In this edition of On Being, poet Marie Howe shares how poetry allows us to connect with others, through the words we find and the spaces between them. A former Poet Laureate of New York, Howe did not begin writing poetry until she was a young adult, as she transitioned from her career as a teacher. Influenced by her Catholic upbringing in a large family of 9, Howe reflects on the meaning of ordinary and real time, and what it means to find stillness in the present moment in a world that constantly encourages us to move faster. Read on to learn more about Howe’s belief that our suffering can lead to greater openness, and that truth can be found in what we fail to understand.
