In this arts24 interview, Grammy-nominated poet aja monet joins us in Paris to talk about her new collection "Florida Water" and what it means to make art in a moment of political turmoil. She opens up about living through the new wave of American culture-war battles – from book bans to attacks on arts funding – and explains why she believes poetry has become an important tool for resistance, healing and community. aja monet also reflects on the heartbreak at the centre of "Florida Water", her long-standing activism for Palestine and the loneliness she sees shaping a generation. With poems like "Castaway" and "For Sonia", she explores how poetry can help us face climate grief, injustice and the feeling of being overwhelmed by the world.