Bryan Lovell OBE, President of the Society, looks back to Poetry Day, when writers, poets, and academics from arts and science came together at Burlington House.
Geoscientist 22.02 March 2012
In July 2010 (Geoscientist 20.07 p21) I proposed a search for the best geological poetry, offering the prospect of an evening of high culture in Burlington House. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our very own Literary Trio (Sarah Day, Michael McKimm and Ted Nield), the inaugural Geological Society Poetry Day, held on 10 October 2011, became something quite special. Just how special you can judge for yourself in the brand-new poetry section of the website: www.geolsoc.org.uk/geopoetry.
Here you will find, on a digital video (prepared by the indefatigable Kevin Perry), all the talks given during the day and the verse read in the evening, linked to copies of the poems themselves. There was even song: folk-singer Mike Excell’s ominous ballad The Proof in the Puddingstone received its London premiere.
PERSUASION
Our resident poet Michael McKimm persuaded notable literary figures to join Fellows and guests for the day. Judge for yourself the standard of verse, from visitors and Fellows alike. If you could not be with us, enjoy the website now; maybe react, and consider getting involved in the next event. Submit your own poems to Michael, as a claim on literary as well as geological immortality. And listen, please, to ‘Field Notebook’, an exquisite poem by Barbara Cumbers, which for me sets the standard to which we all might aspire.
Where will this lead? I’m delighted to say that I don’t know; for never have I instigated a project that has moved so rapidly and wonderfully beyond the control of an individual. Yet I am a geologist, so I do nurse a practical hope: that our poetry will help to establish true environmental conviction where our scientific prose has failed us. We geologists will need every edge we can gain as the world glides into the Anthropocene, in a fashion brilliantly framed for us on Poetry Day by Jan Zalasiewicz.
Which contemporary poets will best express our 21st Century view of our relationship with Earth? Who can capture the intellectual revolution involved in our transition to a looming Anthropocene? Who will emulate Milton and Tennyson?