Ecopoetry

Nature has come back to the centre of poetry – Simon Armitage

Our world is fragmenting. Communities fracture in favour of time spent in front of a screen taking selfies. Apathy has taken over from activism. Meanwhile, countries denuded of assets suffer from extreme weather events. ‘The climate crisis is a background hum that won’t go away’ declares the current Poet Laureate.

Consider looking outwards not inwards. As the weather improves, let’s walk instead of taking the bus and notice the ‘microjoys’ given to us by the planet, while they are still here. As May opens with a burst of birds who have returned from migrations, let’s do as the Japanese: enjoy the cherry blossom season.

It is traditional to sit under the sakura cherry trees and write a quick haiku (glass in hand). Nature can be a vehicle to introspection – the falling cherry blossom can be seen as a metaphor for the transience of life. Or it can just be itself – a soft pink, heralding a rise in the sap of trees. Here’s a toast to the month of May!