WATCH YOUR HEAD
  • Watch Your Head
  • Contributors
  • About
    • Mission
    • Masthead
    • Submissions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • News
    • Media Coverage
    • Resources
    • Donations
    • Events
    • Contact
  • Gallery
  • Film & Video
  • Nonfiction
  • Fiction
Picture

Picture
Proceeds will be donated to RAVEN ​& Climate Justice Toronto.
A warning, a movement, a collection borne of protest.
In Watch Your Head, poems, stories, essays, and artwork sound the alarm on the present and future consequences of the climate emergency. Ice caps are melting, wildfires are raging, and species extinction is accelerating. Dire predictions about the climate emergency from scientists, Indigenous land and water defenders, and striking school children have mostly been ignored by the very institutions – government, education, industry, and media – with the power to do something about it.

Writers and artists confront colonization, racism, and the social inequalities that are endemic to the climate crisis. Here the imagination amplifies and humanizes the science. These works are impassioned, desperate, hopeful, healing, transformative, and radical.
​

This is a call to climate-justice action.

...Watch Your Head does not disappoint. It serves as a warning to heed, a reminder to be thought of often, and a well-thought-out piece of art. Throughout the anthology, readers encounter pieces that provoke and insist, demanding attention, consideration, action, and creativity. Essays and stories and images alike bring about questions and statements on Indigenous rights, white privilege, exploitation of land and people, colonial power structures, place, home, language, and imagination.
​                                                               
​The New Twenties
Buy WATCH YOUR HEAD from these booksellers
​

Another Story Bookshop
~
Coach House Books
~
Glass Bookshop
~
knife | fork | book
~
​Librairie Drawn & Quarterly
~
Massy Books
~
Munro's Books
​
If you are an independent bookseller and are carrying this book, let us know!
This anthology is not to be missed. The pandemic may have defined our year, but the climate crisis defines our time in geological history. See how this roster of talented writers and artists advance the conversation, put the crisis in context and call for climate justice.
                                                     
​
The Quarantine Review
Picture
Sign up for our newsletter!
Watch Your Head is on hiatus until 2023. Check back for submission details in the new year.

POETRY: AMANDA EARL

5/26/2022

 

THE BEFORE
​(from Welcome to Upper Zygonia)

Note: Citizens of Earth, facing imminent oblivion, seek an alternate home. A scribe
​dreams of Upper Zygonia, an imaginary planet.
 
we observed from space
everywhere flooding
shoreline storms, chemical poisons
we were in a hurry
the earth was peeled and pitted
a pale pink crumpled up ball
 
we were fleeing pollutants
harmful materials
watched the gradual
change of the colour of the sky
its chalky unknown, our continent
odd and waxy
 
pollution was the introduction
warming, sea levels, the endless
purple-grey washing up,
a faded indigo
ocean creatures dying.
the beaches fibrous
centuries of
breaking down
 
our tears stained
the sidewalks when we
encountered the harmful environment
the destruction of centuries’ old roots
 ongoing ocean and atmospheric ruin
the birds transformed by bad air
water, and runoff produced by factories
pollutants that would damage
future trash turning into subdued ash
 
we wanted to save ourselves
burning coal, cars spewing
pollutants and homes generating
garbage and sewage
we saw fewer insects,
flowers and barks
the air thick as wool
sea levels rise causing erosion
we were fleeing from hazards
from nostalgic memories
and golden ideals
 
we were fleeing industrial
and wastewater effects
growth meant gases into the lake
spongy clouded depths once had years
one-celled microbes to blue large city
an aquifer over a sodden mud road
toxic clouds. whales dwindling
all living things. drought begets drought
so most of this water implanted
in the terrestrial air was water
plunk down a city
 
we were fleeing the soil infertile
for years. clouds of smog
collected into nearby valleys
as the residents of the towns
suffer deadly gases
 
we were fleeing heatwaves
killing hundreds. extreme heat
dries out the soil. thunderstorms
set fire to dry forests
we were choked, or asphyxiated,
by the atmosphere
as a result, not enough land remains.
there are landslides
 
we were fleeing a pressure cooker
dead birds and other organisms
in a hazardous climate
burnt out of their natural habitat
this air all bunched up with toxic
clouds devouring landscapes
we are fleeing years without rain.
a ludicrous place to work on the land
desert skies clear as petroleum jelly
tatty from lifetimes of abuse
 
we swallowed slimy euphemisms as if they were cream
letting reality slip into unimaginably soft platitudes
making metal bouquets out of fool’s gold
drinking dollar beers in frontier towns of yester year
 
the earth is simmering
choose yer tannins
sea level continues to rise
lakes one-eighth of an inch per
painful cuts in wells
“unused” grass is banned
yellow-orange sign of water restrictions
at a rate of about cabbage
megadroughts make wore with farmers
non-arable the once verdant is a
megalopolis form of black
boiled down as seen on the satellite image
pink from above
the reasons why this once
beautiful unsustainable
precious commodity
 
we are fleeing the black water
that was once coastal cities
the fires and drought emergencies
dry a crisis
the amazon, a now-pale
speck on a disappearing map
inside the crucible of lip service policies
decided by each municipality
billions of trees burnt out
ghosts in the ancient forests
helpless against environmental vandalism
 
we are running without predictable course of action
the ground on steroids.
the battle for water
deadly and destructive storm surges
empty maps. push farther inland
the wild lightfast end
 
we’re fleeing deadly floods
sheets of ice
flash floods
grieving 1 million species never to be
devastation and death
vanishing forests
deforestation
wildfires sweeping through towns,
fine powders of ash raining down
 
corrupted oceans
an alien place. the voice of earth
is trembling,
the ice melted long ago
sea level rise
thermal south
dust expansion caused by warming
emissions from human activity
increased atmospheric heat
 
we’ve thrown ink on the fire.
extreme rain terrifying
scenes of devastation and death
swelling streams
towns washed away
no shelter remains
despite the ample warnings
 
we wrote letters to the rain in pen or brush
this should not be happening
a burning future
fruitless markings by our desires--abandoning all
renouncers of climate change
"The Before": An Excerpt from Welcome to Upper Zygonia
A Poetry Reading by Amanda Earl
October 15, 2021
The Before is a guided remix, which takes words and phrases from the following sources:
 
Pollution from the National Geographic Resource Library.
 
Cornwall, Warren, Europe’s deadly floods leave scientists stunned, Science Magazine, 7/20/21.
 
Keith, Arthur, 6 Of the Most Unsustainable Cities, Analyzed, Medium, 7/12/21.
 
Logan, Jason, The Colour: The Colour of Water, 7/20/21; The Unknown Continent 7/23/21; Handwriting 7/16/21; Berry Stains 7/2/21.
 
Luymes, Glenda, First look at Lytton reveals terrible extent of fire damage, Vancouver Sun, 7/9-12/21.
 
National Ocean Service, Is sea level rising?, O2/26/21.
 
National Ocean Service, What is glacial isostatic adjustment? 08/11/21.
 
Sandy, Matt The Amazon Rain Forest Is Nearly Gone, Time Magazine.
 
Sims, Amanda,  4 Steps to Naturally Dyeing Any Fabric Using Foods, Architectural Digest, 10/12/18.
Amanda Earl (she/her) is a pansexual, polyamorous feminist who writes, makes visual poetry, edits and publishes others and lives in Ottawa on unceded Algonquin Anishinabe territory. Earl is the author of Kiki (Chaudiere Books, 2014, now with Invisible Publishing). Her latest chapbook is The Before, an excerpt from Welcome to Upper Zygonia (above/ground press, 2022). She's the managing editor of Bywords.ca, the fallen angel of AngelHousePress, and the editor of Judith: Women Making Visual Poetry (Timglaset Editions, 2021). Welcome to Upper Zygonia has been awarded a City of Ottawa Creation and Production Fund for Established Writers Grant in 2021. Further info: https://linktr.ee/amandaearl

PHOTOGRAPHY: AMANDA EARL

8/17/2020

 
AT THE END OF DAYS

“At the End of Days” is a series of photos which documents evidence of a forthcoming apocalypse. In each photo something prized by humans has been thrown away. In some cases, nature intervenes by trying to reclaim its territory, vines covering an old car, rust on metal gears left in The snow, a leaf on an old chair. Lastly, there are sunflowers picked and placed in an LCBO bag, then left in the compost heap. All of these images show a disregard for nature, a prioritizing of humans over nature instead of seeing that humans are part of nature, and our treatment of nature has consequences on the life of the planet and the continued existence of humanity.
Picture
Nature Overtakes, August 2018 15 x 10 inches
Picture
Sunflowers In Booze Bag, August 2019 15 x 15 inches
Picture
Nature Overtakes 2, June 2018 15 x 10 inches
Picture
The Centre Cannot Hold, February 2017 15 x 15 inches
Amanda Earl is a Canadian poet, publisher, editor, prose writer, visual poet, occasional doodler who snaps pics of broken glass and dying
flowers. She has a #chairsofOttawa series on Instagram in which she takes photos of chairs that have been thrown away. Her books are “A World of Yes” (DevilHouse, 2015), “Kiki” (Chaudiere Books, 2014) and “Coming Together Presents Amanda Earl” (Coming Together, 2014). Amanda is the managing editor of Bywords.ca and the
fallen angel of AngelHousePress.

    About

    Watch Your Head is an online journal of creative works devoted to the climate crisis and climate justice. 

    New work is published monthly!
    ​
    ​Masthead
    Mission
    ​Submissions
    Contact
    Gallery
    ​Film & Video
    ​Nonfiction
    ​Fiction
    Contributors
    Donations
    Resources
    Check out our latest project: a print anthology published by Coach House Books!
    Picture
    Watch Your Head: Writers & Artists Respond to the Climate Crisis
    Coach House Books
    October 2020
    News
    Media Coverage
    ​News
    Picture
    Sign up for our newsletter

    Archives

    July 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    November 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019

    Categories

    All
    Aaron Kreuter
    Activism
    Adam Dickinson
    Adam Giles
    Adam Gunn
    Akshi Chadha
    Alana Bartol
    Alex Manley
    Alice Burdick
    Amanda Earl
    Amy LeBlanc
    Ann Cavlovic
    Annick MacAskill
    Anthropocene
    Archana Sridhar
    Arianna Richardson
    Armand Garnet Ruffo
    Art
    Aude Moreau
    Ayesha Chatterjee
    Ayman Arik Kazi
    Barry Pottle
    Bren Simmers
    Caleb Nichols
    Camille Intson
    Canisia Lubrin
    Carleigh Baker
    Carrianne Leung
    Cassandra Cervi
    Cassidy McFadzean
    Cate Sandilands
    Catherine Bush
    Catherine Graham
    Catriona Wright
    Ching-In Chen
    Choe Rayun
    Christine Leclerc
    Coach House
    Comics
    Concetta Principe
    Conyer Clayton
    Cornelia Hoogland
    Cory Lavender
    D. A. Lockhart
    Daniela Elza
    Dave Monture
    David Barrick
    David Groulx
    David Huebert
    David Waltner-Toews
    David White
    Digital Art
    Ecopoetics
    Editors
    Elaine Woo
    Elana Johnson
    Elena Johnson
    Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch
    Ellen Chang-Richardson
    E. Martin Nolan
    Emilie Kneifel
    Emily Lu
    Emily Schultz
    Endangered
    Endangered Species
    Erasure
    Erin Robinsong
    Essay
    Events
    Experimental
    Fiction
    Film
    Fiona Tinwei Lam
    Francine Cunningham
    Franco Cortese
    Fundraising
    Gabrielle Drolet
    Gary Barwin
    Geoffrey Nilson
    Gillian Jerome
    Gregory Betts
    Greg Santos
    Hari Alluri
    Hege Jakobsen Lepri
    Hybrid
    Indie Ladan
    Isabella Wang
    Jacqueline Valencia
    James Legaspi
    Jane Shi
    Jen Currin
    Jennifer Dorner
    Jennifer Wenn
    Jenny Berkel
    Jen Rae
    Jessica Bebenek
    Jessica Houston
    Jessica Joy Hiemstra
    Jessica Le
    Jessica Slipp
    Jessie Taylor
    Joanne Arnott
    Jody Chan
    Jonathan Skinner
    Judith Penner
    Julya Hajnoczky
    June Pak
    Kate Sutherland
    Kathleen McCracken
    Kathryn Mockler
    Kerry Rawlinson
    Kevin Adonis Browne
    ​Khashayar Mohammadi
    Kim Fahner
    Kim Goldberg
    Kirby
    Kirsteen MacLeod
    Kirsty Elliot
    Koh Seung Wook
    Kunjana Parashar
    La Ligne Bleue
    Land Art
    Lauren Lee
    Liz Hirmer
    Madeline Bassnett
    Madhur Anand
    Mallory Smith
    Manahil Bandukwala
    Mandela Massina
    Marco Reiter
    Margaret Christkos
    Marney Isaac
    Marta Balcewicz
    Maryam Gowralli
    Mary Of The Tower
    Meredith Quartermain
    Michael Maranda
    Millefiore Clarkes
    Mona'a Malik
    Moni Brar
    Music
    Natalie Lim
    Nicolas Billon
    Nikki Reimer
    Nisa Malli
    Nonfiction
    Novel Excerpt
    On Writing
    Painting
    Paola Ferrante
    Patrick Murray
    Paul David Esposti
    Penn Kemp
    Performance
    Performance Art
    Photography
    Plays
    Poetry
    Prose
    Qurat Dar
    Rae Armantrout
    Rasiqra Revulva
    Reading
    Rhea Tregebov
    ​Robert Frede Kenter
    Robert Hogg
    Rob Mclennan
    Rob Taylor
    Ronna Bloom
    Ryanne Kap
    Sacha Archer
    Sâkihitowin Awâsis
    Salma Saadi
    Samantha Jones
    Samuel Tongue
    Sanchari Sur
    Sandy Ibrahim
    Sarah Mangle
    Sarah Pereux
    Sea Level
    Shades Of Hope
    Sharanya Manivannan
    Shazia Hafiz Ramji
    Shelley Niro
    Sheniz Janmohamed
    Shinjini Sur
    Short Fiction
    Simone Dalton
    Sina Queyras
    Stephanie Conn
    Stephen Barrett
    Stephen Collis
    Steve McOrmond
    Sue Goyette
    Susan Haldane
    Tanis MacDonald
    Terese Mason Pierre
    The Blue Line
    The Uncommitted
    Todd Westcott
    Tom Cull
    Tom Prime
    Trish Salah
    Trynne Delaney
    Tye Engström
    Vera Hadzic
    Video
    Video Poem
    Visual Art
    Visual Poetry
    Wanda John-Kehewin
    Whitney French
    Yusuf Saadi
    Yvonne Adalian

    RSS Feed

Sign up for our Newsletter.
ISSN 2563-0067
 © ​Copyright 2021 | WATCH YOUR HEAD
​​List of Contributors.
  • Watch Your Head
  • Contributors
  • About
    • Mission
    • Masthead
    • Submissions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • News
    • Media Coverage
    • Resources
    • Donations
    • Events
    • Contact
  • Gallery
  • Film & Video
  • Nonfiction
  • Fiction