Earthwalk: A Poetic Walk among Forests and Shorelines

by Elena Johnson, Stephen Collis, Bernice Lever

This book is a compilation of poems read while Vancouver poets and members of the community took part in an Earthwalk at Stanley Park, hosted by the False Creek Watershed Society. The group began at the north end of Avison Way, hiked east on Kinglet Trail, and then headed over to the seawall. Mid-point on their walk among forests and shorelines, they stopped at the historical totem poles. Heading back, after noticing a tanker in the inlet, the crowd grouped together beneath a large and welcoming Linden tree (also known as a basswood tree). Stops during the walk featured eco-poetry readings by Tyee Bridge, Elaine Woo, Jordan Abel, Jeremie Marion (not included in book), Alex Leslie, Stephen Collis, and Bernice Lever. Elena Johnson, who could not make it that day, has a couple poems in the book too.Moon Willow Press’s Mary Woodbury led the walk and is deeply grateful to Elaine Woo for organizing all the readers and helping to plan the day, to all the poets who gave us something to think about, to the community who walked with us, to Tyee for his in-depth coverage of the history and ecology of the park, and to Morgan Woodbury for photographing and all-around support. Thanks also to Michael Rothenberg and Terri Carrion for organizing the 100,000 Poets for Change event, which happened today in 115 countries–in more than 800 events around the world–and led to the nature of our event. This is the second year Mary has led the Vancouver chapter of 100,000 Poets for a day for poets to push for positive change in the world, each event unique to its locality.

77 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 18, 2012