Elizabeth Rush is the final author profiled in Writing Wild. Rush’s book, Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore, has been called “a democratization of climate change discourse.” According to Kathryn Aalto, “Rising combines the best of lyrical nature writing and science journalism to turn an oft-politicized issue into an accessible human story.” (p. 241)
I didn’t have time to read all of the books written by the women who have inspired me to write 26 poems in 27 days. But I did spend many hours listening to radio interviews, podcasts, and taped events. Not only did this allow me to become familiar with their work, it gave me a sense of their voice. I could listen to Elizabeth Rush’s voice all day. She brings a level of intelligence and compassion to her writing that is breathtaking. During an interview, she told Aalto that “writing and reporting about people–especially vulnerable ones–is an act of empathy.” (p. 244) I adapted this line to come up with the strike line for today’s poem, another Golden Shovel.
What story is this rampike writing?
Is it warning us that it is
too late to save our planet from an
apocalyptic sea change? Or an omen to act
quickly, boldly? It whispers, “Listen to the earth with all of
your senses, then flood the world with empathy.“
Draft, © 2021, Catherine Flynn
A rampike is a dead tree that is still standing. Rush writes about the proliferation of rampikes in areas where the salinity of the ground water due to rising seas is killing forests all along the east coast of the United States. You can learn more about this devastation here.
Previous Writing Wild posts:
Day 1: Dorothy Wordsworth
Day 2: Susan Fenimore Cooper
Day 3: Gene Stratton-Porter
Day 4: Mary Austin
Day 5: Vita Sackville-West
Day 6: Nan Shepherd
Day 7: Rachel Carson
Day 8: Mary Oliver
Day 9: Carolyn Merchant
Day 10: Annie Dillard
Day 11: Gretel Ehrlich
Day 12: Leslie Marmon Silko
Day 13: Diane Ackerman
Day 14: Robin Wall Kimmerer
Day 15: Lauret Savoy
Day 16: Rebecca Solnit
Day 17: Kathleen Jamie
Day 18: Carolyn Finney
Day 19: Helen Macdonald
Day 20: Saci Lloyd
Day 21: Andrea Wulf
Day 22: Padma Venkatraman
Day 23: Camille T. Dungy
Day 24: Elena Passarello
Day 25: Amy Liptrot
Reading to the Core 
Catherine, I came to see the progress on the kidlitosphere poem, but I’m too early (I’m in the Middle East, so it’s not quite as early as it seems!) Anyway, I was glad I stopped to read your Golden Shovel poem here about rampikes and empathy. I’ve learned so much, including a bit about Writing Wild. I want to look into that some more and see if it’s a group that maybe next year I can check out!
Your poem is effective and beautiful. I love what the rampike whispers:
“Listen to the earth with all of
your senses, then flood the world with empathy.“
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[…] Day 1: Dorothy WordsworthDay 2: Susan Fenimore CooperDay 3: Gene Stratton-PorterDay 4: Mary AustinDay 5: Vita Sackville-WestDay 6: Nan ShepherdDay 7: Rachel CarsonDay 8: Mary OliverDay 9: Carolyn MerchantDay 10: Annie DillardDay 11: Gretel EhrlichDay 12: Leslie Marmon SilkoDay 13: Diane AckermanDay 14: Robin Wall KimmererDay 15: Lauret SavoyDay 16: Rebecca SolnitDay 17: Kathleen JamieDay 18: Carolyn FinneyDay 19: Helen MacdonaldDay 20: Saci LloydDay 21: Andrea WulfDay 22: Padma VenkatramanDay 23: Camille T. DungyDay 24: Elena PassarelloDay 25: Amy LiptrotDay 27: Elizabeth Rush […]
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