368 | Elizabeth Alexander on Why Democracy Needs Imagination
Summary
Sean Carroll interviews poet Elizabeth Alexander about her new book, *Signals Across Vast Distances*, which explores the essential role of poetry in sustaining democracy. They discuss Muriel Rukeyser’s life and work, the practice of close reading, and how art fosters empathy and connection in an age of fragmented attention. Alexander also reflects on her personal experience writing about grief and the distinct, economical power of poetic form compared to prose.
Listen ad-free on Castria