The Personhood Project Episode 23: Oliver de la Paz

In this episode of The Personhood Project, guest host Brooke Pillifant explores the poetry of Oliver de la Paz, a poet drawn to the freedom, brevity, and depth the form allows. Brooke discusses how de la Paz uses poetry as a way to hold complex emotional truths in small, portable spaces—writing toward questions of parenthood, anxiety, and the world his children will inherit. The episode explores poetry as a tool for introspection and emotional growth, examining how de la Paz’s work, including The Boy in the Labyrinth, confronts trauma, mental health, and acceptance while inviting readers into a shared space of reflection and care.