Serious respect for your exploration of how these endeavors of joy and sharing can start getting pulled by our natural responses to attention. This sounds like a lot of fun! And reminds me of reading something by I *think* Roxanne Gay years ago (I could be totally wrong about that) after her work started to be very widely known, that she no longer found joy in writing. That made me really sad. (It also made me rethink my approach to writing because even then, well over 15 years ago, it paid dismally, and the low pay didn’t justify the loss of joy to me.)
Thank you, Antonia! And funny enough, I was actually journaling through some of these ideas yesterday. Particularly with what you said about not wanting to diminish the joy you’ve found in writing. I had to rebuild my writing approach and what it looks for me to share my work publicly. To find consistency because I want to keep doing this while not setting myself up for burnout. And of course, on a regular basis, gently nudging myself toward what really matters. These systems are set up to destroy us, and it’s too easy to get to caught up in their current.
It’s a super cool idea. But I think I get what you’re saying about your relationship with it after it got big. I’ve got a couple of projects I wish would get bigger than they are, but I don’t want them to stop being what they are, and I think sometimes that’s what happens when things get known and popular. (I’m actually pondering a post about this for when I get back from vacation this week.
Thank you, Jenn! And that’s exactly it. For me, it was also worth considering—if this project is going to continue to grow, am I meant to grow with it?
I love getting to keep the door open for people to continue to participate while being able to explore other creative expressions.
I’d love to read the post you’re pondering, looking forward to hopefully learning more!
I’ll keep you, er, posted. Meanwhile, yeah—that question about whether we’re supposed to grow (in the same way?) with the thing we started is a good one. I recently preached something about that which, if you’re curious and willing to sit through a sermon 😁, you can listen to, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-at-the-center/id1476172293?i=1000662644654
Love this beautiful initiative of hope. Spreading joy, I once found a stone which said Peace one day on my chair, it was poignant at that moment in time for me. I took a photo, carried it with me for a few days then left it in another place for someone else.
Thanks, Tara! I love things like that. When people found Car Window Poetry poems, I would encourage them to embrace their poem for as long as they needed and then pass it on to someone else. Continuing to give those words life.
Poetry, what a gift, especially when delivered so unexpectedly like this.
Words on a slip of paper become an offering of human connection. I love your generosity of spirit in doing this, Alex, and how you flipped the thought of getting a ticket or an ad for something you don't want. I appreciate the attention was overwhelming and derailed things, but to follow your instinct like this and put something sincere in the world is worth celebrating.
It reminds me of a past project I've helped on at a place called the Ministry of Stories in East London. The kids loved putting words in surprising places: squeezed out in ketchup on cafe tables, scrawled in chalk on playground tarmac, dangling from trees, peeping out of dispensers…
Love this- I really like how you're honest about knowing when it was time for you to take a step back/backseat on the project. I sometimes get caught up in the kind of gamification of self-promotion via social media (even though social media sort of drains the life out of me)- it's really good to remember what we're trying to do with our writing and taking our egos out of it!
Whew. Working in social media, I can definitely relate with the gamification of promotion. That's my entire job lol. But like you said, that honesty with myself has been so helpful. To know I don't need Car Window Poetry for me to be worthy of love, and that Car Window Poetry can go on without me being the face of it. I appreciate you reading and always engaging so thoughtfully!
Social media is also such a useful tool! It’s just hard for me to figure out how to use it in the best/most intentional way sometimes. Yes, you build something wonderful with Car Window Poetry and now it’s a community that can continue with you taking a step back- that’s a beautiful thing!
I really enjoy your work- very happy to be engaging with it!
I love how something small can blow and become bigger than ourselves. A lot of pride of what's been done and achieved but a lil scary especially when the project has later on a life on its own. It is a brillant idea anyway 😊
That moment when people's masks come off must be interesting. The morally shady love to hide behind charitable causes for some reason. Perhaps it is their two cents to silence bad conscience, lol.
Starting this project during an election season highlighted that people who love the aesthetics of kindness often have the worst politics. They want everyone to “get along” as if history can be washed away and the oppressed should just hold hands and sing kumbaya with their oppressors now.
This is how we met! I think about CWP every now and again. I thought (and still believe) it was a beautiful idea. A unique way to love our neighbor and spread hope. Thanks for showing up and giving what you have and for being real through it all.
It is! You were one of the first writers I interviewed for the Poet Spotlight series I was doing. Fun to see how our lives and creativity have evolved since then. Thank you for being one of the voices reminding us that our words are worth sharing however we choose to express them!
Alex, what a beautiful idea! Poetry is a profoundly human endeavor, and that you conceived of this unique way to bring it so many speaks volumes. Thanks for sharing!
What a great idea. Car window poetry. And doing workshops with elementary school kids - how terrific. There's so much talent in the world. And, BTW, I love Garden of the Gods. Went there early one morning after we had taken a road trip to see TOOL 2 1/2 years ago.
Serious respect for your exploration of how these endeavors of joy and sharing can start getting pulled by our natural responses to attention. This sounds like a lot of fun! And reminds me of reading something by I *think* Roxanne Gay years ago (I could be totally wrong about that) after her work started to be very widely known, that she no longer found joy in writing. That made me really sad. (It also made me rethink my approach to writing because even then, well over 15 years ago, it paid dismally, and the low pay didn’t justify the loss of joy to me.)
Thank you, Antonia! And funny enough, I was actually journaling through some of these ideas yesterday. Particularly with what you said about not wanting to diminish the joy you’ve found in writing. I had to rebuild my writing approach and what it looks for me to share my work publicly. To find consistency because I want to keep doing this while not setting myself up for burnout. And of course, on a regular basis, gently nudging myself toward what really matters. These systems are set up to destroy us, and it’s too easy to get to caught up in their current.
So, so true!
It’s a super cool idea. But I think I get what you’re saying about your relationship with it after it got big. I’ve got a couple of projects I wish would get bigger than they are, but I don’t want them to stop being what they are, and I think sometimes that’s what happens when things get known and popular. (I’m actually pondering a post about this for when I get back from vacation this week.
Thank you, Jenn! And that’s exactly it. For me, it was also worth considering—if this project is going to continue to grow, am I meant to grow with it?
I love getting to keep the door open for people to continue to participate while being able to explore other creative expressions.
I’d love to read the post you’re pondering, looking forward to hopefully learning more!
I’ll keep you, er, posted. Meanwhile, yeah—that question about whether we’re supposed to grow (in the same way?) with the thing we started is a good one. I recently preached something about that which, if you’re curious and willing to sit through a sermon 😁, you can listen to, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/church-at-the-center/id1476172293?i=1000662644654
Love this beautiful initiative of hope. Spreading joy, I once found a stone which said Peace one day on my chair, it was poignant at that moment in time for me. I took a photo, carried it with me for a few days then left it in another place for someone else.
Thanks, Tara! I love things like that. When people found Car Window Poetry poems, I would encourage them to embrace their poem for as long as they needed and then pass it on to someone else. Continuing to give those words life.
I love the idea of keeping a poem until it’s healing is done and then passing it on! Alex
Poetry, what a gift, especially when delivered so unexpectedly like this.
Words on a slip of paper become an offering of human connection. I love your generosity of spirit in doing this, Alex, and how you flipped the thought of getting a ticket or an ad for something you don't want. I appreciate the attention was overwhelming and derailed things, but to follow your instinct like this and put something sincere in the world is worth celebrating.
It reminds me of a past project I've helped on at a place called the Ministry of Stories in East London. The kids loved putting words in surprising places: squeezed out in ketchup on cafe tables, scrawled in chalk on playground tarmac, dangling from trees, peeping out of dispensers…
https://ministryofstories.org/support-us/unexpected-poetry/
Thank you, Amar. I appreciate your kind words. And I checked out the Ministry of Stories. So cool, thank you for sharing!!!
Love this- I really like how you're honest about knowing when it was time for you to take a step back/backseat on the project. I sometimes get caught up in the kind of gamification of self-promotion via social media (even though social media sort of drains the life out of me)- it's really good to remember what we're trying to do with our writing and taking our egos out of it!
Whew. Working in social media, I can definitely relate with the gamification of promotion. That's my entire job lol. But like you said, that honesty with myself has been so helpful. To know I don't need Car Window Poetry for me to be worthy of love, and that Car Window Poetry can go on without me being the face of it. I appreciate you reading and always engaging so thoughtfully!
Social media is also such a useful tool! It’s just hard for me to figure out how to use it in the best/most intentional way sometimes. Yes, you build something wonderful with Car Window Poetry and now it’s a community that can continue with you taking a step back- that’s a beautiful thing!
I really enjoy your work- very happy to be engaging with it!
I love how something small can blow and become bigger than ourselves. A lot of pride of what's been done and achieved but a lil scary especially when the project has later on a life on its own. It is a brillant idea anyway 😊
Thank you, Claire! I appreciate that. I'm glad Car Window Poetry doesn't need me to go on (beyond paying for the website domain 😂)
🤣🤣🤣
I knew you were famous
Nah hahahaha
That moment when people's masks come off must be interesting. The morally shady love to hide behind charitable causes for some reason. Perhaps it is their two cents to silence bad conscience, lol.
Starting this project during an election season highlighted that people who love the aesthetics of kindness often have the worst politics. They want everyone to “get along” as if history can be washed away and the oppressed should just hold hands and sing kumbaya with their oppressors now.
I couldn't love this more! ❤️ A lighthearted personal touch in an often cynical and disconnected world.
Thank you!!
This is how we met! I think about CWP every now and again. I thought (and still believe) it was a beautiful idea. A unique way to love our neighbor and spread hope. Thanks for showing up and giving what you have and for being real through it all.
It is! You were one of the first writers I interviewed for the Poet Spotlight series I was doing. Fun to see how our lives and creativity have evolved since then. Thank you for being one of the voices reminding us that our words are worth sharing however we choose to express them!
Bro you’re a legend. This is amazing. ☀️☀️
My guy! Thank you 🙏🏽🙏🏽
Ok actually YOU dropped this today… 👑👑👑👑
A day I get to drop a newsletter the same day as Dia is one of my favorite types of days
Alex, what a beautiful idea! Poetry is a profoundly human endeavor, and that you conceived of this unique way to bring it so many speaks volumes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Ramya! It makes my heart happy that people are still sharing poetry in this way 🥰
What a great idea. Car window poetry. And doing workshops with elementary school kids - how terrific. There's so much talent in the world. And, BTW, I love Garden of the Gods. Went there early one morning after we had taken a road trip to see TOOL 2 1/2 years ago.
Thank you.
Thank you so much! And yes, Garden of the Gods is beautiful. Can’t wait to go back one day!