Some humans say trees are not sentient beings,

But they do not understand poetry—

Nor can they hear the singing of trees when they are fed by

Wind, or water music—

Or hear their cries of anguish when they are broken and bereft—

Now I am a woman longing to be a tree, planted in a moist, dark earth

Between sunrise and sunset—

Excerpt from “Speaking Tree” 

– Joy Harjo

Poetry insists nature is more than a backdrop. It has become the foundation of ancient cultures and practices. Oral history rooted in nature is remembered and passed down through generations because of its simplicity and emotion as a storytelling device. 

Along with historical influence, poetry has also been integral in environmental rectification. Poets such as Judith Wright and Amanda Gorman have been using this form as a way to spread awareness about conservation and climate change. 

Authors understand that writing and reading poetry is a persuasive tool. Words can change minds, grow ideas and tell stories. Especially with representing the environment, poetry creates emotion and abstraction that can expand understanding and outreach that normal prose might lack. This perspective can even promote environmental change that formal writing cannot.    

History in Poetics

The intensity and beauty of the natural world have been the muse of poets since before written history. Oral folktales describing celestial beings hidden in the stars and ethereal creatures becoming mountains dominated religions and legends of ancient societies. Whether these songs and poems were captured on wax cylinders or just passed down orally, poetry and storytelling remained a pertinent part of social history. Ancient songs showed the spirituality, history and purpose of communities. The influence of nature within these songs created a sense of place and power.

Poets of the past also used poetry to express admiration to beings of higher power that inhabited or created the Earth. An ancient Sumerian priestess, Enheduanna, was one of the first foundational poets of human literature. Her poem “Hymn to Inanna” written around 2300 BCE, shows how poetry connects to the spirituality of nature and Earth. Below is an excerpt.

Like a dragon,

You poisoned the land—

When you roared at the earth

In your thunder,

Nothing green could live.

A flood fell from the mountain:

You, Inanna,

Foremost in Heaven and Earth.

Lady riding a beast,

You rained fire on the heads of men.

Taking your power from the Highest,

Following the commands of the Highest,

Lady of all the great rites,

Who can understand all that is yours?

This applaud to the divine that Enheduanna showcases is one of many ways ancient civilizations have used poetry. From describing the power of sun deities to sustaining the spirits of the trees and sky, poets used nature as a way of expressing devotion and sharing their communities’ beliefs and religions. 

Poetry in Conservation

While prose offers a straightforward contribution to environmental attention, poetry offers something most formal writing disallows, emotion. Although a certain amount of emotion can be sensed through facts and data, the art of attitude and poetic devices creates a separate sphere of influence. 

This excerpt from “Dust,” a poem by Judith Wright, uses emotion and storytelling to comment on the destruction of the environment. Wright demonstrates command of figurative language and form to affect the audience in a slightly eerie way.

Earth was kinder, suffering fire and plough,  

breeding the unaccustomed harvest.

Leaning in our doorway together  

watching the birdcloud shadows,  

the fleetwing windshadows travel our clean wheat  

we thought ourselves rich already.  

We counted the beautiful money  

and gave it in our hearts to the child asleep,  

who must never break his body  

against the plough and the stubborn rock and tree.  

But the wind rises; but the earth rises,  

running like an evil river; but the sun grows small,  

and when we turn to each other, our eyes are dust  

and our words dust.  

The narrative of a once-kind earth becoming evil and civilization’s hope turning to dust is something that would be hard and even ill-suited if attempted in more formal academia. 

According to the article “Poetry as a Creative Practice to Enhance Engagement and Learning in Conservation Science” published by Oxford University Press, using poetry in science can foster vast ideas about how environmental conservation can be assessed. 

“Integrating poetry as a component of daily writing could also assist conservation scientists with digesting and learning complex topics … Breaking down thoughts on a topic in smaller, succinct thoughts or phrases could also help scientists to identify key themes or elements of a topic that need to be addressed or communicated clearly.”

Beyond science and academics, poetry inspires activism. “Earthrise,” a poem by Amanda Gorman — the first Youth Poet Laureate of the United States — describes climate change and awareness about humanity’s collective identity. Below is an excerpt.

A glimpse into our planet’s mirror,

And as threats drew nearer,

Our own urgency became clearer,

As we realize that we hold nothing dearer

than this floating body we all call home.

We’ve known

That we’re caught in the throes

Of climactic changes some say

Will just go away,

While some simply pray

To survive another day;

For it is the obscure, the oppressed, the poor,

Who when the disaster

Is declared done,

Still suffer more than anyone.

Climate change is the single greatest challenge of our time,

Change starts from something far less profound than legislation or a global “180.” Change comes from a single word written on a page or a story spoken throughout generations. Whether it’s activism or inspiration, the combination of words, rhyme and emotion from natural poetry has been establishing growth since the earliest records of human history. 

Ancient civilizations used poetry to express their admiration for the land. Through poetics, they created new ideas and understanding of the natural world around them. It makes sense that the greatest advocate for the environment today would be the same thing that was first born from the devotion of Earth.