[encore] 1172: From Blossoms by Li-Young Lee

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily
Episode: [encore] 1172: From Blossoms by Li-Young Lee
Release Date: July 8, 2025
Host: Major Jackson (Produced by APM Studios in partnership with The Poetry Foundation)

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Introduction

In this encore episode of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, hosted by Major Jackson, the team revisits a beloved poem, "From Blossoms" by Li-Young Lee. This episode highlights community connections and personal reflections on how poetry serves as a beacon of hope and unity, especially during challenging times.

Community Submissions and Reflections

Producer Micah Kielvan kicks off the episode by reflecting on the podcast's initiative from the previous spring, where listeners were invited to submit poems that helped them "slow down." [01:02] He emphasizes the beauty of this interaction, stating, “it was such a beautiful way to connect with our community.” Recognizing the impact of these submissions, Micah introduces featured community members who share their personal connections to the selected poems.

Candice Howes: Finding Hope in Poetry

Candice Howes, a marketer and writer from North Carolina, shares her poignant experience with poetry during the pandemic. [01:25] She recounts how, amidst the chaos of early 2021, she turned to the internet for solace and stumbled upon a poem that resonated deeply with her personal struggles.

“I felt like it really spoke to where I was in my life at that time. Everything's kind of like falling apart, but you have these little things like thinking about what that means.” [01:35]

Candice highlights the poem's ability to inspire hope and encourage individuals to cherish the small joys in life. She further appreciates the communal aspect of poetry, feeling a sense of unity and shared experience whenever she reads the poem.

“I also feel like I'm in that moment with someone else, and so I really like the feeling of unity that I think this poem kind of inspires.” [02:15]

Her reflection underscores the role of poetry in fostering connections and providing comfort during societal and personal upheavals.

Host AJ Jackson: A Personal Anecdote Inspired by "From Blossoms"

AJ Jackson, the host, delves into a narrative that intertwines personal experiences with the essence of "From Blossoms." [02:39] He begins by humorously comparing grocery shopping to sports competitions with his wife, setting the stage for a deeper exploration of appreciation and mindfulness.

AJ narrates a trip to Northern California, where he and his wife encounter an exceptionally designed grocery store. The experience of awe and paralysis before the store leads them to choose the simplicity of a farmer's market instead.

“The entire store felt like an imperial temple to human consumption, and yet we were frozen in its perfection.” [03:10]

This incident becomes a metaphor for the poem's themes—celebrating simple, natural abundance over artificial perfection. AJ connects this to the recitation of "From Blossoms," emphasizing the spiritual bounty and joy derived from nature and human connection.

He recites key excerpts from the poem, capturing its vivid imagery and emotional depth:

“From blossoms comes this brown paper bag of peaches we bought from the boy at the bend in the road...” [04:00]

“Oh to take what we love inside to carry within us an orchard to eat not only the skin but the shade...” [04:45]

AJ's interpretation reinforces the poem's celebration of life's simple pleasures and the profound satisfaction found in nature's offerings.

Conclusion

This episode of The Slowdown beautifully encapsulates how poetry can serve as a sanctuary and a bridge among individuals. Through Candice Howes' heartfelt reflection and AJ Jackson's engaging storytelling, listeners are reminded of the profound impact that poetry can have on our lives, especially during times of uncertainty. "From Blossoms" by Li-Young Lee stands as a testament to the beauty of simplicity and the enduring spirit of human connection.

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• Website: slowdownshow.org
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• Instagram: @downdownshow

Produced by APM Studios in partnership with The Poetry Foundation and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Transcript

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[Micah Kielvan]

Hey, it's producer Micah Kielvan. Thanks for staying tuned as we get ready to return with a new host. Last spring, the Slowdown team and I asked you to help us select for the podcast to send in poems that have helped you slow yourself down. It was such a beautiful way to connect with our community that we wanted to reshare these episodes. Here's one of our community curators to share what's special about their submission.

[Candice Howes]

My name is Candice Howes. I live in North Carolina. I am a marketer by day and a writer by night, morning or whenever. I'm not procrastinating. Early 2021, I was in the Pandemic and I was like, well, I'm just gonna like, get on the Internet and read some random poems and try to cheer myself up. And somehow I stumbled across this poem and I felt like it really spoke to where I was in my life at that time. Everything's kind of like falling apart, but you have these little things like thinking about what that means. I think my biggest hope is that someone who hears this poem fills a sense of hope and is inspired to really grasp a hold of those little joys that are in our life. And I think it's especially important now just because personally and as a society, there's so much that we're carrying and so much that we're working through. Something else I liked about the poem is how communal it feels whenever I read it. I also feel like I'm in that moment with someone else, and so I really like the feeling of unity that I think this poem kind of inspires.

[AJ Jackson]

I'm AJ Jackson and this is the Slowdown it's funny how some people treat grocery stores like sports teams. My wife denies this, but when we first dated, she sized up the bakery section of my local store and said, you called that a bagel? As if I missed a soccer goal. That was it. The competition was on. I kept tally of every carton of furred raspberries and pesticide laden non organic vegetable at her store. She made fun of cramped aisles and expired cheeses still in refrigerators at my store. I pointed to poorly shelved condiments and she complained about cheerless checkout staff. This kind of ribbing makes for solid relationship building, but didn't exactly build mutual understanding. Secretly, we both thought our shopping experience superior. Then we traveled to Northern California and walked into a grocery store. It seemed built for some future Eden, the gold standard of food shopping. The competition between us was over. We stopped in our tracks after walking through the automatic doors and slowly scanned this wonder before us. The store's spaciousness, curated lighting, extra buffed floors and stately signage gave serious red carpet vibes. The produce section seemed arranged by an interior designer. Fruit sparkled in meticulous rows, baguettes bulged out of wicker baskets, and potted flowers capped every aisle. The entire store felt like an imperial temple to human consumption, and yet we were frozen in its perfection. We dared not disturb what felt like walking into an art installation. We backed out and drove to a farmer's market. We strolled from booth to booth, talking to local growers, and took in the earth's harvest. Today's poem exults in that bounty of spiritual abundance and celebrates the joy inside us yielded from the land From Blossoms by Lee Young Lee from blossoms comes this brown paper bag of peaches we bought from the boy at the bend in the road where we turn toward signs painted peaches from laden boughs from hands from sweet fellowship in the bins comes nectar at the roadside Succulent peaches we devour Dusty skin and all comes the familiar dust of summer dust we eat. Oh to take what we love inside to carry within us an orchard to eat not only the skin but the shade, not only the sugar but the days to hold the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into the round jubilance of peach There are days we live as if death were nowhere in the background. From joy to joy to joy, from wing to wing from blossom to blossom to impossible blossom to sweet impossible blossom. The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter and find us on Instagram @downdownshow.

[Micah Kielvan]

This old house Radio Hour is your new home improvement podcast. In each episode, we answer your questions. Whether you're fixing a leak, refinishing a floor, or restoring a century old house, our roster of experts have the answers to help you get the job done right.

[Candice Howes]

I never thought I'd be saying this to a bunch of people I'm just meeting, but I have a stinky house.

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Tell us more.

[AJ Jackson]

I want the details.

[Micah Kielvan]

Find this Old House Radio Hour in your favorite podcast. Apparently.