Inspired by my love of writing and traveling, I started writing haiku poems for all 50 U.S. states. Haikus typically tap our senses, evoking images and sensations of nature. As I started writing these haikus, I wondered how the natural world in the States will be different in the wake of climate change. So then, to conjure imagery of a changing world — as it’s presently happening around our country — I wrote a second haiku for each state.
Once a week in 2022 I’ll share these two poems on my Instagram page. So far I’ve been to 44 states, so by October, I need to have visited those final six!
I kicked off this project with Colorado (see below), and will arbitrarily select which states to share each week. That’ll keep you guessing!
Colorado Bold and beautiful With colors I've never seen Swish goes that fresh pow Colorado Changed Thirty, Seventy Temperatures change, can't plan Less snow, less flow. Dry.
For what it’s worth, conveying the beauty and intricate nuance of a state in seventeen syllables is nigh impossible. And while haikus are typically enviro-centric, for some states I drew from my overall experience of the state, not just the natural world inside of them.
Thank you as always for tuning in, and I hope you enjoy this series!
Maggie Dewane 