Environmentalism While the spirit of environmentalism has danced through the ages in various guises, the awakening of environmental consciousness as we recognize it today did not truly flourish until the closing chapters of the 20th century. This shift was largely sparked by a series of dramatic environmental crises. In 1985, the seas bore witness to a bold act when French agents scuttled the Rainbow Warrior, the flagship of Greenpeace, in Auckland Harbor. That same year, vigilant British meteorologists confirmed their lingering fear—a gaping wound had formed in Earth's protective ozone blanket above Antarctica, a direct consequence of human folly with chemicals. Yet, it was the catastrophic 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill that truly stirred the collective heart. On March 24, the tanker struck a hidden reef, releasing a torrent of over ten million gallons of oil into the unspoiled beauty of Alaska’s Prince William Sound. This disaster ignited a blaze of media scrutiny on environmental matters—pollution, deforestation, acid rain, the rampant use of landfills and incinerators, overpopulation, and the vanishing of wildlife. The momentum for change persisted into the 1990s, kindling a widespread interest in recycling and other green practices. Yet, as Bass penned her poem in 2001, the world's gaze began shifting toward the pressing turmoil of new conflicts, notably the burgeoning fight against terrorism.

Genetically Modified Food The dawn of a new era of scientific inquiry arrived in 1997 with the announcement of Dolly the sheep, the first successful clone of an adult mammal, igniting fervent debates about the ethical and practical dimensions of cloning and genetic engineering as a whole. By the time Bass crafted her poem, one particularly incendiary topic centered around the genetic modification of foods. A sweeping wave of protest emerged in Great Britain, rapidly spreading through Europe and across the Atlantic to the United States as the millennium turned. Advocates of genetically modified (GM) foods argued for innovations—crops bolstered to withstand insect onslaughts and imbued with vaccines, offering potential solutions to diseases like hepatitis B. Critics, however, warned of the perilous path of meddling with nature’s intricate balance, claiming the unforeseeable consequences posed grave risks. Moreover, the commercialization of engineered crops raised alarms, as giant US corporations acquired diverse seed varieties, leading to speculation that the future of the world's food supply could be monopolized by a few entities wielding immense power.

Amidst the swirling controversy, scientific exploration pressed on, unveiling new frontiers in genetic methodologies. In 2001, researchers at Cornell University unlocked the secrets of a gene in tomato plants that influences fruit size—a groundbreaking discovery that stirred imaginations with visions of crops engineered to unprecedented dimensions. Advocates of genetically modified foods heralded this potential, envisioning a world where larger fruits could play a pivotal role in eradicating global hunger, each substantial fruit nourishing more individuals than ever before.

Imagery The magic of Bass’s poem lies in her masterful use of vivid imagery that dances between light and shadow. She opens with a haunting tableau, capturing the grip of despair that deafens many with "the slosh / of our own blood." Yet, this bleak canvas soon brightens as Bass introduces a shimmering vision — "It’s beauty" is the catalyst for her sorrow. With this revelation, the poem pivots, showering the reader with a cascade of radiant images of both nature and humanity.

Bass conjures scenes of nature's splendor: "Rain / pooled on a fallen oak leaf," a resplendent September moon, and the carefree laughter of children at the beach, blissfully unaware of life's shadows. These vivid depictions of nature's and humanity's virtues amplify the poem’s emotional weight as it delves into darkness....