prompt can bypass the surface and lead straight to essential truth Repetition of a phrase or line can be used deliberately to build emotional momentum on the page Naming what you're "not at liberty to quit" can clarify priorities far more effectively than a goals list Writers can use another writer's work as a springboard without losing their own voice The habits that feel most productive—like multitasking—can sometimes be the biggest obstacle to real creative and emotional work Episode Call-to-Action Listeners are invited to try the prompt for themselves: "The work I am not at liberty to quit." Laura encourages writers to let the phrase repeat, follow it wherever it leads, and share their reflections or an excerpt of their writing in the comments on Substack. Connect with Laura Davis Subscribe to The Writer's Journey on Substack: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/ [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Learn about Laura's classes, books, workshops, and international retreats: https://lauradavis.net/ [https://lauradavis.net/] The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully curated poems and nature photos, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more. You can subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/ [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/ [https://lauradavis.net/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Pause for Peace: Pray for Peace

Episode Title: Pause for Peace: Pray for Peace — featuring a poem by Ellen Bass Episode Description: In this Midweek Pause for Peace, Laura Davis shares a poem by her longtime friend and co-author Ellen Bass — a poet whose work, Laura says simply, sings. "Pray for Peace" is a poem that refuses to keep the sacred confined to temples and kneeling benches. Paired with peaceful imagery, this episode offers a midweek reminder that prayer, in its broadest and most human sense, is hiding in plain sight — in every ordinary act of an ordinary day. What Laura Covers in This Episode: Why Laura chose this particular poem by her longtime collaborator and friend Ellen Bass, and what makes Bass's voice so distinctive How "Pray for Peace" expands the very definition of prayer — and why that expansion matters right now The way Bass weaves the mundane and the sacred together until the line between them disappears An introduction to Ellen Bass — Guggenheim Fellow, Chancellor Emerita of the Academy of American Poets, and one of the most celebrated poets writing today About Host Laura Davis: Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with over 35 years of experience helping writers craft powerful, authentic stories. She is the author of seven books, including the award-winning memoir "The Burning Light of Two Stars," which won the BookLife Prize in 2021. Laura is also co-author of the groundbreaking book "The Courage to Heal." Through her Midweek Pause for Peace podcast series, Laura pairs carefully selected poetry with peaceful imagery to support listeners' emotional wellness and nervous system regulation. Each week, host Laura Davis pairs beautiful imagery with meaningful poetry, offering listeners a respite for both heart and nervous system. These midweek pauses provide essential moments of reflection, healing, and inspiration in our complex world. Perfect for: Anyone seeking Laura Davis' signature blend of poetry and peace, those managing stress and anxiety, and listeners who appreciate thoughtful, heart-centered content. About Ellen Bass: Ellen Bass is a poet and teacher who earned her MA in creative writing from Boston University, where she studied with Anne Sexton. Her poetry collections include Mules of Love, The Human Line, Like a Beggar, and Indigo (2020), and her poems appear regularly in The New Yorker, American Poetry Review, and many other journals. She co-edited the first major anthology of women's poetry, No More Masks!, and her nonfiction books include the groundbreaking The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Youth. A Chancellor Emerita of the Academy of American Poets, Bass founded poetry workshops at Salinas Valley State Prison and the Santa Cruz, California jails, and teaches in the MFA writing program at Pacific University. Her honors include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Lambda Literary Award, the Pablo Neruda Prize, and four Pushcart Prizes. Visit her at: https://www.ellenbass.com/ [https://www.ellenbass.com/] CONNECT WITH LAURA DAVIS Join Laura's Community: Subscribe to Laura Davis' Midweek Pause for Peace series for consistent, nurturing content that honors both your need for beauty and your nervous system's need for calm. The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully crafted reflections, prompts, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more. Subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/ [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/ [https://lauradavis.net/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Our Time Will Come

Episode Title: Our Time Will Come: Keep Fighting with Joy Episode Description: Some words stop you in your tracks. In this episode, Laura Davis shares a passage from J. Drew Lanham — MacArthur Fellow, wildlife biologist, and poet — that has strengthened her again and again. It names the fire, the fuel, and the only rain that matters. What Laura Covers in This Episode: A passage from J. Drew Lanham that Laura returns to when she needs steadying Why joy is not escape — it's the backing fire A brief introduction to Lanham and his MacArthur Fellowship-winning work Key Takeaways: Despair is the fuel. Joy is the rain. Write, sing, paint, shout for it. Fireproof your heart — and keep the ember glowing. Our time will come. Fight joyfully until it does. About J. Drew Lanham: Joseph Drew Lanham is an American author, poet, and wildlife biologist awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2022. Learn more about his work here [https://www.macfound.org/fellows/class-of-2022/j-drew-lanham]. Connect with Laura Davis: Substack: laurasaridavis.substack.com [http://laurasaridavis.substack.com] Website & Retreats: lauradavis.net [http://lauradavis.net] The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully curated poems and nature photos, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more. You can subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/ [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/ [https://lauradavis.net/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Pause for Peace: testify

Episode Title: Pause for Peace: testify — featuring a poem by Eve L. Ewing Episode Description: In this Midweek Pause for Peace, Laura Davis brings a poem that made her want to walk through her day celebrating beauty — and hopes it does the same for listeners. Eve L. Ewing's "testify" is a poem rooted in the Black church tradition of bearing witness: to grace, to survival, to the unexpected gifts hiding inside an ordinary afternoon. Paired with peaceful imagery, this episode is a midweek invitation to notice what is still golden, even now. What Laura Covers in This Episode: Why this poem stopped Laura in her tracks and sent her back into her day with fresh eyes The tradition of testifying — bearing witness to blessing, protection, and survival — and how Ewing brings it alive on the page How a single walk home becomes a portal to something larger, and what that means for how we move through the world An introduction to Eve L. Ewing, award-winning poet, scholar, and cultural organizer whose work spans poetry, nonfiction, theater, and Marvel Comics About Host Laura Davis: Laura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with over 35 years of experience helping writers craft powerful, authentic stories. She is the author of seven books, including the award-winning memoir "The Burning Light of Two Stars," which won the BookLife Prize in 2021. Laura is also co-author of the groundbreaking book "The Courage to Heal." Through her Midweek Pause for Peace podcast series, Laura pairs carefully selected poetry with peaceful imagery to support listeners' emotional wellness and nervous system regulation. Each week, host Laura Davis pairs beautiful imagery with meaningful poetry, offering listeners a respite for both heart and nervous system. These midweek pauses provide essential moments of reflection, healing, and inspiration in our complex world. Perfect for: Anyone seeking Laura Davis' signature blend of poetry and peace, those managing stress and anxiety, and listeners who appreciate thoughtful, heart-centered content. About Eve L. Ewing: Eve Louise Ewing is a writer, scholar, and cultural organizer from Chicago, and an associate professor in the Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago. She is the award-winning author of five books, including the poetry collections Electric Arches (2017) and 1919 (2019) — which was adapted into a hit play by Steppenwolf Theatre — the nonfiction work Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago's South Side, and her most recent book, Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism, an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller. She is also co-author of the play No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks and has written several Marvel Comics series, including Ironheart and Black Panther. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and many other venues. "testify" was originally published in Poem-a-Day on January 28, 2022, by the Academy of American Poets at poets.org [http://poets.org]. CONNECT WITH LAURA DAVIS Join Laura's Community: Subscribe to Laura Davis' Midweek Pause for Peace series for consistent, nurturing content that honors both your need for beauty and your nervous system's need for calm. The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully crafted reflections, prompts, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more. Subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/ [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/] Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/ [https://lauradavis.net/] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe [https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]