Totally Booked with Zibby

Episode: Poetry That Makes Motherhood Beautiful with Jessica Urlichs

Host: Zibby Owens
Guest: Jessica Urlichs
Date: March 3, 2026

Episode Theme & Purpose

In this heartfelt episode, Zibby Owens sits down with New Zealand poet and author Jessica Urlichs to discuss Jessica’s new poetry collection, They Bloom Because of You: Poems on the Infinite Love, Growth and Magic of Motherhood. The conversation delves into the candid truths of motherhood—its anxieties, joys, and the essential need for mothers to feel seen. With readings from the book, discussions about the writing process (including taking creative risks and self-publishing), and plenty of emotional resonance, this episode is a moving exploration of what it means to love, nurture, and grow as a parent and as a creative.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jessica’s Journey into Motherhood Poetry

• Early Writing as Processing
  • Began writing poetry when her children were very young as a way to process postnatal anxiety.
  • Hesitated to share at first due to fear of judgment.
  • "It was this most resounding, like, same. Me too. Oh, my gosh, you get it? Like, it was incredible." (Jessica, 05:36)
• Building a Community
  • Sharing online resulted in unexpected community and support from other mothers.
  • Key Insight: Authentic vulnerability helps others feel seen.

2. From Private Writing to Publication

• Transition to Publishing
  • Wrote privately for years before self-publishing her first collection.
  • Did not initially consider traditional publishing; saw it as out of reach until her children’s book had success via a publisher. (08:18)
• Children’s Book Success Story
  • The Rainbow in My Heart was written to help her young autistic son articulate feelings.
  • After facing rejection, Jessica cold-called publishers—eventually leading to her partnership with Hachette.
  • "If I hadn't just, you know, gone out on a whim... the worst they can say is no. They said yes." (08:46)

3. Selections and Readings from “They Bloom Because of You”

• Poetry as Shared Experience
  • Zibby reads multiple poems aloud, sparking emotional responses from Jessica.
  • Poems touch on the full spectrum of motherhood—the overwhelming love, physical and emotional fatigue, and future anxieties.
• Memorable Readings & Reflection
  • "I'll Hold Your Hand" (10:20): Focuses on steadfast support through life’s highs and lows.
  • "Coffee Is Not Enough" (12:39): Injects humor into the exhausting day-to-day of parenting.
  • On why the poetry resonates:
    • “For each crack in the earth, a star shines above. For each heart that breaks, someone’s falling in love. And for every beginning, there will be someone you miss. You can hold my hand through it. I’m so glad you exist.” (Zibby reading Jessica’s poem, 10:44)
  • "More Than a Body" (13:58): Addresses body image and modeling self-acceptance to her daughter.
  • "You'll Always Be With Me" (15:11): Deeply emotional poem about a child’s fear of loss and the unbreakable mother-child bond.
    • Jessica discusses how poetry helps process and communicate these complex feelings.

4. The Power of Honest Motherhood Writing

• Feeling Less Alone
  • Both Jessica and Zibby reflect on how poetry brings mothers together by naming the unspeakable moments.
  • “If you can read your emotions through the lens of someone else... it’s that instant connection and feeling of being less alone.” (Jessica, 24:44)
• Global Universality of Motherhood
  • Despite cultural differences, the core experiences and emotions of parenthood are shared worldwide.
  • “Hopefully [the poems] will take all the divisiveness and just focus so much more on what binds us together as loving creatures.” (Zibby, 26:52)

5. Creativity, Writing Process, and Encouragement

• On Writing Habits
  • Jessica writes when inspiration strikes, not daily; rejects the notion that writers must write every day.
  • Encourages aspiring authors not to fear dormant creative periods: “If you’ve got something in you, it never leaves you.” (Jessica, 27:52)
• Supporting Each Other
  • Zibby offers encouragement to Jessica and listeners: parenting is messy, exhausting, and universal, but it does get easier with time.
  • “You’re helping the rest of us... no matter what age kids we have.” (Zibby, 30:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Starting Out:

  • "I just needed to process what I was going through at the time... I did suffer from postnatal anxiety... and I just found myself writing, and that writing kind of turned into poetry."
    — Jessica, 04:42

• On Sharing Vulnerably:

  • "There will be other mums out there who feel this way... and it was the most resounding, like, ‘same. Me too. Oh my gosh. You get it?’ Like, it was incredible."
    — Jessica, 05:32

• On Rejection and Persistence:

  • "Their feedback wasn’t actually that forthcoming. But I thought, it’s just one person’s opinion... Maybe someone out there will believe in me."
    — Jessica, 08:28

• On the Emotional Weight of Parenting:

  • "The hardest part of this whole thing is... all we want is to be there for them, we can’t. Or we might not. Isn’t that just the hardest thing to bear?"
    — Zibby, 16:51

• On Receiving Feedback:

  • "What also really helps me is having other people read my work and come back and say, ’this really helped me,’ or, ’wow, I really understand...’ We’re making these connections."
    — Jessica, 24:47

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [04:42] Jessica on starting to write poetry as a new mom with young children
• [08:14] Decision to self-publish and break into children’s books
• [10:20] Zibby reads “I’ll Hold Your Hand”
• [12:39] Zibby reads "Coffee Is Not Enough"
• [13:58] Discussion of “More Than a Body” and body image for daughters
• [15:11] Zibby reads “You’ll Always Be With Me”—discussion of grief and impermanence
• [19:20] Story of writing a poem for a dying mother’s young son
• [24:37] The importance of poetry for personal processing and building community
• [26:18] Announcement of a new children’s book (“You’ll Always Be My Baby”)
• [27:34] Writing habits and encouragement for aspiring writers
• [29:10] Conversation about changing challenges in motherhood as kids grow

Closing Reflection

This episode is a moving testament to how poetry can capture parenthood’s most subtle, sacred, and sorrowful notes. Through Jessica Urlichs’ words—and Zibby Owens’ thoughtful engagement—listeners are reminded that while the work of motherhood can be isolating, the sharing of its truths is unifying. Each poem is a window into the joys, fears, laughter, and aches that come with raising children, and Jessica’s gentle candor provides comfort, validation, and hope.

Episode Summary Compiled by Podcast GPT