Writing the Land: Todd Creek

Very pleased to share this update from poet/artist Nancy Canyon:

I am thrilled to announce that as of May 1, 2022, I’ve accepted the position of Whatcom Land Trust poet selected by Writing the Land: A Collaboration between Poets and Protected Lands.”

A project of NatureCulture,Writing the Land partners with land trusts across the U.S. Poets visit their adopted properties and then create poems inspired by the land, with an anthology published at year’s end. Through the anthologies, poets help raise awareness of the importance of land conservation.

My adopted land is the Land Trust parcel, Todd Creek, on the Nooksack River. My husband, Ron Pattern, is a steward for this parcel, so I have visited the property numerous times, writing poetry while he planted trees or removed invasive species. I’ve enjoyed the river and rocky beach, the large maples, eagles gliding over, and fish jumping.

Being a poet for the land is a perfect fit for me. It brings me joy to observe nature, detail place in my poems, absorb the aerosols from the woods and negative ions from the water, watch the sky and wildlife, and perhaps eat a picnic next to the river.

In my year of writing poetry at Todd Creek, I will pen three poems for the program and record myself reading a poem for the Writing the Land website. Whatcom Land Trust also has suggested I give a poetry workshop and perhaps read my poems at a pub night fund raiser for Whatcom Land Trust’s upcoming land purchases. Stay tuned for news about these events.

Writing the Land

Writing the Land partners with nonprofit and environmental organizations, such as land trusts, to coordinate the “adoption” of conserved lands for poets. Each poet is paired with a land for about a year and they are expected to visit the location to create work inspired by place and preservation. Selected poets are asked to complete three poems during their tenure, at least one of which will be published in an anthology.

The project accepts submissions year-round and holds them until the land becomes available. They also welcome suggestions of land trusts to be added to the map. See the FAQ page for further details.

. . . . .
thanks to Kelli Russell Agodon, who is currently writing the land