Soil Poems

In April of 2015, I collaborated with my mother, the book artist Jan Owen, to create an art book called "Twelve Orders/Twelve Verses" for the show “Dirt? Scientists, Book Artists, and Poets Reflect on Soil and Our Environment." I wrote a poem and scientific description for each of the 12 soil orders and she created a one-of-a-kind art book. A short essay I wrote about the process of developing this book was published in Soil Horizons. The text provides an evocative, scientifically accurate introduction to the diversity, development, and vulnerability of soils. I hope it will be used by soil science educators to increase interest in soils and enjoyed by readers interested in learning more. It is free to download and use with citation.

The text is available in two forms:

1. A booklet: You can print this double-sided, fold lengthwise, and staple or sew the fold to create a tall (4.25"x11") booklet. Note, the poems will not be in order if you do not make this file into a booklet. PDF

2. Pages: The poems are in order with one poem and its scientific description per page. PDF

And something that isn't a poem

A short podcast that combines my enthusiasm for understanding the world as a scientist and exploring the world as a runner!

Tilden Park soil geomorphology - added September 15, 2015