"I look forward to the day I learn to be unyielding as hickory / not without fear that it will scare others away, / but to possess such self-assuredness that I will simply say / anything, anyway, / then only the brave will stay." 

A poem about breakfast, growing up, learning how to stay strong & true to yourself in all your relationships . . . 

You can find the full text to this poem on my instagram: @keepingkings

Or go to my website https://monicajeanswanton.wixsite.com/monicajeanswanton/morning-toast 

"I’m not the kind of heaven you thought you’d find, the sky said, spreading itself across the floor . . ."

one of my all-time favorite poems -- beautifully addresses our preconceptions of the nature of the universe, explores transcendence, defines light, color, movement, our role in reality and everything beyond 

Read full poem at https://monicajeanswanton.wixsite.com/monicajeanswanton/little-allegory

Instagram: @keepingkings

Hey guys, welcome back to Keeping Kings. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to listen to this podcast — I know you guys lead busy lives so my goal here is to give you quality content. I’m not here to give you fluff or waste your time, I wanna make sure you’re gaining new insights with each and every episode.

Today we’re going to talk about Walt Whitman, and I’m gonna try to be cool about it, but you’re gonna find out pretty quickly that I am absolutely head over heels in love with everything he’s ever written. So the particular excerpt I’m going to talk about today is a quote from Walt Whitman’s famous poem, Song of the Open Road, which was published in 1856 in his collection Leaves of Grass. 

It has become my personal manifesto ever since I read it for the first time in high school. I wrote it on my graduation cap. I doodled it on algebra notes, I sharpied it onto my arm before I was able to get it tattooed. I underlined it in the copies of Leaves of Grass at the library. I actually borrowed the audiobook copy of Leaves of Grass — it was copied onto a CD and I used to drive around and listen to it in my car. I’m full-on psycho about this quote. I just think maybe it’s the most important thing ever written and I need everyone to know about it.

Be sure to check out my website for bonus content, and my Instagram is @keepingkings.

Don't forget to subscribe! Thanks for listening.

Love,

In this episode, I talk about Gwendolyn Brooks's poem "We Real Cool" and how it demonstrates an exercise of empathy by exploring the perspective of another. I also break down the form and rhythm of the poem, and consider a few different ways we can interpret the last line, "We die soon." I also mention Drake & Audrey Hepburn? You really never know what you're in for with this podcast. 

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love to hear about it in the ratings and reviews for this show.

Show notes can be found on my website here, (if the link doesn't work, you can copy & paste the URL below) where you can read the poem and watch some cool videos about Gwendolyn Brooks herself. 

monicajeanswanton.wixsite.com/keepingkings/show-notes

Connect with me on Instagram @keepingkings

Love,

"Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

In this episode, I read Mary Oliver's "The Summer Day" and talk a little bit about my experience with this poem and how my perception of it has changed over the past six years. I ask myself what prayer means to me and even consider the ways in which I am taming my own life through practiced limiting thoughts and beliefs. 

Show notes for this episode can be found here, you guys can follow me on Instagram @keepingkings

Thanks for listening.

Love,

"Do you know how many books the average person reads per year? Literally two or three, for the entire year. And yet, the average CEO is reading four or five books per month. That's a drastic difference."  — Jim Kwik (brain fitness expert and speed reading coach)

In this episode, I talk about the importance of reading and engaging with writing on a daily basis, how it can serve as a form of escapism, boost our mental health, expand our knowledge and cultural awareness, make us more empathetic, and even make us more successful. I also talk about the various ways in which reading can be made accessible to us in our digital age (this podcast being one of them!). 

Follow me on IG: @keepingkings

Show notes and links to my sources can be found on my blog here. 

Thanks so much for listening.

Love,

Recent grads, this is for YOU! In this episode, I talk about how post-college life is NOTHING like I expected. I'm gonna let you in on the secret as to why I wasn't getting a job even though I was saying and doing all the right things. I also talk about my student loans, and how the fear of financial insecurity can drive you to dismiss your interests and force you into a career path that may not even be right for you. 

This episode can also be found in writing on my blog, featuring some cute pics of my school and lots of coffeehouse study sessions. 

You can also find me on Instagram @keepingkings.

New blog posts everyday, new podcast episodes on weekdays.

Lots of Love,

The Summer Day

Who made the world?

—Mary Oliver, 1992

Instagram: @keepingkings

Hey guys, it’s Monica Jean, welcome to Count The Luminous Things. Every day I upload a new episode where I talk about some of my favorite and most inspired pieces of writing, with the hope that it’ll give you something to think about as you go through your day.

This is my first-ever episode and we’re starting off with one of my all-time favorite writers, Mary Oliver.