What happens when poetry meets climate crisis?
In this episode, I’m joined by award-winning poet Farah Ghafoor to discuss her poetry collection, Shadow Price, from House of Anansi Press.
Taking its title from an economics term—the estimated value of things without a clear market price—Shadow Price explores themes of climate change, capitalism, colonialism, and the multigenerational impact of biodiversity loss. Farah shares how her poems blend lyricism and essayistic form to confront uncomfortable truths about how we live, what we value, and the stories we pass down.
Whether you're a poetry lover, an advocate for the environment, or simply curious about the intersection of art and activism, this episode offers a moving reflection on what it means to live—and write—responsibly.
Show highlights
00:00 – Introduction
3:02 – Farah’s journey from accountant to award-winning poet
6:47 – The violence of extraction in “The Dream-Eaters”
10:55 – The power of language in shaping meaning—and erasing it
14:50 – Indigenous knowledge and the loss of generational wisdom
17:43 – Multigenerational impact of environmental choices
22:34 – Merging poetry with essay form
26:53 – On self-doubt and finding the courage to write
30:20 – How readers can approach this collection
32:31 – Appreciation and end
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Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/journey-of-the-art
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Guest’s links
Buy Shadow Price: https://houseofanansi.com/products/shadow-price?srsltid=AfmBOoqFp33iii1uLDQAzAJ7OxJvoKH3nrLcwuVyh21QhpBSqcIVc3lW
Connect with Farah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowpricepoems
Connect with Farah on X: https://x.com/farah_ghafoor
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Host’s links
Find out more about the show: https://www.journeyoftheart.com/
Follow Journey of the Art on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/journeyoftheartpod/
Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/