I interviewed the artist, musician, actor, Saul Williams many moons ago and asked him this question that I think has many similarities to this great piece Alicia:
-Martîn Adan wrote in his book, The Cardboard House ‘Is it
sane to become lyrical when life turns ugly?’ What’s your
take on this?-
Lyricism in those regards is not an attempt to by lyrical.
It is a way of seeing things. It’s a way of placing things,
placing words, and arranging/aligning/expressing thoughts,
ideas, and the ideology behind them.
My so-called lyricism is often punctuated by a lot of ‘Fuck
That’, and ‘motherfuckers’, and middle fingers, and the
whole nine. But I think, the goal of lyricism, in my case
at least, is to not only present ideas that people have
like ‘speak truth to power’, but I’m looking at lyricism as
coding. I’m looking for an algorithm. I’m looking to
streamline ideas and be able to express them in ways that
speak to directly to the core and essence of something that
we all already know and that we are already connected to.
That allows us to go ‘Fuck Yeah!’ or ‘Fuck this Shit.’ I’m
trying to push buttons at times, and when things turn so
ugly, that becomes crucial. It becomes urgent to be able to
speak right to the core of something. To be able to shape
words or ideas into lance-like bullets that punctures and
punctuates a moment, that can inspire or insight something
in someone. And allows them to flip that switch and go,
‘You know what? This is bullshit. What the fuck am I
participating in? What the fuck is going on here?’
Oh my online friend, and fellow traveller in the club of dead brothers -- this is so beautiful. May 2024 see us both using the sorrows we carry for the good of all -- you're ahead of me on the path, and I'm grateful for it.
Amazing writing, so much resonated about these extraordinary times we are all trying to navigate. Powerful words ...” The clarity with which we can watch democracy fail us in this moment… what do we do with it?” Thank You 🙏🏻
This was beautifully said and beautifully written. Some years ago, I was having feelings like "Who am I to feel joy when there's so much wrong in the world?" I was telling this to a woman at an activist meeting who I didn't realize had lost her husband the year prior. She basically said to me, "Do what you can to fix the world, but you've got to let yourself feel joy. Otherwise, what's the point?" I think about that a lot.
Thank you for your thinking, reflections, and words. We may all have different tools with which to hack, prick, dig, scrape, nibble, and shove, shove, shove. Feels resonant to acknowledge that we must work ⛏️ collectively from our respective positions AND that joy and beauty in our mouths and eyes can sustain us.
Excellent essay. I think you've just given me my marching orders for 2024. To share my joy around food and to make it easy for other people to understand my concerns about the food system.
While celebrating Christmas I watched the movie Hair for the first time and had a revelation connected to what you’re writing about here. Trying to articulate it fully would take its own essay, but the gist is that the songs and images were able to evoke the feelings of People Power like nothing a young millennial simply reading about it could. The subsequent critiques of the failures and limitations of the counterculture of a half century ago aren’t incorrect by any means, but it was a beautiful, shocking contrast to our collective alienation, rage and despair to see massive crowds of people belligerent about Peace and Love. As someone born long after Peace and Love burned out, it was a revelation to see that before it did, it BURNED. I was left with a craving for a heavy dose of that spirit of infectious joy to balance it all out. Thanks in no small part to your influence, I’m approaching this year with an urgent, unapologetic intention to Let the Sunshine In
I am commenting a day late because I had to sit with your writing like you often do with good writing. And allow your words to percolate, marinate, and mesh with my thoughts. As others have said, you articulated the struggles that we often grapple with when trying to express the anguish of all that is happening around us, finding our inadequacy of expression a source of frustration.
Not only is this a beautifully written piece, but what I appreciate the most is that you did not rob either yourself or your readers of the emotions we carry with us into this new year, instead using that as a powerful reminder of why we need to care and why we need to keep going. It is a privilege to start this year with such a thoughtful and thought-provoking piece of writing. Thank you, Alicia!
Thank you for writing this. You've captured how I have been feeling. The current genocide has ruptured something inside me too. As I read each paragraph, I paused to take it all in. Then I read the entire piece multiple times. “Am I allowed to feel joy right now, while I know of and empathize with and am enraged by the pain being experienced by others?” This part has been hard and I have been trying to figure that part out.
This is one of your most beautiful pieces yet. Thank you.
Beautiful. 🙏🏻🖤 A perfect first read of 2024. Thank you for it.
Brillant!
I interviewed the artist, musician, actor, Saul Williams many moons ago and asked him this question that I think has many similarities to this great piece Alicia:
-Martîn Adan wrote in his book, The Cardboard House ‘Is it
sane to become lyrical when life turns ugly?’ What’s your
take on this?-
Lyricism in those regards is not an attempt to by lyrical.
It is a way of seeing things. It’s a way of placing things,
placing words, and arranging/aligning/expressing thoughts,
ideas, and the ideology behind them.
My so-called lyricism is often punctuated by a lot of ‘Fuck
That’, and ‘motherfuckers’, and middle fingers, and the
whole nine. But I think, the goal of lyricism, in my case
at least, is to not only present ideas that people have
like ‘speak truth to power’, but I’m looking at lyricism as
coding. I’m looking for an algorithm. I’m looking to
streamline ideas and be able to express them in ways that
speak to directly to the core and essence of something that
we all already know and that we are already connected to.
That allows us to go ‘Fuck Yeah!’ or ‘Fuck this Shit.’ I’m
trying to push buttons at times, and when things turn so
ugly, that becomes crucial. It becomes urgent to be able to
speak right to the core of something. To be able to shape
words or ideas into lance-like bullets that punctures and
punctuates a moment, that can inspire or insight something
in someone. And allows them to flip that switch and go,
‘You know what? This is bullshit. What the fuck am I
participating in? What the fuck is going on here?’
Oh my online friend, and fellow traveller in the club of dead brothers -- this is so beautiful. May 2024 see us both using the sorrows we carry for the good of all -- you're ahead of me on the path, and I'm grateful for it.
Amazing writing, so much resonated about these extraordinary times we are all trying to navigate. Powerful words ...” The clarity with which we can watch democracy fail us in this moment… what do we do with it?” Thank You 🙏🏻
I
This was beautifully said and beautifully written. Some years ago, I was having feelings like "Who am I to feel joy when there's so much wrong in the world?" I was telling this to a woman at an activist meeting who I didn't realize had lost her husband the year prior. She basically said to me, "Do what you can to fix the world, but you've got to let yourself feel joy. Otherwise, what's the point?" I think about that a lot.
Thank you for your thinking, reflections, and words. We may all have different tools with which to hack, prick, dig, scrape, nibble, and shove, shove, shove. Feels resonant to acknowledge that we must work ⛏️ collectively from our respective positions AND that joy and beauty in our mouths and eyes can sustain us.
Best essay I’ve read here, Alicia. Thank you -- you found the words I have yet to see expressed (and so profoundly!).
Excellent essay. I think you've just given me my marching orders for 2024. To share my joy around food and to make it easy for other people to understand my concerns about the food system.
Best new year piece I’ve read! Thank you, thank you.
Thank you for this necessary & keen focus. So damn good, Alicia!
While celebrating Christmas I watched the movie Hair for the first time and had a revelation connected to what you’re writing about here. Trying to articulate it fully would take its own essay, but the gist is that the songs and images were able to evoke the feelings of People Power like nothing a young millennial simply reading about it could. The subsequent critiques of the failures and limitations of the counterculture of a half century ago aren’t incorrect by any means, but it was a beautiful, shocking contrast to our collective alienation, rage and despair to see massive crowds of people belligerent about Peace and Love. As someone born long after Peace and Love burned out, it was a revelation to see that before it did, it BURNED. I was left with a craving for a heavy dose of that spirit of infectious joy to balance it all out. Thanks in no small part to your influence, I’m approaching this year with an urgent, unapologetic intention to Let the Sunshine In
Bravo, Alicia!
I am commenting a day late because I had to sit with your writing like you often do with good writing. And allow your words to percolate, marinate, and mesh with my thoughts. As others have said, you articulated the struggles that we often grapple with when trying to express the anguish of all that is happening around us, finding our inadequacy of expression a source of frustration.
Not only is this a beautifully written piece, but what I appreciate the most is that you did not rob either yourself or your readers of the emotions we carry with us into this new year, instead using that as a powerful reminder of why we need to care and why we need to keep going. It is a privilege to start this year with such a thoughtful and thought-provoking piece of writing. Thank you, Alicia!
Thank you for writing this. You've captured how I have been feeling. The current genocide has ruptured something inside me too. As I read each paragraph, I paused to take it all in. Then I read the entire piece multiple times. “Am I allowed to feel joy right now, while I know of and empathize with and am enraged by the pain being experienced by others?” This part has been hard and I have been trying to figure that part out.
This piece was so deeply affecting, in the best way possible. You are using your tools so well, and I am grateful for it.
This is absolutely phenomenal! What deep, reflective and beautiful writing!