Stephen Presents: Kwame Alexander

Summary

Summary of "Stephen Presents: Kwame Alexander" Episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Release Date: February 14, 2025

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Introduction

In this engaging episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, host Stephen Colbert is joined by co-host Becca and acclaimed poet and author Kwame Alexander. The episode seamlessly blends lighthearted banter with a deep dive into Alexander's literary journey, culminating in a heartfelt discussion about his latest work, How Sweet the Sound. This summary captures the essence of their conversation, highlighting key topics, insightful exchanges, and memorable quotes.

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Casual Conversations and Personal Insights

The episode begins with Stephen and Becca sharing amusing anecdotes and personal habits, setting a warm and relatable tone.

• Tech and Lifestyle: Stephen humorously showcases his Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's AI capabilities, joking about delegating tasks to stay active. “I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it to Beth and Steve. And it does without me lifting a finger so I can get in more squats anywhere I can. Will that be cash or credit?” ([00:00])

• Health and Wellness: The hosts discuss the importance of sleep and hydration in maintaining energy levels. Becca adds, “Stretching is good.” while Stephen emphasizes, “I sincerely am saying get some sleep and stay hydrated.” ([00:49] - [02:04])

• Gardening Adventures: An engaging exchange about gardening reveals Stephen's passion for starting plants from seeds and his experiences with lost crops. “I pulled up the Burpee seed catalog online and surprised her when she got into bed. We picked out some ambitious things that you have to basically start from seed.” ([04:43])

• Reflections on February: The conversation takes a philosophical turn as Stephen shares his thoughts on enduring the winter month of February, referencing a German concept about the detrimental effects of winter winds on decision-making. “Do not make any decisions more important than what color socks to wear until February's over.” ([02:09] - [03:24])

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Interview with Kwame Alexander

The heart of the episode features a compelling interview with Kwame Alexander, focusing on his illustrious career, poetic philosophies, and his latest book.

Early Inspirations and Literary Beginnings

Kwame Alexander reflects on his early exposure to poetry and the profound influence of renowned poets.

• “I was three years old. My mother read to me every day. Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni and Langston Hughes. But my favorite book was... Fox in Socks.” ([10:18] - [10:39])

He recounts a childhood incident that showcased his emerging command over words and his early interactions with peers.

• “My only weapons I had were my blocks that you flipped. And he started crying. And my mother said, thank you.” ([10:39] - [11:24])

Literary Achievements and Writing Philosophy

Discussing his prolific body of work, Kwame emphasizes writing for both children and adults without altering his style based on the audience.

• “I try to write books that I would have wanted to have read when I was 4 or 10 or 12 and that I would love now.” ([11:38] - [12:11])

He elaborates on the significance of nurturing a child's imagination through engaging literature.

• “What better way to enhance, elevate that imagination than through the words on a page?” ([12:12] - [12:17])

"How Sweet the Sound" – A Love Letter to Music

Kwame delves into his new book, portraying it as a heartfelt tribute to the role of music in American life.

• “I believe it's a symphony of refuge. It's a score of redemption. Music can make it can heal, it can give you hope.” ([12:24] - [13:01])

He contrasts poetry and lyrics, highlighting the distinctiveness of each form.

• “Poetry is the whole band. You have to do it all in those words on the page. And I think that makes it special.” ([13:09] - [13:44])

Mentorship and Legacy

Speaking of his late mentor, Nikki Giovanni, Kwame shares anecdotes that illustrate their meaningful relationship and Giovanni's impact on his craft.

• “Kwame, I can teach you how to write poetry, but I cannot teach you how to be interesting.” ([14:12] - [15:07])

He honors Giovanni by referencing her work and expressing admiration.

• “It's called Still Life with Apron by Nikki Giovanni. I would like to see you cooking... I would like you to cook for me.” ([15:15] - [17:26])

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Closing Remarks

Stephen wraps up the episode by promoting Kwame Alexander's new book, How Sweet the Sound, and expressing gratitude to the guest and listeners.

• “Thank you for listening to the Late Show POD show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.” ([17:26])

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Notable Quotes

• Stephen Colbert: “I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra... Will that be cash or credit?” ([00:00])

• Becca: “Stretching is good.” ([02:02])

• Kwame Alexander: “I try to write books that I would have wanted to have read when I was 4 or 10 or 12 and that I would love now.” ([11:49])

• Kwame Alexander: “Poetry is the whole band. You have to do it all in those words on the page.” ([13:44])

• Kwame Alexander: “I would like to see you cooking... I would like you to cook for me.” ([15:25])

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Conclusion

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert masterfully blends humor, personal stories, and profound literary discussions. Kwame Alexander's insights into poetry, mentorship, and his latest literary endeavor provide listeners with a rich and inspiring experience. Whether you're a long-time fan or new to the show, this episode offers valuable perspectives on creativity, resilience, and the transformative power of words and music.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it to Beth and Steve. And it does without me lifting a finger so I can get in more squats anywhere I can. 1, 2, 3. Will that be cash or credit?

[Becca]

Credit.

[Stephen Colbert]

4 Galaxy S25 Ultra. The AI companion that does the heavy lifting.

[Kwame Alexander]

So you can do.

[Stephen Colbert]

You get [e-mail] compatible with select apps. Requires Google Gemini account results may vary based on input. Check responses for accuracy. Hi, Becca. Nice to see you again.

[Becca]

Nice to see you, Steven.

[Stephen Colbert]

I do enjoy being in this quiet little room with you.

[Becca]

I love our little chats.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's particularly dark today.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah, I think that's good. You know, the fluorescent lighting. I can only take too much of.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. And just any moment to just sneak in a nap during the day. These days, people have been saying, like, hey, what are you gonna do? How are you gonna, like, keep your energy up for the next. You know, the next. And I'm like, I sincerely am saying get some sleep and stay hydrated.

[Kwame Alexander]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Because the important thing is to stay healthy.

[Becca]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Because you don't want to get. You don't want to get exhausted.

[Becca]

Yes. And my vitamin D supplements are coming in and working as hard as they can.

[Stephen Colbert]

I forget I'm supposed to take vitamin D supplements. Do you know what? I had doctors theories about why there's like a crisis of vitamin D deficiency in America is that we shower too much.

[Becca]

Oh.

[Stephen Colbert]

Because the vitamin D that your body produces is expressed in, like, your skin oils, like your sebum. And then basically you reabsorb it. But if you shower, like some people shower twice a day. Like, if you shower, it just all goes down the drain.

[Becca]

Oh, man.

[Stephen Colbert]

So that's why you don't have the vitamin D. All right, well, so don't bathe.

[Becca]

I won't bathe. Yeah, that's gonna be good for me. It's gonna be good. Getting a big old glass of sunny D for me. Yeah. Delicious. Yeah, no, it's. It's been a lot. Yeah. Hydrating, very important. Sleep.

[Stephen Colbert]

Stretch.

[Becca]

Stretching is good. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

You don't want to pull anything.

[Becca]

Yeah, no. With everything going on and also it being winter tough. But we're here.

[Stephen Colbert]

February. February, there's this thing. Forgive me if there are any Bavarians listening. And I get this wrong, but in Germany, there's this idea of Duffern, like this wind that blows. I'm sure, Fern. Maybe I'm sure I'm mispronouncing that incorrectly. And it's this wind that blows down from the Alps in the wintertime. And when that wind is blowing, you're not supposed to make any important decisions because it just does something bad to your mind.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I had a teacher in college who said, gentlemen, I went to an all male college for a couple years. He goes, gentlemen, it is February. Okay? And he explained what deferrin was. He goes, it's February. The wind is blowing. Do not make any decisions more important than what color socks to wear until February's over. Do not break up with her is one of the things he said. He just said, do not break up with her and do not ask her to marry you. I'm just asking you to hold off on those two things until spring.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And so that's how I feel about February. If I can get through February. It's a real. I mean, when March 1st rolls around, I text everybody in my family, like, congratulation, you made it through another February.

[Becca]

That's really. That's a really good perspective to have. Yeah. I was going through a spiral the other week where I was like, I don't have any hobbies. My house is kind of small. I don't do anything in it. And then I remembered, oh, I'm a gardener. I have a huge garden in the backyard with flowers and stuff that bring me joy. And I go out there, drink a cup of coffee, like, snip some stems, and I'm like, oh, I'm a gardener without a garden.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's why I feel you could start seeds. Last winter, I, Evie, was in such a slav bond because of what it was, how the winter was kicking her butt, that I pulled up the Burpee seed catalog online and surprised her when she got into bed. I said, hey, come on, let's pick what we wanna plant this spring. So she was like, oh, my God, that was like. It was such a gift for us. We sat there. Cause she loves to garden. And we went through and we picked out some ambitious things that you have to. You basically have to start from seed. And then I ordered, like little trays and, you know, and everything. We figured, oh, well, we'll put a table by this window that'll get enough light while the seeds are coming in. And then, gosh, oh, no, wait, it was two winters ago. Because right when we would be putting these things into the ground, the strike came and we forgot and they all died.

[Becca]

Oh, no. Yeah, There's a lot.

[Stephen Colbert]

But I'm all, I love starting from seed. So fun.

[Becca]

So fun. It's a Real science experiment. And then when you feel such pride when the flower finally blooms.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, sure. Or that tomato ripens. Like, I took that from a seed.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I gotta go seed shopping. That's so true. It's like shopping for a baby before it's born, you know?

[Stephen Colbert]

And I love the little packets.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Cause, like, I love. Like, it's a picture of a zinnia on the front or a chrysanthemum or something like that.

[Becca]

Like a beautiful illustration on dahlia.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love that illustration on the front.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah. I have a big bag of them that are, like, you know, like pollinator mix. And they're just pictures of, like, little hummingbirds and butterflies. And I did get some hummingbirds and butterflies. I was like, just like, the bag. The bag was right.

[Stephen Colbert]

The bag didn't lie.

[Becca]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

I had a. I lived near. When I lived in Chicago for a while in. It was really my girlfriend's apartment. And I want to get into it. I'm over her, and unless she's isn't talking about me. And she lived next door. Her apartment was next door to an empty lot. And the empty lot, I think the house had burned down. And then it had been kind of bulldozed. But there was just garbage everywhere. It was just an absolute mess. And on Earth Day 1990, I went over there, like, with a rake and a hoe and garbage bags, and I cleared half the lot. And all the neighbors were like, what are you doing? That's stupid. Why are you doing that? But I did. I cleared the whole lot. Then I took a section of it. I tilled the soil, and I went out and I had planted some things from seed. Like, I planted lettuces from seed and then put in tomato plants and everything and built cages over the rows so the rabbits or rats couldn't get at them. And everybody in the neighbor. Every time I'd be out there working on it, the neighbors would be going, like, that's stupid. Until the fruit started coming in.

[Becca]

Oh, hell, yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And then they stole.

[Becca]

Oh, really? My tomatoes.

[Stephen Colbert]

They stole my tomatoes. But I also got a can of. What made me think of it is that I got a can of wildflower seeds. You ever seen those? You can buy those, like, in the back of, like, the New Yorker. It's just a can. And I just scattered it all over the lot. And it was gorgeous.

[Becca]

No, it's great. And they're usually, like, native to the area, so they're just. And they just grow, like.

[Stephen Colbert]

I don't know about that. Maybe they could have been prairie grasses in Chicago. Yeah.

[Becca]

But they grow like weeds. It's so easy. And they're beautiful. Yeah. That's what I do. I get some nice little potted situations from the farmer's market, but then I just scatter a bunch of frigging wildflowers, and they look nice. And that's all you need. Yeah. Well, we have a really fun podcast today.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, we haven't even gotten to that one.

[Becca]

We haven't even gotten to that.

[Stephen Colbert]

We haven't even gotten to the hint part.

[Becca]

Yeah, it's a poet. It's a poet who was on the show recently and performed Kwame Alexander. Yes, it is. It's Kwame.

[Stephen Colbert]

He's great.

[Becca]

He's great.

[Stephen Colbert]

I dig me some. Kwame is a source of some pride for me that we not infrequently have poets on.

[Becca]

Yes.

[Stephen Colbert]

And the audience hangs on every word.

[Becca]

Standing ovation one time.

[Stephen Colbert]

I love the people that we work for. As Tom Purcell, my exec, I say, I really love the people that we work for, and by which he means the audience. Like, we're so lucky that these are the people that we're doing the show for every night, because they'll go all kinds of places with us. I think most audiences would. I think if you just respect their intelligence, they'll come with you to a lot of unusual places. I mean, Carson used to have poets on.

[Becca]

Yeah, yeah. No. What I love. When I first interviewed for this job with Tom, he told me this. He was just like, we. The way we think about our audience is this is people you want to have a dinner party with, and you want to entertain them. You want to make sure they're happy and they're, like, getting a conversation. But you, like. You respect their intelligence, and you want to know what they think, too. And I think that is the way that we get, like, we approach the monologue. We approach the guests. It's like a really fun dinner party, and they're the. They're the guests. But, yeah, it's a great example of also just like working on a variety show. It's a true variety show. We got tonight, we got a cooking demo with a chef, and we got your wife coming on. That'll be so much fun.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. And we got Damon Waynes Jr. From the hit CBS sitcom Papa's House.

[Becca]

Yeah, yeah. Everybody's here from Baba's house. It's gonna be great.

[Stephen Colbert]

But everyone's here from Baba's house.

[Becca]

Baba's house is in the house. All right, so this is Kwame. He recites some poetry. You love poetry. You know, a bunch in the brain right there.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes, exactly. To the extent that my writers make fun of me.

[Becca]

Oh, but they love it.

[Stephen Colbert]

How much? I asked. It was Eliana Courtler was doing an impression of me. She's like, this reminds me of something a dead Irishman once said. That's how she. That's how she did her impression of me.

[Becca]

That's. That's good.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Becca]

All right. Well, this is Kwame Alexander on the Late Show.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, my friends. My next guest is a New York Times bestselling author of 42 books who has won the Newbery Medal and an Emmy Award. His new book is How Sweet the Sound. Please welcome back to THE Late Show Kwame Alexander. We love poets on THE Late show. We love having the artists on here who paint the pictures with the words with rhythm and inflection and unexpected twists and turns and combinations. And I'm just curious, you, as a poet, what is it that first drew you to poetry? When did you discover poetry as a human being?

[Kwame Alexander]

I was three years old. And you remember? I remember I was living on the Upper west side. My parents were in graduate school at Columbia University.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay.

[Kwame Alexander]

My mother read to me every day. Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni and Langston Hughes. But my favorite book was a book that went like this. Fox socks, Knox box. Fox in socks. Socks in box.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah.

[Kwame Alexander]

So at my preschool, there was this kid who I did who didn't like me. And one particular day, I built a castle out of wooden blocks to show my mother so she'd be proud of me when she came to pick me up. But this kid knocked him over. So I went up to him and I used the only weapons I had. Those were my blocks that you flipped. Lest you want a quick payback, better fix my quick block stack. And he started crying. And so when my mother came to school, the teachers were like, Mrs. Alexander, we have a problem. Your son, Kwame is arrogant. He intimidates all the kids with his words. My mother said, thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Mission accomplished. You were last here for your collection of poetry. This is the honey. You now have How Sweet the Sound, a soundtrack for America. This is your 42nd book.

[Kwame Alexander]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Who's counting? And many of your books are for kids, right? Do you, do you change anything in the way you write if the book is for children as opposed to a general public?

[Kwame Alexander]

Not really. I try to write books that I would have wanted to have read when I was 4 or 10 or 12 and that I would love now. So I'm Writing about topics that I think families can read and enjoy together. But certainly I have a soft spot in my heart for young people because I believe that the mind of an adult begins in the imagination of a child.

[Becca]

And.

[Kwame Alexander]

And what better way to enhance, elevate that imagination than through the words on a page?

[Stephen Colbert]

The book is a love letter. I said, it's how sweet the sound. The book is a love letter to music.

[Kwame Alexander]

Right.

[Stephen Colbert]

What makes up the soundtrack for America to you?

[Kwame Alexander]

Well, I believe it's a symphony of refuge. It's a score of redemption. It's. Last night I was at the Blue Note and I saw Sweet Honey in the Rock and I got to listen.

[Stephen Colbert]

Every one of us.

[Kwame Alexander]

They sang that.

[Stephen Colbert]

They did. Yeah.

[Kwame Alexander]

And it just. I don't care where you're from, what you're feeling, when you hear music, music can make it can heal, it can give you hope. It can open up a world of possibility, which is what? The same thing I think children's books do.

[Stephen Colbert]

The poetry and lyrics are. Well, what is the difference to you? Are they the same thing?

[Kwame Alexander]

No, I think maybe they're cousins, maybe they're kissing cousins. But imag. Imagine this, Stephen. Lyrics, when they're done, right, they need a beautiful guitarist, they need a sax player, they need musicians to help elevate those words that are on the page.

[Stephen Colbert]

They're in relationship to the music that they're dancing with.

[Kwame Alexander]

Poetry is the whole band. Like, you have to do it all in those words on the page. And I think that makes it special.

[Stephen Colbert]

Have you written lyrics?

[Kwame Alexander]

Not successfully.

[Stephen Colbert]

But you've given it a shot.

[Kwame Alexander]

I've given it a shot.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay.

[Kwame Alexander]

And that's when I found out that they weren't the same.

[Stephen Colbert]

The acclaim. You know that one of those first poets who was read to you, the acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni, passed away a few weeks ago. And I know that she was your mentor. How did the two of you become close? That's an extraordinary experience to become close to somebody who influenced you when you were three.

[Kwame Alexander]

Well, I met her in 1987. This was the beginning of our relationship. I was a sophomore at a place called Virginia Tech, and she was a visiting professor. Me, deeming myself a pretty fantastic poet, took her advanced poetry class. I think she gave me a C minus. And so I was livid. And I went to her office and, you know, I had just discovered jazz music. And so I went and sat down in her office during office hours and I said, nikki, I don't understand why I gotta see mine. It's. I'm a Poet. I listen to Nancy Wilson and I'm channeling my inner jazz and I know what I'm doing. She said, kwame, I can teach you how to write poetry, but I cannot teach you how to be interesting.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh.

[Kwame Alexander]

I felt that that was the beginning of a 37 year relationship.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, are there any words of hers you'd like to leave us with here tonight?

[Kwame Alexander]

Yeah. Yeah. Can the band join me on this?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah. Can you guys.

[Kwame Alexander]

I know you just wrote a cookbook with your wife.

[Stephen Colbert]

I. I did, I did, yeah.

[Kwame Alexander]

So you might find this apropos.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay.

[Kwame Alexander]

It's called Still Life with Apron by Nikki Giovanni. I would like to see you cooking. I would like for you to cook for me. I would like to see you decide upon the menu, go to the market and pick the fruit, the vegetables, the fish. I would like to see you smell the fish. I would like for you to test the flesh for freshness and firmness. I would like to watch you in the bakery by the dinner rolls, deciding rolls or crusty bread. I would like to watch you run back to get the goat butter. I would like to be sitting in a corner and you intent upon your meal, not noticing me when you go to the wine store. I would like to watch you wrestle with red or white wine, of course, because it is fish, but red is so seductive. And whoever fell in love over a glass of white wine, I, uncharacteristically on time, would like to greet you. I would like for you to greet me in a butcher's apron. I would like for you to greet me only in an apron. I would like to watch the movement inside the apron as I undress for you. I would like to watch you walk, no stroll to the closet where you bring out your buffalo pl plaid dressing ground, your pilly much washed dressing gown that smells like you after you shower, after you brush your teeth, after you comb your hair. I would like to embrace your odor. I would like to embrace your essence as we sit down to eat. I would like you to cook for me. Yes, I would like that. Thank you very much.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for that. How Sweet the Sound is available tomorrow. Kwame Alexander, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late Show POD show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.