Earth Day has been celebrated on the 22nd day of April since 1970. National Poetry Month has been celebrated during the month of April since 1996. I think it is fitting that the timing of these two celebrations coincide, for poetry lends itself to celebrating the wonders of planet Earth. With this idea in mind, I contacted Martin (Marty) Settle, a Charlotte poet who often writes about the natural world, and I asked him how he addresses environmental themes in his poetry. Here is what he sent to me:
Recently, I wrote a poem called “When in the Company,” which expressed my feeling of belonging and place in the company of other creatures. When I am city-weary and full of the intentions of humans, I find that visiting our mountains near Charlotte an antidote for my mental stagnation. In the midst of animals going about purposes that are not mine, I find that I am one among others rather than one separate from others. In a rich abundance of a variety of consciousnesses, one becomes connected to the great wave called life. This loss of ego is not a diminishing experience but a transcendent one.
As I see it, when we save the ecology of our planet, we are really saving ourselves. My poetry does not take a political stance when it tries to reveal the wonder in the more-than-human world. Like Carson’s title Silent Spring, I seek by implication for readers to think about the loss of each creature and what it would mean to their lives. I believe that encounters with countless creatures fights off existential crises better than anything I know. That is what my poetry is about.
When in the Company
what is missing
is to be with other
consciousnesses
the intentions
of human beings
are not enough
in the city
out here the osprey
leaves the tree
and dives
she is about purposes
that have nothing
to do with me
turtles float on a log
with meditations
no guru knows
a dragonfly has no “why”
balancing on the line
of my fishing pole
yes, I want to catch
another consciousness
but I have to think trout
to do it –
match the hatch
tie a caddis to tippet
delicately present a lie
like a prayer
to an invisible presence
a water snake
a competitor
passes by my lure
his kind have chased me off
even stolen my catch
I give him space
to avoid confrontation
down the middle
of the stream
a kingfisher clicks her way
flying low to make a catch
I make a song
standing in my waders
to match the creek
and I cast and cast
until I disappear
For anyone who is interested in reading more of Marty’s nature-themed poems, I highly recommend his recently published collection titled The Metaphorest. More information about this collection is available here: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/the-metaphorest-by-martin-settle/
As we celebrate Earth Day here in Storied Charlotte, I think we should all join with Marty in remembering that our wondrous planet is not just our home—it’s a home that we share with all of the other forms of life that make our lives possible.