Continuing on from a previous post exploring some links between opera, history and public health, Croakey is delighted to launch an occasional new feature: Poems of Public Health.
The idea arose out of a conversation with Canberra poet Owen Bullock who was unwise enough to mention that he enjoys writing poetry upon request – which I immediately seized upon as an opportunity for Croakey readers and contributors.
Below, he writes upon climate change. What other public health topics would you like him to write about?
***
heat
fresh food
expensive
the water doesn’t taste good
another cyclone up the coast
three varieties of apples in the supermarket
the valley too dry
to camp there
bees are dying
but they love rosemary
which flowers
most of the year
the physics of climate trend
can’t be altered
some say
but what about
a quantum leap
countries must
individuals do
cycling to work
feeling better on less meat
opening up the disused car factory
to make solar panels
inviting the Mayor
• Owen Bullock has published a collection of poetry, two books of haiku and a novella. He has edited a number of journals and anthologies and taught students of all ages. He is interested in the potential of poetry to fulfil a variety of social roles. Owen is a PhD candidate at the University of Canberra.
PostScript from Croakey: Perhaps poetry is better than some of the more usual approaches at translating the social determinants of health into stories that might move and engage the wider public – see A Worker’s Speech to a Doctor, by Bertolt Brecht, which was recently circulated on Twitter as an example of #SDOH poetry.
Hi there,
I’m interested in this. I’m a published poet through Journal of Postcolonial Text affiliated with Open Humanities press and published in various national poetry journals and online literary magazines.
I also have interest in Public Health – I am a Peer Mentor in health education – neuroplasticity through cognitive science recommendations – arts health – and incorporating critical theory from continent and the US. that’s http://moodcreative.blogspot.com.au/
this is not the clinic but peer run organisation – my speciality is mentoring and facilitating economic empowerment of artists in crisis. While they learn about neuroplasticity and the health system then can also produce art that’s promoted by my sole trader agency Elastic Sidewalk based in Sydney. There’s more to my integrated approach and I’m happy to help out here. cheers