Armin Tolentino: Lessons About Writing from Resilience, Residencies, and Folklore

The Arabian Traveler Poetry · Sep 17, 2026 · 52m

What if poetry is less about self-expression and more about survival?Poet and author Armin Tolentino joins host Mohammad Bader for a thoughtful conversation about writing, grief, migration, identity, folklore, and the search for home.Armin, a former Poet Laureate of Clark County, Washington, discusses his poetry collection We Meant to Bring It Home Alive, including the powerful images of dragons, astronauts, oceans, and bird storms. He explains how poetry can help us process difficult emotions, make sense of an uncontrollable world, and create connections between readers and writers.The…