TED Talks Daily TED Talks Daily Book Club: A Little Daylight Left | Sarah Kay
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Jun 29, 2025 
Sarah Kay, a renowned spoken word poet and founder of Project Voice, shares her journey through poetry in a captivating interview. She discusses the power of poetry in expressing complex emotions and fostering community, recounting experiences from poetry slams. Kay dives into her latest collection, 'A Little Daylight Left,' reflecting on themes of love and identity. She emphasizes poetry's role in healing and invites everyone to explore their own poetic voice, making this art form accessible to all.
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Sarah Kay's Poetry Origins
- Sarah Kay discovered poetry as a child through poems her parents left in her lunchbox, seeing them as surprises and secrets of love.
- At 14, she began attending poetry slams in a dive bar, learning poetry in an apprenticeship style from older poets and gaining early artistic validation.
Poetry's Impact on Unexpected Lives
- Sarah Kay shared a touching story of a former high school football player who was deeply impacted by her poetry and later became a family doctor.
- This illustrates how poetry can profoundly influence lives regardless of one's future profession.
Multiple Doors Into Poetry
- There is no wrong way to enter poetry; different people can find their own door through books, audiobooks, performances, or animations.
- Meeting audiences where they are helps open the house of poetry to new readers and listeners.
