Pacifica: a poem on coastal resilience

What is it about?

Pacifica is a poem that critiques the term “coastal resilience” by anthropomorphizing the coast as a woman who needs saving from the merciless, uncaring ocean. However, efforts to protect the coast, such as hard armoring and beach nourishment, come with cultural, economic, and environmental consequences. This poem asks, is the pursuit of “coastal resilience” worth the cost? Or does maintaining the status quo in the face of unavoidable change hinder the natural transformation of our coastal systems and communities?

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