In the third episode of Before the Poem, Rebecca Tantony is joined by writer and historian Edson Burton for a conversation about influence, faith, multiculturalism, and the richness of growing up with nuance and variety. Together, they explore how these experiences can shape our relationship with belief and spirituality, and the importance of creating work that remains accessible, alive, and willing to evolve alongside us.

At the heart of this conversation is the idea that our humanity can be both a pathway to something greater and something extraordinary in its own right. Both writers talk about love and kindness as ways of showing up in relationship, and examine poetry as a space where our complexities and contradictions, the many versions of ourselves, can be explored, expressed and celebrated. Edson and Rebecca also consider the curious nature of art: how it can isolate us into our own inner worlds while simultaneously creating profound connection to another and how we create language on both the page and stage that is beyond the written word.

This is a beautiful, expansive conversation about what it means to be human, full of tenderness, curiosity and the kind of awe that can be found in the ordinary. A reminder that sometimes, through art, we find our way back to ourselves and our community in turn.