Pulitzer Winner: Poetry Helps Us Face Our Fears

Tracy K. Smith wants you to stop being intimidated by poetry and start using it as a tool for hope.

The Pulitzer Prize winner and former US Poet Laureate sat down with FRANCE 24 in Paris this week to discuss her new book, "Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times." Her message is simple but powerful: poems aren't academic puzzles to decode. They're companions that help us wrestle with anxiety and find clarity in chaotic moments.

Smith knows what she's talking about. Her poetry collection "Life on Mars" won the Pulitzer Prize, and she now teaches at Harvard University. She's written five poetry collections, each exploring how words can illuminate the human experience.

The title of her new book says it all. In times that feel overwhelming, Smith argues that turning to poetry isn't escapism. It's actually one of the most practical things we can do.

"Poems help me wrestle with my fears," Smith explained during her Paris visit. Rather than avoiding difficult emotions, poetry creates a safe space to examine them. The act of reading or writing a poem slows us down, forcing us to sit with feelings instead of scrolling past them.

Smith's approach challenges how many of us learned poetry in school. No more hunting for hidden meanings or memorizing complex metaphors. She invites readers to simply experience poems as conversations about being human.

Why This Inspires

Smith's work reminds us that ancient art forms still have modern power. In an age of quick takes and instant reactions, poetry offers something radical: permission to pause and feel deeply.

Her Harvard students are discovering this too. Young people facing climate anxiety, political division, and uncertain futures are finding that poems give language to experiences that seem impossible to express.

The timing of Smith's Paris discussion feels especially meaningful. As global challenges mount, her invitation to "fear less" through poetry offers an accessible tool anyone can use. You don't need a literature degree or a quiet library. You just need willingness to let words work on you.

Smith's career proves that poetry still matters. Her role as US Poet Laureate brought verse to new audiences, and her teaching continues that mission. She's building a bridge between poetry's rich history and its urgent present-day relevance.

The best part? You can start right now. Pick up any poem, read it slowly, and notice what it stirs in you. That's the wrestling Smith talks about, and it might just help you face tomorrow with a little more courage.