When Tracy K. Smith served as Poet Laureate of the United States, she used her platform to bring people together. In 2018, she traveled the country for a series called American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities. At these events, she encouraged people to share their thoughts, regardless of their background. While Tracy’s two terms as poet laureate ended in 2019, she is still using poetry to build connections. Her new book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times.

GUEST:


Tracy K. Smith: Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. Her 2011 collection Life on Mars won the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times.

You can find both of the poems Tracy reads on this episode, "Everybody's Autobiography" and "Charity," online.

Special thanks to our former interns Vy Duong and Talei Ricketson.

This episode originally aired on November 14, 2025.

When <a href="https://tracyksmithpoet.com/">Tracy K. Smith</a> served as Poet Laureate of the United States, she used her platform to bring people together. In 2018, she traveled the country for a series called American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities. At these events, she encouraged people to share their thoughts, regardless of their background. While Tracy&rsquo;s two terms as poet laureate ended in 2019, she is still using poetry to build connections. Her new book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324050988">Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times</a>.
GUEST:
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<a href="https://tracyksmithpoet.com/">Tracy K. Smith</a>: Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. Her 2011 collection Life on Mars won the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324050988">Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times</a>.
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You can find both of the poems Tracy reads on this episode, "<a href="https://poets.org/poem/everybodys-autobiography">Everybody's Autobiography</a>" and "<a href="https://onbeing.org/poetry/charity/">Charity</a>," online.
Special thanks to our former interns Vy Duong and Talei Ricketson.
This episode originally aired on November 14, 2025.

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.

Visit ctpublic.org/disrupted for more! 

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.
Visit <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted">ctpublic.org/disrupted</a> for more!