Reclaiming Our Stories: The Poetry of Everyday Life
Sometimes women don’t write because they don’t believe they have anything worth saying. That somehow the intricate tapestry of their life—with its quiet revelations, necessary survivals and complex emotional journeys—is not worthy of being told.
Mary Oliver once wrote, "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it." These words are a manifesto for the poetry of ordinary life—an invitation to see the beauty hiding within the mundane.
Poetry therapy invites us to see our own lives as worthy of astonishment. I think of Oliver as I watch the way steam rises from my morning coffee. Laced amidst the delicate river rising sings the story of my mother, my partner, my years of solitude. I keep a notebook near me at all times for these revelations.
Our lives are our living poems.
Rewriting the Narrative of "Enough"
For too long, women have been told their stories are too small. Too domestic. Too ordinary. But what if the seemingly simple, is the sacred? What if the rhythms of chopping vegetables, the silent understanding between long-term partners, the way our hands now move exactly like our mothers'—what if these are the most profound prose we will ever write?
"Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table," Joy Harjo writes, pointing to that worn surface witnessing our daily story of endurance. She understood, truth doesn't live in grand declarations or polished performances. Truth lives in the kitchen—between dirty dishes and half-empty coffee mugs, in the soft edges of our most unassuming moments.
Excavating the Truths We Carry
During the Coming Home to Your Voice: Bird Wisdom for the Journey Within signature course, a participant wrote this ode to ordinary magic:
Tea
In a fancy pot for two, three,
six feathered friends, each with
a lace of pain.
Around their shoulders, their
aches eased by a herbal
weave.
Long may we gather in
salutation as we dry herbs for
a brew of restoration.
By Kate Symmans ( New Zealand based artist)
An Invitation to Attention
Our lives are not a series of curated moments. They are complex, messy, beautiful narratives written in the language of lived experience.
A truth might look like:
The way grief settles into your body during a mundane morning
The silent strength found in decades of friendship
The unexpected liberation of sun stroking your back
The profound love carried in a single load of folded laundry
Pay attention, Oliver instructs us. And what is paying attention if not the most profound act of love?
Practices of Paying Attention
1. Astonishment Journaling - 2-4 minutes
Sit at your kitchen table. Write what astonishes you- exactly as you see it:
The light catching a water glass
The unexpected softness of your own hand
The resilience of a daily routine
2. Object Storytelling- 5-7 minutes
Choose an ordinary object. Your grandmother's measuring spoons. A chipped mug. A faded apron. Ask it: What stories have you witnessed? What secrets do you hold?
Write from the perspective of the object.
3. Embodied Writing (8-10 minutes)
Choose a domestic chore- as you complete it, pay attention.
What movements do your hands make?
Where does your mind wonder?
What truth are you telling about who and what you love in the completion of this chore?
Write whatever arises.
The Wisdom of Imperfection
Your writing doesn't need to be perfect. It needs only to be true. This is about witnessing. About recognizing that the seemingly small moments are the actual fabric of our lives.
David Whyte reminds us in his poem “Everything is Waiting for You":
"You must note
the way the soap dish enables you,
or the window latch grants you freedom.
Alertness is the hidden discipline of familiarity."
Witnessing Ourselves Authentically
Poetry is an act of bearing witness. To ourselves. To our families. To the complex, beautiful, sometimes painful truth of living.
This week, I invite you: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.
Want to Dive Deeper?
Join our upcoming free Monthly Poetry Circles in March 2025. Together, we'll explore how poetry and expressive writing can reignite your life with meaning.
Ready for more? Attend our introductory workshop: "Poetry for Self-Discovery" coming in May 2025. This 90-minute introduction to poetry therapy is perfect for women curious about using poetry for personal transformation.
May your words be awake. May they be alive. May they be true to you.
About the Author:
Suzy Willow is an experienced Poetry Therapy practitioner and facilitator specialising in supporting professional women through life transitions. Known for her gentle guidance and intuitive prompts, Suzy creates safe spaces for women to explore their inner landscapes through poetry. Through individual guidance and group sessions, she helps women find their voice and vision during periods of change.