July Holiday Links Writing Prompts: Li-Young Lee and Philip Levine

Links to recordings of Li-Young Lee and Philip Levine reading poems, plus two writing prompts

Good morning writers! I’m on holiday this week and next, so I’m sending along a couple of links to recordings and prompts by email for those of you who want to keep up with your Wednesday writing practice.

Last week, we looked at the work of Li-Young Lee, and two of his poems reminded me of well-loved poems by Philip Levine, former Poet Laureate of the USA, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to share them with you this week.

As a warm up, write a list of words that comes to mind for BLOSSOM, then BLOOM. Use those words in your writing below.

Lee’s “From Blossoms” reminded me Levine’s “The Simple Truth”, which you can also watch him read here. As we tried together last week, now with Levine’s poem (and potatoes) in mind, write again about bringing something simple into your home and see where it takes you.

Lee’s poem “Gift” - which you can watch him discuss and read here - also connected me to this earlier poem “Starlight” by Levine, about sitting on his father’s shoulders looking up at the night sky. Try writing about a time when you wanted to ask if another person (possibly a parent) was happy.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these ‘holiday’ prompts. I’ve scheduled another set of written prompts to land in your email inbox next Wednesday morning, and will be back to Marjorie’s Table live on 16th July. Have a great week, and happy writing!

Marjorie