We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.
Dead Poets Society
Shall we go by the wisdom presented in Dead Poets’ Society? Poetry is one of the reflections of society yes, but it is also an execution of human will and emotions. It shows the best of us, in some opinions.
And it has always taken a stand against unchecked urbanization…alongside the rich tradition of immortalizing the beauty of nature. Whether it be Larkin’s verse on how drab grey building are compared to the vibrancy of nature, or Wordsworth’s Lucy which shows love and nature, The Romantics especially have been champions of preserving the natural world and it’s wonders.
In today’s age where we are ever close to approaching a planet that resembles more Elliot’s Wasteland than a habitable place, such poems hold more significance than ever. Metaphors and poems may not be a universal language, but they can be a way to distil larger and scarier ideas as well as numbers such as 1.5 degrees Celsius into ideas that stir us into action.
Against climate change, thus I say, poets play the pivotal role. By reminding people of beauty that resides in the green grass and the red rose and the yellow tulip, and putting in moving poignant words the loss we stand to face when these are gone forever more, poets can be the bride between scientific literature and the common consciousness. They can’t do it alone, for poetry too may need interpretation, and once moved to action, people may need solutions that they can implement, but poetry can be that catalyst.
And not just for the common folk.
Poetry and civil movements have had another rich tapestry. Poems have the power to push governments to implement better policies. Remember, Neruda’s work? Or Faiz?
Another aspect is poetry can build communities when people share their love and support for the poems they love. By providing relaxation and entertainment, it helps prevent against burn-out allowing us to better present ourselves in both our daily lives and in the efforts, we put to be more sustainable. It allows us to have the bandwidth for civic duties like voting for climate-conscious, people-focused leaders.
Now, that I have waxed poetic about the role poets can play, let’s look at you- the reader. What can you do to mobilize this power of poetry?
How Readers of Poetry Can Help Sustainability Efforts?
- Share the poems you love and build communities, not cults but communities, around them. This helps more people be exposed to those ideas and brings a fresh perspective to your reading of the piece.
- Make poetry accessible. ChatGPT when reviewing this piece, my editor is sick and I don’t want to trouble them, said this is especially important as marginalized communities may be sidelined here, which leads me to think, they should also get equal access to platforms. While YouTube, Kofi, BuyMeaCoffee, and such are great initiatives, how accessible are they?
- Support street artists.
- The mouthpiece of the internet says that it is important to support local poetry festivals and environmental focused poets, which I agree with but I think it should be support the poets you love and resonate with, even if it can’t be financially. After all, poetry is not only about activism. The relaxation it offers, allows our subconscious to better understand the deeper things in life. And it helps fight against eco-anxiety! #preventburnout
P.S.- My favourite poems happen to be Dickinson’s Hope is a Thing with Feathers. Let me know yours? - Read more poetry and then travel the distance between being provoked to righteous action to implementing what you have learned in a non-harmful manner. Moving away from poetry for a second, but what I am essentially saying is be Samwise Gamgee.
While living a sustainable life can be difficult in a system not designed for it, by supporting poets who demand change, by asking for recycled and upcycled books with them, by buying a second-hand e-reader and supporting local art that keeps traditions alive and brings new ones, by allowing those who document us in history and literature a platform, you are helping creating a world less focused on mere consumption. Instead of simply consuming and then moving on to the next thing, which might be necessary once in a while but over the long-tern can be unhealthy, let’s build a world where authors, poets, artists, dancers, and creators come together with those that enjoy their work to have a discourse and taste the work like good wine. It helps us enjoy things that last, to enjoy human interaction over simply collecting things for respect and worth which give us no true joy. Nothing wrong with collecting, either though. But it’s also important that what we collect serves us. Take a moment to pause and enjoy these finer things in life when possible.
You are here. You are alive.
And how beautiful is that,
The world is burning,
Humanity is showing some of its worst colours,
But amidst the rage and the chaos,
You are here, breathing and well,
Working for something- something better,
For yourself, for your family, for your friends, your fandom,
You are here. You are alive,
And how beautiful is that,
To be alive on planet Earth today.
Author’s Note: Hopefully this was valuable. To read more of my poetry, head over to Muses_Saga. For more sustainability content, you can subscribe to The Brown Journal(s), my YouTube. To support this you, can like, comment, and share. Thankie!
