Clint Smith Celebrates Complexities of Parenthood in ‘Above Ground’

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KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 11 April 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“I experience your wounds as if they were my own,” reads the last line of Clint Smith’s poem “Nociception.” Directed to a child, it explains that just as a sea creature that loses an appendage feels discomfort across its entire body, so does a parent whose child is in pain. The poem is part of Smith’s new collection “Above Ground,” which also celebrates the joy, wonder and even occasional absurdity of being a parent. We talk to Smith about his poetry and what he calls the “simultaneity of the human experience:” our capacity to hold fear and anxiety alongside joy and awe. Guests: Clint Smith, poet and staff writer, The Atlantic - His new collection of poetry is "Above Ground." His previous books include "How the Word is Passed." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:44.6	From KQBD in San Francisco, this is Forum. I'm Mina Kim.
1:06.1	I experience your wounds as if they were my own, reads the last line of Clint Smith's poem, No Seception.
1:12.5	Directed to a child, it explains that just as a sea creature that loses an appendage feels
1:16.9	discomfort across its entire body, so does a parent whose child is in pain.
1:22.1	The poem is part of Smith's new collection, above ground, which also celebrates the joy, wonder,
1:29.1	and occasional absurdity of being apparent.
1:30.5	We'll talk to Smith about what he calls the simultaneity of the human experience.
1:35.0	And we want to hear from you.
1:36.1	Do you remember feeling joy amid despair, awe, alongside fear?
1:41.4	Join us. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim. Clint Smith's new poetry collection starts with a
	...

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