by Geoffrey Philp
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Sebastiao Brito de Mendonca walks in a dry area of an affluent of Rio Negro river, as the region is hit by a severe drought, in Santa Helena do Ingles community in Iranduba, Brazil October 13. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly |
The forest might be recovering from one drought and then get hit by another while it’s still recovering,” said Chris as we sail down the Rio Negro, the scent of burnt-out mahoganies clinging to our shirts while caracaras screeched overhead.
he hangs up his gloves—
We pass barges on the shoreline, tipped on their sides, like pink dolphins trapped in the silt.
the next punch could be the one
“If that happens, it can take even longer to get back to normal, and eventually it reaches a point where it can’t get back to normality.”
he couldn't answer.
Geoffrey Philp, a Silver Musgrave Medal recipient, is the author of Archipelagos, a book of poems about climate change which was long-listed for the Laurel Prize. Philp’s poem, “A Prayer for My Children,” is featured on The Poetry Rail—an homage to 12 writers who shaped Miami's culture. He lives in Miami and is working on a children's book Marsha and the Mangroves.