Reflection

I chose to examine climate change by way of an expressive, yet lyrical, piece of poetry, hoping such a form may draw the reader toward a deeper awareness of this rising issue. Yet we must not reduce the health of the Earth to a mere “issue.” It is not the most important issue of our time, but perhaps of all time. Climate change risks the lives of billions – or perhaps trillions – as it hardly affects man’s survival alone. To me, poetry is a transcendent art, with the ability to elevate an idea to its highest form. I first heard of Autumn Peltier in English class when the teacher asked us to explore a rising figure in Canadian society. As an individual passionate about bringing awareness to the climate crisis, I had picked Autumn as my subject. She is a member of the First Nations community, and thus views harmony as the basis of man’s relationship to nature. Furthermore, her connection to her Aunt, defined by a common vision and the very blood they share – flowing between generations not unlike the water they have mutually vowed to protect – made her a fully evocative figure to me. Following the lesson in school, I wrote a series of seven essays on Autumn’s story, with each iteration, hoping to put my own unique spin on it. The piece above is my first attempt at a fully creative meditation on Autumn’s story and the water that she protects. When I got the opportunity to mix my love of eco-poetry and Autumn, I jumped at the chance. I hope my piece does justice to Autumn’s story and brings additional needed attention to the issue of climate change.