Prompt for the Planet

Written and Recited by

Amanda Gorman


 
earthdancer, Sarah Neary, Iowa City, IA, USA

earthdancer, Sarah Neary, Iowa City, IA, USA

Things Told To Me By The Dying, Sarah Neary, Iowa City, IA, USA

Things Told To Me By The Dying, Sarah Neary, Iowa City, IA, USA

HIdden Traces Fading Places

Julia Kabell, 35, Unnaryd, Sweden, Scandinavia

'“A large eggtempera-painting on mankind's destruction of our habitat. The painting is inspired by old vintage, botanical tapestries. Exotic, botanical places that mankind soon has turned into extinction. Consumerism is the religion of our time. Every piece of plastic, every bit of garbage we throw away. It doesn't go away just because we throw it in the bin.. what do we leave behind?"

Julia is a multidisciplinary artist, illustrator and graphic designer from the woods of South Sweden, Scandinavia. Julia was born and raised in the forest of the eastern outskirts of Halland county. Coming from an outdoor and a 'cultural family', it's not strange that nature is a constant source of inspiration within her work.

Julia likes working in mixed medias like eggtempera, oil, graphite, watercolour and ink- as well as digital.

Julia’s work is recognized for its mix of animals, colours and children/women and often has an environmental or feministic symbolism behind it.

The Forgotten Comforts of Home

Scott Riley, 59, Barcelona, Spain

“From a series titled `The Ruins of Civilization´ , this painting shows that even in the midst of the picked-over detritus of humanity, there may still be some comfort to be found, and some kind of future to look forward to.”

Scott currently lives in Barcelona, Spain though was born and raised in New York City, attended The School of Visual Arts, and spent the 1980’s working in the East Village/Soho gallery scene. Travels in the Ecuadorian Amazon inspired Scott and his friends to organize a benefit art exhibition to support the Jatun Satcha biological research station there which ultimately allowed the purchase of 50 hectares of land for preservation, “The first time I felt that art can and should make a difference. My appreciation of the natural world is a thread that has run through my artwork ever since.”

Spragg, Hope, “What Trees Know,”

The Hurricane’s Eye

Elke Windschitl, Age 23, Iowa City IA, USA

Kris Doll, Age 17, Solon, IA, USA,

Kris Doll, Age 17, Solon, IA, USA,

David Duer is a recently retired high school English teacher. His work has been published in Ascent, Exquisite Corpse, Milkweed Chronicle, English Journal, North American Review, and Poetry, among others. And his prose memoir pieces can be found at his blog “From Now On” (davidduerblog.com).

Listening to Moss

David Duer, 67, Iowa City

Jalinsky, Emily, “Tending To,”

Code Red

Glen Farrelly, 49, Penley, Wrexham

“A major UN scientific report has concluded global heating is now irreversible and it is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere. They call it code red.
My code red is the sculpted wooden heart, my hope that we all love the world enough to force change and all do our bit too slow or reverse our damaging activity on our earth. There is no Planet B.”

Salvaged ancient oak post, Californian wildfire wood, beechwood, 127cm high x36x36cm

Parkes-Perret, Arian

Ackerman, Alex, “Earth Spirit and Water Spirit,”

Innis Hicsasmaz, Age 23, Iowa City, IA, USA

Innis Hicsasmaz, Age 23, Iowa City, IA, USA

The poem "north south east west" was inspired by the wildfires, triggered by thousands of dry lightning strikes, in the summer of 2020 in Northern California. Fires that choked the air with smoke for 30 days. Fires that ravaged homes and countryside. Unforgettable and tragic.James Morehead is Poet Laureate of Dublin, California.  "canvas: poems” is his debut collection, and he hosts The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast. http://viewlesswings.com/ “These are poems to be savored, re-read, kept handy for those times when only poetry will do.” - W. J. T. Mitchell, Senior Editor of Critical Inquiry and Gaylord Donnelley Distinguished Service Professor, English and Art History, University of Chicago

north south east west

James Morehead, 55, Dublin, California

“The poem "north south east west" was inspired by the wildfires, triggered by thousands of dry lightning strikes, in the summer of 2020 in Northern California. Fires that choked the air with smoke for 30 days. Fires that ravaged homes and countryside. Unforgettable and tragic.”

James Morehead is Poet Laureate of Dublin, California. "canvas: poems” is his debut collection, and he hosts The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast. http://viewlesswings.com/

Message in a Bottle

(Madison, age 16, Michigan)

The Sorrowful Sea

—Eily Chiu, Age 9, Virgina Beach VA

The poem, "Unidirectional Flow" follows the course of a river, starting as a thin mountain stream that becomes a rushing river, later slowing on level ground, then meandering across flatlands and spreading across a delta as it enters the sea. The accompanying river photo was taken in Sutton, Alaska.Patricia Boyle, LIvermore, CA

Unidirectional Flow

Patricia Boyle, LIvermore, CA

The poem, "Unidirectional Flow" follows the course of a river, starting as a thin mountain stream that becomes a rushing river, later slowing on level ground, then meandering across flatlands and spreading across a delta as it enters the sea. The accompanying river photo was taken in Sutton, Alaska.

Millennial ManWhen faced with adversity, do as nature does—hold on, breathe, grow, adapt, and then re- blossom.Monique Rardin Richardson, Dublin, CA

Millennial Man

Monique Rardin Richardson, Dublin, CA

“When faced with adversity, do as nature does—hold on, breathe, grow, adapt, and then re- blossom.”

This poem is about a defiant tree fighting for its last moments on earth against the raging waters of a torrential rain.Linda Drattell, Pleasanton, CA

The Torrent and the Tree

Linda Drattell, Pleasanton, CA

“This poem is about a defiant tree fighting for its last moments on earth against the raging waters of a torrential rain.”

If you don’t plan on leaving me, you might want to start paying attention to ME. —Earth

Before you unleash your fire and destruction on my forests, Before you cut down my trees, Before you build your “homes” think of me. Because I am beautiful and deserve to be treated as such

—Mother Nature (your home)

Every drop is the difference between life and death; so why do you pour me out by the bucket?

—Water (student from University of Iowa)