here: poems for the planet
Our planet is in crisis. As readers, publishers, and writers, we ask ourselves: In this pivotal moment, what is our role?
Here: Poems for the Planet answers this question through poetry and a practical guide to activism, inviting readers to become inspired—take in a new breath, and a new perspective—and then take action.
Here begins with a foreword from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and contains poems from more than 125 voices, including U.S. Poet Laureates, Pulitzer Prize-winners, and youth poets, and HERE culminates in a 37-page guide from the Union of Concerned Scientists. The publication date is Earth Day, 2019
Here will be distributed to every member of Congress, and copies donated copies to programs in need. As editor, I am donating all royalties to the Union of Concerned Scientists.
About Here: Poems for the Planet
Contributors
Here: Poems for the Planet includes poems by Mary Oliver, Nikki Giovanni, Robert Hass, Kwame Dawes, Tishani Doshi, Mark Doty, Forrest Gander (translator), Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Ross Gay, and Margaret Atwood—to name a few. We’re proud that our table of contents will include current and former United States Poet Laureates, Pulitzer Prize-winners, mid-career poets, emerging poets, and youth poets. To read the full list of poet contributors who will be published in Here: Poems for the Planet, follow this link.
Organization and Themes
The anthology is divided into five sections. Poems in the first section put us in touch with the beauty of our planet. In the second section, poets witness the environmental peril faced by Earth and its inhabitants. The third section celebrates animals, and mourns extinction. The fourth section includes poems by young people—our future—and the fifth section inspires action through poems imbued with hope and vision. The poets in Here: Poems for the Planet come from many nations and cultures. The book addresses the fact that, while threats to our planet impact us all, low-income communities and people of color, including indigenous people, bear the brunt of environmental devastation. Following the poetry is a guide to activism; keep scrolling down to learn more.
Here will be printed on paper and cover stock certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and Rainforest Alliance. Copper Canyon Press is committed to making choices that further our sustainability efforts while maintaining excellence in printing.
About the Guide to Activism
The Union of Concerned Scientists created a Guide to Activism for this project, to follow the poetry in Here: Poems for the Planet. After the poems have helped you feel what’s at stake and sense the possibilities for change, the guide will help you take action toward a better future.
The guide walks through best practices for anyone who wishes to:
Contact your Representatives and others holding governmental power
Put pressure on corporations to commit to green practices
Communicate with media about environmental issues and actions
Connect with others in the community who are working for environmental justice, against climate change, or on an issue you’re passionate about
By mobilizing scientists and combining their voices with those of advocates, educators, business people, and other concerned citizens, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has amassed an impressive history of accomplishments. UCS scientists and engineers develop and implement innovative, practical solutions to some of our planet’s most pressing problems—from combating global warming and developing sustainable ways to feed, power, and transport ourselves, to fighting misinformation, advancing racial equity, and reducing the threat of nuclear war.
