Musings of the Artist features meaningful conversations with writers, photographers, musicians and other artists.

Ada Limón is the author of seven books of poetry, including Startlement: New & Selected Poems; The Hurting Kind, which was a finalist for the Griffin Prize; The Carrying, which won the National Books Critics Circle Award and was a finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award; and Bright Dead Things, which was named a finalist for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the Kingsley Tufts Award. Limón is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and was named a 2024 Time Magazine Woman of the Year. She is the author of two picture books, In Praise of Mystery as well as And, Too, The Fox, and was the editor of the anthology You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World. She served as the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States.

Our conversation was much about nature, poetry, having empathy for the younger versions of ourselves, and the freedom of choosing your own path outside of societal expectations. 

Ross Gay is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; Be Holding, and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude. In addition to his poetry, Ross has released three collections of essays—The Book of Delights (a New York Times bestseller), Inciting Joy, and his newest collection, The Book of (More) Delights.

This conversation, much like Ross’s work, is about joy, curiosity, belonging and caring for one another.

Ama Codjoe is a poet based in New York City. She is the author of Bluest Nude and Blood of the Air. Her poems and essays have been published in many outlets and her work has twice appeared in The Best American Poetry. Her poems often engage with visual art—especially art by Black women artists.

This conversation is much about the body. On how we relate to nudity and nakedness, on being in the body as an artist and on living a fully sensual life. Ama shares about her writing process and ekphrastic poetry, and we also talk about the many ways we love outside of the mainstream definition of that word “love.”

Naomi Shihab Nye is a Palestinian-American poet, Young People's Poet Laureate through the Poetry Foundation, and editor of poems for the New York Times Sunday magazine. She has written or edited more than 30 books, most recently Cast Away, The Tiny Journalist, Voices in the Air, and Everything Comes Next.

Krista Tippett is the creator and host of On Being and a New York Times bestselling author. She radiates wisdom and generosity and is one of the wisest voices of our time. In 2014, President Obama awarded Krista the National Humanities Medal at the White House for “thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.”

In this conversation, we dive into the deeper meaning of the words “beauty” and “love.” We discuss cultivating qualities of character, going from, as Krista says, “wound to gift,” illuminating the quiet voices, and much more. 

Pico Iyer is a travel writer who has been to over 80 countries, the best-selling author of many books, and he has given TED talks that have reached millions. More importantly, he is one of the most genuine, generous, kind-hearted people I have ever come across. I had the honor of sitting down with him recently in Santa Barbara, California. It was one of the most special conversations of my life, and I’m so elated to be able to share it with you.