This volume of poetry from troubling times emerges on National Poetry Day and at a time when global and local challenges seem overwhelming. So what use is a slim book of poems from the Plague Poets – green economist Andrew Simms, green finance academic Nick Robins and activist entrepreneur Nicky Saunter? Perhaps to illustrate the simple fact that coming together to create and share ideas through art adds to all our lives – and that this very essence of humanity is what we will increasingly depend on if we are to forge a sustainable path to the future.
Plague Poets first got together during the pandemic lockdown as a Whatsapp group called “One Poem a Week”, where each member responded to a shared theme every week with a poem. It was a distraction, but also fun, moving, enlightening and gave them a sense of collaboration in a time of isolation.
Vaccine Verse is their second volume and consists of four poems from each poet across each of the year’s four seasons. “Our poems reflect our worlds – inside and out – and sometimes looking back through them is like reading a diary. We have different styles but we care about similar things: nature, human flourishing, a positive green future, collaboration and fairness, and the power of art to communicate.” says Nicky Saunter.
Vaccine Verse will be available soon from The Real Press.