Convergence: Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War

by Anne Coray (Editor), J C Todd (Editor), Teresa Mei Chuc (Editor)

Poetry on Environmental Impacts of War offers a groundbreaking and vital perspective on war's destruction of the natural world-the creatures, plants, soil, water, and atmosphere of Earth. In poems and contextual comments, 61 contemporary poets focus on military damages to the ecosystems on six continents and the moon. Framed by a cogent introduction and a pair of forewords, one on the poetry and the other on global consequences, the poems are accompanied by a tally of ecological costs and a set of thought-provoking discussion and writing prompts for teens and adults. This compelling anthology alerts readers to environmental degradation of our planet while affirming nature's resilience and regeneration. The anthology covers almost two millennia, beginning with the Marcomannic Wars (167-180 CE) and ending with the 21st-century wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The conflicts and concomitant environmental damage addressed by the poems are international in scope. Convergence includes ninety poems, each paired with an Author's Note, by U.S. and international poets, including John Balaban, Gillian Clarke, Camille T. Dungy, Ferida Durakovic, W.D. Ehrhart, William Heyen, Cynthia Hogue, Denise Low, Craig Santos Perez, Vivian Faith Prescott, Eric Paul Shaffer, Jillian Sullivan, Brian Turner, Pamela Uschuk, and Mai Der Vang.

254 pages, Paperback

Published May 11, 2026

About the author

Anne Coray’s debut novel Lost Mountain is published with West Margin Press. She is the author of three poetry collections; coeditor of Crosscurrents North: Alaskans on the Environment, (University of Alaska Press); and coauthor of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve (Alaska Geographic). Her work has appeared in many literary journals including the Southern Review, Northwest Review, Poetry, North American Review, and AQR. The recipient of fellowships from the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the Rasmuson Foundation, she divides her time between Homer and her birthplace on remote Lake Clark in southwest Alaska.

Reviews

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC from Scarlet Tanager Books. Semi-chronological sequence of poems by various authors on different ecological effects of human conflict. Important, educational, and often emotional. My favorites were the pieces that took a more abstract rather than narrational approach, such as those from the POV of animals. Back matter has discussion questions and writing prompts, which I will return to.