The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Episode 1342: And Then It Was Less Bleak Because We Said So by Wendy Xu
Host: Maggie Smith
Date: September 1, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Maggie Smith explores the powerful notion that joy itself is a form of resistance—especially in difficult times. She reflects on finding moments of joy and gratitude in a turbulent world, inviting listeners to consider how cultivating joy can be a vital, transformative force. Smith introduces and reads Wendy Xu’s poem "And Then It Was Less Bleak Because We Said So," which offers a playful, poignant meditation on togetherness, hope, and the ordinary magic found in daily life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Banner: "Joy is an act of resistance"

(01:08 – 03:00)

• Maggie shares that she has a banner with this phrase, inspired by poet Toi Derricotte, hanging in her front window.
• The banner sparks questions from visitors—especially contractors—about what the phrase means.
• Maggie welcomes these conversations and explains the importance of clinging to joy amidst adversity.

“We stood in my front yard and talked about the importance of holding tightly to joy even in difficult times. Maybe especially in difficult times, when forces are conspiring to make you feel small and helpless, to make you feel like your one life doesn’t matter.”
—Maggie Smith (01:58)

Finding Joy During Global Hardship

(03:00 – 04:10)

• Maggie acknowledges the tension between personal happiness and global suffering.
• She insists that engaging in joy is not ignorance but a deliberate act of hope and resilience.
• It is possible and necessary to advocate for change while also refusing to be consumed by cynicism or numbness.

"We can call our representatives, we can protest, we can volunteer or donate to causes we believe in. And we can enjoy our lives and refuse to become cynical or despairing or just plain numb."
—Maggie Smith (03:32)

• Joyful people are, Maggie suggests, more awake and engaged—less easy to control.

Introduction to Today’s Poem

(04:10 – 04:50)

• Maggie frames Wendy Xu’s poem as a timely meditation on holding each other and joy close when the wider world feels heavy and dismal.

Featured Poem:

"And Then It Was Less Bleak Because We Said So" by Wendy Xu

(04:50 – 06:10)

The poem itself is playful and enigmatic, filled with startling, lively imagery:

• References to “exploding into other things,” running outside to hug, and “romance as a grotto of eager stones.”
• Xu offers lines like “Your confetti tongue explodes into acid jazz,” and “the trees go on waving their broken little hands.”
• The poem foregrounds the ordinary—packing, farewells, cucumber noodles, dismantled furniture—in a world that feels uncertain.
• Central message: Even when things might go wrong, choosing connection and wonder can make reality “less bleak.”

Memorable lines:

"It is hard to pack for the rest of your life. Someone is always eating cold cucumber noodles. Someone will drop by later to help dismantle some furniture."
— Wendy Xu (05:55)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On joy as resistance:

  "I want to move through the world with a sense of gratitude for my life, and I want to feel as alive as possible when the world is on fire."
  — Maggie Smith (02:29)

• On collective action and personal joy:

  "Cynical, despairing, numbed out people are easier to control than people who are in love with their lives, who see possibility in the world, and who are wide awake for it all."
  — Maggie Smith (03:54)

• On transformation through attention:

  "Today’s poem so beautifully addresses the importance of holding on to joy and onto one another when the world feels dismal."
  — Maggie Smith (04:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• (01:08) Maggie Smith’s welcome, banner story, and Toi Derricotte quote
• (02:29) Reflection on insisting on joy even when the world is difficult
• (03:32) Balancing activism and personal joy
• (03:54) The danger of becoming numb; the importance of staying awake to possibility
• (04:24) Introduction to the featured poem
• (04:50 – 06:10) Reading of “And Then It Was Less Bleak Because We Said So” by Wendy Xu

Tone & Atmosphere

Warm, contemplative, and gently persuasive, Maggie Smith’s delivery invites listeners to consider both the beauty and necessity of joy—and how poetry can help us see the world with renewed hope. Wendy Xu’s poem embodies an irrepressible, slightly surreal vibrancy, encouraging a sense of playful resilience.

Conclusion

This episode of The Slowdown is a gentle call to notice, savor, and defend moments of joy amid uncertainty and challenge. Maggie Smith’s reflection and Wendy Xu’s poem together remind the listener: life is bleak only if we accept bleakness; community, creativity, and attention are acts of hope.

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