Document Type
Lesson Plan
Publication Date
Spring 2024
Abstract
Icebergs melting; plastic in the oceans; greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere; deforestation; industrial agriculture; pollution; overfishing. Humans have inhabited Earth for a mere fraction of its existence, comprising less than 1% of its total timeline, yet we are rapidly destroying it. The health of our planet is at a tipping point. Poets have been writing about the disharmony between the environment and humans for hundreds of years. Writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne plead us to change our ways through their haunting and ghastly works, while Jane Hirshfield and others speak through animals to hold us accountable for our faults. However, not all environmental poems are ones of warning. Poets like Wendell Berry remind us to forget the troubles of the world and to appreciate nature, while others like Ada Limón show that there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel. These poems of wonder reflect nature’s beauty. Ecopoetry, no matter the style of writing, conveys the same message: we need to protect our home. Humanity is the force that has wreaked havoc on our precious planet, and we are the only ones who can save it. Each time we compost, or recycle, or choose a green alternative to the more convenient option, we are making small steps towards a brighter future. We must fight for those who cannot fight for themselves: the insects, fish, mammals, reptiles, and the countless organisms that call our beloved planet home.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Benton Greenberg , '26; Elle Anthony , '26; and Peter Schmidt.
(2024).
"Wonder & Warning: The Salve That's Needed to Heal Our Planet".
https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-english-lit/408
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Comments
Developed by Swarthmore College students, Benton Greenberg and Elle Anthony, with feedback from Professor Peter Schmidt, as a final assignment in English 71E/Environmental Studies 041, "Ecopoetry and the Climate Crisis," spring 2024.