Poetry: Startlement by Ada Limón
Ada Limón. Photo: Library of Congress
Love, Justice and Climate Change
Just as I was preparing to write my blog post for this week, something I was reading mentioned that the Fifth National Climate Assessment from the United States government, which was published in December 2023, was introduced by a poem. Although I don’t read poetry regularly, I was intrigued and looked it up. The poem, titled “Startlement” was written by the Poet Laureate of the U.S., Ada Limón.
I found the poem quite moving. I long for us all to be fully alive, fully human, and fully connected to the earth and to each other. When we can manage it, I think this is also the surest foundation for meaningful climate action. So instead of writing a new post this week, I offer you “Startlement,” by Ada Limón.
