I have a new project in the works. It's an idea of one way for me to counter the disastrous effects of having lost all my bookings, and therefore income, for the foreseeable future. As a full-time touring artist, this season is hitting me, and most of my friends in the business, very hard.
So, last week, I sent out a notice on social media, that if anyone was interested, and they could maybe offer a small donation (and I don’t care how little... or much), to send me a “prompt” or “theme” having to do with what’s on their hearts during this difficult time. What’s on your mind? What are you worried about... wondering about... or, even, celebrating in a season of seclusion?
Response has been wonderful, verging on surprising, and it is truly having an effect on the financial damage. At the same time, though, it has turned into a very emotional, encouraging, and uplifting journey. I’ve already written and sent poems to almost 20 people now that I have dedicated to them. And there have been many tears, laughs, and smiles. Just an incredible experience so far.
Because of this, we’ve now determined to turn this into a book by mid-summer. So, the poems, with their dedications, will appear in the book.
I’m very excited about this. So, let me know if you’re interested in joining in. And, on the donations, I’m working mostly with Venmo and PayPal, though I’ve also had people write checks and mail them. But, I want to reemphasize, the amount is not important. I know that people are being affected financially themselves, and in very different ways, so I want to make sure everyone feels free to participate, without worrying about that part of it.
Many thanks,
Nathan