To celebrate Earth Day on 22 April 2023, we are inviting staff to share their own poems on the theme of ‘re-imagining our world’ and climate research at the University.

Glass globe in nature – concept for environment and conservation and reimagining a better world

Submissions can be written, or they can be short videos or audio recordings, which will be shared on social media and the University’s Connecting Research blog.

This call for poems has been inspired by the International Universities Climate Alliance’s Slam Poetry Festival:

‘Slam poetry is a form of performance poetry that doesn’t rely on traditional poetic forms and techniques, such as rhyming stanzas. It is free-flowing and expressive and growing in popularity the world over…

Poems should explore re-imagining our world in the context of Earth Day 2023 – addressing how our world could be reshaped, redirected or re-imagined for all.’

Poems could explore the following topics:

  • sustainable lifestyles and consumption
  • climate justice
  • innovation and technology solutions
  • cultural and local solutions.

Take part

  • If you are interested in submitting a poem to celebrate Earth Day, or have any questions, please get in touch with Demelza Hookway (d.hookway@reading.ac.uk) by 31 March 2023, with poems to be submitted by midday on Monday 17 April 2023.
  • Find out more about the International Poetry Slam Festival and register to take part.