Thank you to Karen Svoboda for inviting me onto the Defense of Democracy podcast—and for holding space for such vital conversations. We spoke about poetry, democracy as a verb (not a noun), and the role of language in shaping who we are, both as individuals and as a nation.

In a time when so much feels uncertain, poetry has the power to remind us of our shared humanity and help us imagine a better, more just future. Poems may not change the world directly, but a poem can change a person who will change the world.

I hope you’ll take a listen, reflect, and share: defenseofdemocracy.org/podcast