About

Dear Stranger,

I’m Josh Bailes. I’ve been writing poetry off-and-on since high school. I’ve never really shared any of it – partially out of fear that it won’t resonate – and partially because it was never something I just set out to do. As I am rounding the bend towards 40, I thought it was high time I put myself “on the hook” as Seth Godin says – and share something I love doing.

Letters to Strangers was inspired by Billy Collins in a MasterClass course where he recounts a story about Roger Angell meeting an admirer on the streets of New York City. The punch line is Angell saying “That’s what writing is all about, the love of strangers.” The more I think about it, most of us are strangers – even to ourselves. I aim for my thoughts and poetry to be a kind of a letter to strangers – myself included.

Best,

Josh