Clint Smith Returns to His Roots in Poetry

Clint Smith is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, which debuted at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list and won a National Book Critics Circle award. His new book, Above Ground, is a return to his first love: poetry, the art form that first drew him into being a writer. I met him when he joined a poets’ group chat I’m a part of, and the other members immediately warned Clint, who is a die-hard Arsenal fan, that I root for Tottenham, Arsenal’s rivals. Despite this rocky start, we’ve managed to remain friends.

I have no authority to make the following proclamation, but I think Clint is one of the most important writers in America today. His ability to weave complex subjects into clear narratives feels more vital than ever. In an age of endless “what-aboutism,” Clint’s commitment to truth,, a month-long celebration of poetry that I founded in 2011, and in advance of that, I asked him a few questions about his poetic practice, his writing community, and his soccer fandom.