Paper Short Abstract:

Talk uses contemporary poetry by Ada Limón, Adrienne Rich, and Joy Harjo to rethink the “good life” amid crisis. Their work inspires a vision of resilience, interconnection, and responsibility, guiding us toward sustainable dreams that honor both human and ecological needs over outdated ideals.

Paper Abstract:

This talk, Deferred Dreams and Ecological Imagination: Rewriting the Good Life in Times of Crisis, examines how contemporary poetry can guide us in rethinking the “good life” amidst climate change and social instability. Through the works of poets Ada Limón, Adrienne Rich, and Joy Harjo, I explore how poetry helps us confront, defer, and transform dreams that may no longer be sustainable or desirable.

Ada Limón’s poetry, particularly in Dead Stars, grapples with survival and resilience. She asks, “What would happen if we decided to survive more?”—a call to rethink dreams centered on growth and consumption, urging us toward a future of communal resilience. Adrienne Rich’s Diving into the Wreck pushes us to face the damage of past ideals, revealing both devastation and the treasures that remain. Her work compels us to refocus our dreams on community and ecological awareness.

Joy Harjo’s poetry, such as A Map to the Next World, underscores humanity’s deep relationship with nature. Harjo’s vision of the natural world as a partner in our journey challenges us to imagine the good life as one rooted in respect for the earth. Together, these poets suggest a socio-climatic imaginary where resilience, interconnectedness, and responsibility replace outdated ideals of individual success.