Patch of green pawpaw
down by the spring
for a child’s forest park
Will live on this land forever
for the story bearers
to listen to
if we still know
the custard-fruit’s name
when we taste it again.
Human change is climate
The farmer says
teach care for the land
at a young age,
and the land will care
for you for generations
ripe tomatoes, purple okra
pawpaw as far as
the eye can see
to nourish you back to health.
I wrote this poem to honor my experience at NPR’s Next Gen Radio Project at STLPR. I was very inspired by the image of pawpaw at Pearson’s farm, and his words of hope for young people. Phi Global is a beautiful farm with lots of wide open land and forest. So much green and life is growing there. My time at the project with Eli as my mentor was an immense learning experience in the field of journalism. I learned that this is what I want to do in life. I want to be a storyteller with audio as my tool to get there. I felt excited every morning to come to STLPR. I didn’t feel depleted or exhausted at the end of the day. I felt supported by Doug, Traci, and Eli in ways that inspire me to keep going on this path. I came face to face with many of my insecurities as a journalist, but I felt uplifted, seen, and heard. Most importantly, I learned that climate change is human change. During this time, people are having to adapt in unique and sustainable ways.
