A Well-Traveled Poem 2.0

Almost 10 years ago, I launched a project called “A Well-Traveled Poem.” The project consisted of a simple notebook and a dream. On the inside cover, I wrote some simple instructions. I asked whoever received the notebook, to write a poem. Once their poem was completed, they were charged with mailing it to another person. When all the pages were filled, I asked the last author to get in contact with me to mail it back. Once the book was in my possession, I would figure out a way to publish our collective poems.

I dreamed of the places that book would go. In its short life, it traveled from my home in Washington to Oklahoma and to Austria. But somewhere along the way, the book fell into hands that were less than impressed with the project. The book stagnated and the project died, but the hope remains.

Today, I am launching “A Well-Traveled Poem 2.0.” Instead of mailing a notebook, we are going to use the power of the internet to collect stories from around the world. The instructions are pretty simple. If you are reading this, I would encourage you to submit a poem using the form below. Once your poem has been received, I will publish it here on Natetheworld. After that, I will log your location using the map below. After your poem has been published, I would encourage you to share it far and wide in hopes of attracting other poets and increasing the pins on the map. Finally, I would encourage you to check back often to see how the project has grown.

Now, some fine print. The poem is your property. At any time, you can request its removal from my website. I will not advertise anywhere in this space, and will not make money off your poem. When submitting your poem, you are free to use a penname. But please share where you are writing from, or the project will not work. For poems submitted in languages other than English, I will use Google Translate to publish your poem in English. Finally, editorial discretion is mine and mine alone. I encourage you to write honestly about your experiences, but I will not publish poems that are harmful to marginalized groups nor will I publish anything that encourages harm to oneself or others.

With all that said, happy submitting. I honestly cannot wait to read your poem and share it with the world.