To be anointed
with the ashes of burning forests
distilled by grinning foxes
that scavenge ruined homes
for scorched children’s treasures
to feed on bygone human dreams
in search for molecular resonance,
Yes, I have come here to be baptized
into the alchemy of laughing thunder,
willful ruination,
the limping grace of wooden legs,
hazy vision of eye-patched hawks,
Yes, let me erect my dwelling
in the midst of overfiring adrenal glands
and short-circuiting nerve endings
to study the burning, time-defying
after-after.
—
Justus Wachs is a participatory action researcher, poet, and PhD candidate at McGill University in Montreal. Combining contemplative practices with creative methods like poetry, storytelling, and meditation, his work explores how inner transformations of values and worldviews can inspire collective action and systemic change. With a decade of environmental activism and creative facilitation, Justus engages with sustainability-focused activists and organizations to foster transformative learning and address socio-ecological crises.
