How do words shape the way we understand ourselves and each other? Can poetry and kindness be powerful tools for healing and connection in a fragmented world?

This week, Simran explores the profound impact of poetry and kindness with acclaimed poet Naomi Shihab Nye. Together, they unpack her evolving understanding of identity—not as a rigid box, but as something fluid and ever-changing.

Naomi shares how poetry became her lifelong practice of reflection and connection, offering solace in times of uncertainty and a bridge between people and cultures. They address the importance of kindness, the necessity of creative expression, and the way words can help us navigate grief, division, and transformation.

This conversation is a reminder that poetry—and kindness—are revolutionary acts that bring us closer to one another in a fractured world.

Resources:

• Check out Simran’s work on his website at simranjeetsingh.org.
• Kindness by Naomi Shihab-Nye

Wisdom & Practice is produced in partnership with PRX and the Aspen Institute, with support from the John Templeton Foundation.

Music by Raj Kanwal Singh.

This episode was produced by associate producer, Serena Chow, producer, Rithu Jagannath and senior producer, Morgan Flannery. Our project manager is Edwin Ochoa, our show is mixed by Tommy Bazarian and the executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.