Exploring work and vocation in a time of climate crisis through poetry
How does our work (what we do to earn a living, and the conditions in which we do it) and our vocation (our deeper sense of purpose or calling in life) get affected during a time of climate crisis? A new workshop at St John’s College invites participants to reflect on this question through poetry.
Dr. Melanie Dennis Unrau, co-editor of the anthology I’ll Get Right On It: Poems on Working Life in the Climate Crisis and Writer-in-Residence at UM’s Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture, will lead a community poetry workshop exploring the theme of labour and vocation in the time of climate emergency.
Participants will be guided through a series of readings, discussions, and creative prompts designed to spark their own writing. Unrau will share selections of poems that capture the tensions between work and climate change, offering inspiration and perspective as participants consider their own roles and responsibilities.
This workshop is open to everyone, no prior poetry experience is needed. All that’s required is curiosity and a willingness to reflect.
Event details:
Date: September 25, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: St. Matthew’s Anglican Church