Halfway Reflections
And a halfway request
Dear Laureate Project Listeners,
I wanted to take a moment to say hello and thank you to everyone who has found their way to The Laureate Project! I started this effort a little less than a year ago without much of an idea where it would go. Needless to say, it is well on its way somewhere.
I recently released the 25th instalment of this series, which makes this the halfway point of The Laureate Project. To mark the occasion, I’ve put together some brief reflections, which you can listen to here:
For those curious about a couple of other thoughts I’ve had recently about this project, I had the chance to pen a column for the phenomenal Poetry from Daily Life series run by the Poet Laureate of Missouri, David L. Harrison, which you can read here.
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I’d like to close this year with a request to anyone who has connected with these pieces to donate whatever you like to support this work. This has never been about making money, but it would also be nice not to lose any if I can. I'm a one-man operation, so the costs are fairly small, but I'm still paying for a couple of largely unavoidable fees like music licensing and web hosting. If you've listened to any of these pieces and found something you've liked or that has stuck with you, I encourage you to donate whatever you can here.
If donating isn’t an option, another way to support this project would be to share it with someone you think would appreciate it. When this work began, I’ll admit that I knew pretty much everyone subscribing to it. But now, I’m regularly getting notifications of people I’ve never heard of signing up receive to these emails. Dearest strangers, thank you! Each time that happens, I can’t help but smile.
I’m going to take some time off and then get to work on the next batch of pieces. For now, I’ll leave you with one more poem that feels a fitting coda to the year. Long time listeners will, of course, recognize the words of Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House.
New Year Prayer
Find a body of water, and be still
beside it for a time. Build a fire
and watch the flames. Sit on the porch.
Lie on the grass. Light candles. Take
a deep breath. Write a letter to
someone. Discover something new
everyday. Learn. Tell stories. Listen
to old people. Ask them questions.
Give to others when you can and treat
yourself occasionally. Read real
books and newspapers. Always buy the
grocery store flowers if they catch
your eye. Remember that there is power
in moderation. Learn to cook or bake
a new dish. Enjoy every meal. Savor
your food. Drink water. Any chance you get,
hold a baby. When the opportunity
arises, dance. Always swim or wade
in the water. Study leaves. At least once
this year, pee outside. Be completely
quiet. Turn your favorite song up
loud. Sing along. If someone makes you feel
bad all the time, get away from them. Laugh
with others. Laugh while you’re alone. Spend time
with animals. Don’t judge. Think this: “There but
for the grace of God go I” or “Everyone
you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Forgive others. Forgive yourself.
Courtesy of Silas House. Unpublished.
MH
Featured music:
"Sweet Nina" | Leimoti | Courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com/
