What You Call Work I Make Beautiful Again: A Writing Exercise with a Poem by Ashley M. Jones and Art by Romare Bearden
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 40 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 10-15 minutes
“What you call work I make beautiful again.”
- Ashley M. Jones
Pause.
Take three deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale. Then set a timer for two minutes and gaze at the art below.
Romare Bearden, In the Garden, 1979. Lithograph in color.
Prompt.
Read “Photosynthesis” by Ashley M. Jones.
Read it one more time then copy down the final stanza of the poem. While you’re writing down this last part of the poem, notice where the energy is for you in this stanza.
Practice.
Set a timer for 10 minutes and respond to In the Garden, “Photosynthesis” and/or the statements and questions below.
—Write what you know about growing vegetables and flowers.
—Write what you don’t know about growing vegetables and flowers.
—What’s one thing a parent or caregiver taught you?
—What are some of your legacies from previous generations?
If you like, use your notes to begin a new poem, story, essay, or letter to a friend.
Want More?
Read Lullaby for the Grieving by Ashley M. Jones
Read What the Mirror Said: The Necessity of Black Women in Poetry by Ashley M. Jones
Read more about Romare Bearden and the art above
*
Become an SDW Insider and reserve your copy of Spiritual Direction for Writers: Everyday Rituals for Your Writing Life AND receive access to the All of Life Is the Writing Life Deep Dive online course—a preorder perk that explores how the mantra “All of life is the writing life” shows up in the Spiritual Direction for Writers book.
SDW Book Notes—A place for book preorder links, updates, resources, notes, and musings
Flourish Anyway with Rhythms, Rituals, & Retreats
Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon. You can explore more of Charlotte’s work and offerings at Flourish Anyway®.
*Please help us protect our intellectual property, our creative process, and the integrity of our work. Spiritual Direction for Writers® Daily Nourishment is covered under the Spiritual Direction for Writers® trademark. You are welcome to share this link with others, but any other use (written or spoken) is prohibited without written permission from Charlotte Donlon.