Hilltown Land Trust | A Poet’s View of the Land

By Sarah Welch, HLT Community Engagement Coordinator and TerraCorps service member

A book cover reading "Writing the Land: Windblown I, edited by Lis McLoughlin, PhD, foreword by Stephen C. Trombulak, PhD. The background is An abstract blue and white painting of dandelion seeds on the breeze, conveyed with swirling lines. By Martin Bridge. — Cover of *Writing the Land: Windblown I*, cover art by Martin Bridge.

On a cold October morning last year, I met local poet JuPong Lin for the first time at the Conwell trailhead in Worthington. We spent the next two hours in deep conversation as we traversed the public trails, observing the signs of the season. A tiny mushroom here, the brilliant autumn sun reflected in the pond there. Stories about her family and my former students interwove with moments of noticing the land and all its beings.

I was deeply touched when I read the first poem JuPong produced for our chapter in the upcoming Writing the Land: Windblown I anthology. In “This Hilltown Pond,” she wrote about our walk from a place of such tender care and curiosity. She even mentioned the smallest mushroom we oohed and aahed over on the trail! When JuPong read “This Hilltown Pond” aloud at HLT’s Volunteer Celebration this past April, I could tell how much her words also resonated with our volunteer community, as they stood listening next to the titular pond while a light snow fell.

Photograph depicts JuPong Lin, holding a piece of paper, standing in the woods next to the pond and speaking. — JuPong reading her poem next to the pond at Conwell.

One year since our first meeting, we are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of Writing the Land: Windblown I. In addition to “This Hilltown Pond” [scroll down to read the full poem], our chapter in this anthology contains two more stunning poems by JuPong, richly illustrated writings about the Conwell Property. The volume also contains contributions from other poets and conservation organizations across the country.

I had so much fun writing, drawing, and collaborating with JuPong to honor a beloved place. I hope you enjoy what we created!

HLT Engagement Manager Katie Carr adds, “Sarah is not one to boast, so I wanted to note how spectacular her contributions are to this project. The lovely pen-and-ink illustrations, descriptions, and hand-drawn map perfectly complement JuPong’s moving poetry.”

Please join us in celebrating the launch of Writing the Land: Windblown I on Saturday, November 19^th at 2 pm. Spaces are limited! Register now on our website to reserve your spot.

You can purchase your copy of Writing the Land: Windblown I on our website as well for $20. Local pickup available or we can ship for an additional cost.

This Hilltown Pond

By JuPong Lin