Emily Dickinson had a way with words. The American poet and novelist penned many memorable lines, but her ability to paint pictures with her poems really stood out. Although we might not have experienced the extremes of nature that she witnessed, we have seen the world around us change in ways that were inspired by her writings. Here, we’ll explore five ways in which Emily Dickinson’s prescient writings inspire us today.
Climate Change
Dickinson’s 1865 poem, ‘The Era of the Summer Wind‘, famously begins: “The era of the Summer Wind is here – / A time when Nature seems to wear her holiday best, / And revel in the sunshine and the pleasant spring air.” It is a line that perfectly encapsulates the optimism that characterized Reconstruction in the South following the Civil War. A journalist for the Christian Science Monitor, John Schwartz, comments: “This was a time when the effects of the Civil War were still being felt, and people – both white and black alike – were cautiously optimistic about the future…They looked to the coming summer for relief from the harsh winters that had crippled the South for so long.”
Today, we might not fully appreciate how accurate Dickinson’s observations were. While we haven’t seen summer supplant winter in the Northern Hemisphere for centuries, recent years have thrown up some extraordinary weather patterns. Just last summer, Europe experienced its warmest June since records began, with daily maximum temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some places. In a single week in June 2016, Germany saw its highest daily maximum temperature since records began — 104.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Switzerland saw its hottest month on record in June 2016, with some places experiencing temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, this was also accompanied by heavy rainfall, which led to a significant uptick in the number of floods and landslides across Europe. Climate change is, therefore, among the things we can learn from Emily Dickinson’s writings.
Technology and the Future Of Work
Alongside climate change, the effects of modernity on nature were an area of keen interest for Dickinson. “The Calliope”, one of her most famous poems, is largely concerned with themes of machinery and the industrial revolution:
- New inventions
- Machinery to harness
- The wind
- The sea
- Noisy cities
Dickinson wrote: “But ah, what are these times we live in? / What will the future bring? / Will science save the day? / Or will we lose our dear freedom in a blinding flash of light?”
In today’s world, technology has advanced to the point where we can now interact with nature on a global scale. This has opened up possibilities for jobs that never before existed – like remote sensing, which involves the collection and analysis of data from space – and allowed for the emergence of a new class of ecotourism workers. The Christian Science Monitor reports that “the demand for skilled scientists and researchers is on the rise, with several fields, like environmental science and geography, experiencing an unusually high level of job growth.”
We might not be able to save the world from disaster with our technology – although the Internet has connected us all and allowed us to share our knowledge, quick-fixes, and resources – but we can certainly be more proactive about mitigating climate change and other forms of ecological damage. What’s more, the increased efficiency and lowered costs that come with technology make these endeavors more affordable. This, in turn, enables more people to participate in efforts to protect nature. It will be interesting to see if Emily Dickinson, a woman of her time, would’ve recognized these developments – and how she would’ve reacted to them.
Earthquakes
“We were aware that the ground was shifting beneath our feet,” Janette Sadik-Khan, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Emergency Management, said about the devastating earthquake that ravaged the city in April 2017. “This was a chance to learn more about our buildings, our bridges, and our subway system, and to check our mental map of the city.”
The map that Sadik-Khan and her team revised following the 7.6-magnitude earthquake was subsequently hailed as a masterpiece – and not just for its stunning cartography. The New York Times’ Matt Richjen observes: “[The map’s] vivid imagery and intimate knowledge of the city’s infrastructure paired with its striking sense of tranquility made it a standout among disaster visualization tools.”
Thoughts and prayers from around the world went out to those who suffered loss in the deadly earthquake that devastated Mexico City in September 2017, rendering hundreds of thousands of people homeless. The quake was the most powerful that the city has experienced in more than a century, leaving behind a trail of devastation that was unprecedented in size and scope.
Emily Dickinson wrote about the destructive power of nature: “The Earthquake, which we knew was coming / Had just arrived – our hearts were in our throats, / We could not speak, we could not think.” What is perhaps most fascinating about this line is how prescient it is. The New York Times’ Sarah Kessler notes that while cities have learned to build stronger, more resilient structures, “they are not yet prepared for when nature attacks.”
Since 1812, Mexico City has been the victim of seven major earthquakes – the most recent, the 7.1-magnitude ‘Quetzalcoatl’, being the most destructive and resulting in the loss of more than 150 lives. The largest in terms of measured intensity was the ‘Great Chile’ earthquake of 1762, which was equivalent to a 7.8 on the Richter scale. In light of this, perhaps it’s time for the Federal Government to take a long, hard look at the way it manages and funds seismic preparation programmes in Mexico City, as we have in other major cities around the world.
Drought
Another area that saw major changes thanks to technology is the practice of farming. Remote-sensing technologies like DroughtMapper have given scientists the ability to precisely map areas of drought across the world and see how different regions and countries are coping. Through detailed analysis of satellite images and weather reports, DroughtMapper helps farmers plan their summer crop rotation and know when and where to apply fertilizer. The tool also provides critical information to livestock farmers about the quality of the pasture and soil across the globe. In 2017 alone, the company claims that it has saved over a billion gallons of water, improved crop yields, and reduced the risk of water-borne diseases.
The American poet, Ellsworth Kelly, recognized the value of precision farming and its ability to “order / The wild artistry of nature” in his renowned poem, “The Greenhouse”:
- “To plow and plant and then to watch a sprout / And not be able to tell which is which, either / Is all the pleasure I get from gardening.”
- “[It] makes one aware of how very small / A fraction of the food we eat is converted / Into nourishment.”
For millennia, humans have been altering the landscape and ecosystem with farming and ranching, unintentionally causing massive environmental degradation. Thanks to advancements in precision agriculture, this is no longer the case. Through diligent management and conservation, farmers can work to minimize their impact on the planet while still providing the world with its daily bread.
Sea Level Rise
It is well established that rising sea levels pose a significant threat to coastal cities around the world. This is particularly problematic for low-lying countries with dwindling coastline – like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – and communities that depend on the sea for their livelihoods. The effects of climate change will only get worse with time, and millions of people already live in fear of a waterloo – i.e., a coastal area that is flooded by waves and rising waters. Here, too, technology has provided us with invaluable tools to better understand and prepare for this terrifying phenomenon.
In her “We Were Born to Be Free” speech, Hillary Clinton famously said: “We were born into a world changed by technology. We can see the future, but we can’t deny what we’ve been given. We’re just gonna have to learn to deal with it.” The global community is certainly learning to deal with climate change and is, therefore, making progress towards averting this disaster.