Funded by the Ohio State University Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme, this project uses poetry and science to help process our experiences here in Ohio during the global pandemic.
One of our collaborators is the international poetry journal Magma Poetry, and the topic of the most recent issue is “dwelling.” This theme asks questions and seeks new possibilities for the way we, human beings, have been living. “Dwelling” means existing with the earth i.e. viewing the natural world with respect, and acknowledging it as an autonomous life-force beyond human possession. To find out more about “dwelling,” please see this video from OSU English professor Zoë Brigley Thompson and Magma Poetry editor, Kristian Evans.
Since a global pandemic was declared, dwelling has taken on new significance, as communities seek ways to live in isolation. The global pandemic of COVID-19 has drawn into stark attention the fragility of human and natural worlds in which we dwell.
Dwelling could not be more relevant in the current COVID-19 pandemic, including pertinent issues like social isolation, and our relationship with the environment. This project puts scientists and poets together, and takes their ideas into the community through workshops and panels. We are holding a variety of workshops with different communities around Ohio, using creative writing as a way to process the experiences of the pandemic.
If you are based in Columbus, or Central Ohio, and have a poem to share, please see our submissions guidelines. (We do have some space for international contributions, but these are by solicitation only.)
Partners
The Ohio State University Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme