Poet, author, and playwright Ben Okri reads his story “A Wrinkle in the Realm,” and talks about music and dream logic. Stanford’s Dr. Tomás Jiménez speaks about polarization, belonging, and empathy. And podcaster and songwriter Matshidiso returns to SongWriter, and co-writes a song with Ben Okri

You can hear Matshidiso's recent single, Dreams, and her first episode  with Charlie Gilmour, and songs Ben Okri co-wrote with Damon Albarn (Gorillaz, Blur) and Tony Allen, Cosmosis, and with Harper Simon, Wishes and Stars

A playlist of Ben Arthur's songs featured in season six (as instrumentals or written as a response to an episode) can be found on Apple Music or Spotify

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

At a live performance in London, journalist, filmmaker, and author Sarfraz Manzoor reads a piece he wrote for SongWriter about the things he had to learn for himself. Researcher Dr. Elizabeth Gulliford talks about her work at the Jubilee Center for Character & Virtues, and the ways reconciliation and forgiveness work within Sarfraz’s story. And SK and the Kings perform a brand-new song written in response called "Lessons."

For the live show, Ben wrote a song in response to Sarfraz's story - and inspired in part by a comment author Salman Rushdie made on Ezra Klein's pod - called "Love and Be Loved." It's streaming now on Apple Music, Spotify, etc

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Turkish journalist and author Asli Perker shares a story she wrote for SongWriter about a terrible car accident, and how it helped to make her the artist she is today. Scientist and researcher Dr. Itir Erhart talks about how art and empathy interact. And songwriter, poet, and crime novelist Tuna Kiremitçi performs a brand-new song written in response.

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Palestinian poet and clinical psychologist Hala Alyan shares her poem “Dear Gaza,” about guilt, memory, and hope. Scientist Dr. Salma Mousa talks about her research on empathy and polarization, and describes how soccer star Mo Salah’s prominence led to a demonstrable drop in anti-Muslim hate speech and violence in his hometown of Liverpool. H.Sinno, who is the lead singer of the Lebanese band Mashrou’ Leila, shares a brand-new song called “Re-Arson.”

For a live show, Ben wrote a song called "Yellow Dress," which is available as a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen via Bandcamp, as well as Apple, Spotify, etc.

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Poet Maggie Smith reads her viral poem Good Bones and reflects on what it means to raise children in a world that is both beautiful and frightening. She also shares What I Carried, a poem about fear and love, and how both shape the lives of parents and kids. Psychologist Dr. Chrissy Salley from the Courageous Parents Network joins to talk about caregiving, resilience, and how families can have honest conversations with children. Jazz chanteuse Kat Edmonson closes the episode with Fear, Fear, a haunting new song inspired by Smith’s work.

Chapters
4:00 Good Bones: How a viral poem became a “disaster barometer” for dark times
13:00 What I Carried: Fear, love, and the truths parents share with their children
27:00 Caregiving Research: Building resilience and honesty in families with Dr. Chrissy Salley
52:00 Fear, Fear: Kat Edmonson’s haunting new song inspired by Maggie Smith

A broadside of "Good Bones" is available, as is the pre-order for Maggie's upcoming book, "Dear Writer"

SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears as a segment on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com.

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Filmmaker and author Naz Riahi tells a heartbreaking story she wrote for SongWriter about the loss of a beloved pet, and how her experience of grief was shaped by the war in Gaza. Neuroscientist Dr. Meghan Myer explains the way empathy maps on to different parts of our brains, and talks about her imaging research. And songwriter Rahill Jamalifard of the band Habibi plays a brand-new song written in response.

The song is available on Rahill's Bandcamp, and all proceeds benefit Gaza Mutual Aid

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Filipinx American poet Ina Cariño shares a brand new “sonnet crown” poem that they wrote for SongWriter on the subject of family and empathy. Scientist Sarah Nila describes her experiments exploring empathy with children and mothers in the Philippines, and how Ina’s poem contains echoes of her findings. And producer and songwriter Alex Wong performs a brand-new song called “Murmurations,” that includes violin by Ina and vocals by Sarah. The song is only available on Bandcamp, and is a fundraiser for World Central Kitchen.

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Author Kate Cohen reads a piece she wrote for SongWriter about how – despite her firm atheism – the Jewish religious ritual that she grudgingly allowed in her wedding is what she remembers and treasures most from that day. Scientist and author Dr. Arielle Levites explains how religious ritual can act as a pathway for connection or alienation, and discusses her research. And Kate’s son Jesse Cohen-Greenberg performs a brand-new song written about his parents’ wedding day.

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Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Freddy Mutanguha, who is the CEO of the Aegis Trust – the organization that built the Kigali Genocide Memorial – describes surviving the genocide, and visiting the childhood friend who murdered his mother in prison. Woven into Freddy’s story are poems that Rwandan art activist and author Hope Azeda wrote about speaking to children about the genocide. Dr. Pamela Wadende describes the scientific mechanics behind forgiveness, and her experience of Rwanda. And Rwandan songwriter Peace Jolis shares a brand-new song called “BAHO.”

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For the live performance, Ben wrote a new song called "Kigali (ft. Peace Jolis)," which is streaming now on Apple Music, Spotify, and elsewhere. 

Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

During a performance at KQED Live, comedian and filmmaker W. Kamau Bell tells a story about his father’s 80th birthday party, and an extraordinary moment of collective effervescence. Scientist Dr. Shira Gabriel explains the mechanics behind collective effervescence, and one of Kamau’s favorite bands, Las Cafeteras, shares a brand-new song called “Home.”

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For the live performance, Ben wrote a song in response to Kamau's story as well, which is streaming on Apple Music, Spotify, and elsewhere.

Season six is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation