Part of the Cascadia 2050 mission is: to inspire artists and poets of the next generation to consider bioregionalism and intuitive poetic approach as a way to foster a more just and sustainable Cascadia by 2050. To this end, one of our goals is to interview people who help us spread awareness by having practices in their lives that reflect these values. This interview is with Joel O’Connor, about Locust, his recent chapbook. “Locust is a suite of nine poems that draws on scientific study of grasshoppers transforming into locusts, and their potential to revert, alongside the phenomenon of fascism reoccurring in cycles, in human societies.” Thus reads the first paragraph of the introduction. Joel goes on to say that “As with science, his poetry doesn’t purport to know all the answers and, in fact, is often an exercise in exploring why? to stimulate curiosity and debate in the reader…”

I feel very grateful to have had the opportunity to interview Joel. His insight and delivery in both conversation and poetry are as profound as they are sensitive. Please enjoy the interview!

Find Locust here, with a link to the video in the pdf.

And more of Joel’s work here.