Welcome to Poetry Outdoors.
Poetry Outdoors is a creative community devoted to restoring our relationsip with the natural world through poetry, storytelling, and environmental stewardship.
As our world becomes increasingly disconnected from the natural rhythms of the living world, there is a urgent call coming from Mother Earth for us to slow down and begin to do the restorative work of repairing our relationship to nature. We are arriving into what Krista Tippett calls ‘a species moment’ where we must learn to heal the divide of our collective psyche that spilts us into a separate reality from the diverse ecosystems that make our existence possible.
Poetry Outdoors seeks to help bridge the gap in our awareness, understanding, and relations to the natural world through art. Art asks us to pay deep attention to the world around us, to walk the fragile edges of intimacy, and draw closer to centre of the experiences that mirror our intrinsic desire for connection, belonging, and meaning.
Our community currently lives inside a digital ecosystem here on Substack but we are working towards expanding our roots out into the living world through partnerships with environmental organizations and nature-inspired writing workshops & retreats.
The Reader’s Journey
As a reader of Poetry Outdoors, I will share the following offerings with you:
Weekly: Nature-inspired poetry and prose
Seasonal: Themed poetry submission calls
Bi-Monthly: Long-form interviews with special guests
In addition, I will also be offering a monthly writing circle where we gather to read nature poetry, write on varying themes with nature as our guide, and share the wisdom we’ve received from the natural world.
About Me
I’m Ash Kilback — the poet and nature lover behind Poetry Outdoors. I was born and raised in the Canadian Prairies & I’m currently writing to you from Kinookimaw, a small lake town nestled in the rolling hills of the Qu’Appelle Valley.
I write poetry, perform spoken word, and facilitate writing workshops. My poetry explores themes relating to nature, grief, spirituality, and the mystery of being alive. I’m slowly gathering a collection of poems that I plan to publish within the next year.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. As of now, Poetry Outdoors is a free publication that thrives off the generous spirit of its readers. I would love to have your presence here as a subscriber.
