An Analysis of Rita Wong's Poem "Fresh Ancient Ground" (2015)

To what extent does Wong break perceptions and inform readers in “Fresh Ancient Ground”? For the general public, the question of environmental responsibility is a growing concern and yet the extent of it is often misconceived and seen as more of a secondary issue. Through “Fresh Ancient Ground”, Rita Wong explains why this issue should be at the forefront of our thought process and engages in a journey to inform people, whatever their background, of the reality of the situation and its significance. Published in 2015, I believe this poem is just as relevant, if not more, within the current state of affairs and in its call for action. Throughout the title itself, Wong introduces ideas of environmental responsibility and respect for the land. By naming her poem “Fresh Ancient Ground”, Wong directly creates a tension in the temporality of the said space. The word “Fresh” suggests a novelty in the exposure of the surface, as if it has recently been altered or excavated. This contrasts with the “Ancient” qualities of the space which, due to the “Fresh” nature of the area have been “eradicated” (l.18). Any relevance this space may have had is therefore destroyed as it is now a “ground”, a base upon which work can be done. The history of the land therefore becomes obsolete in the face of new, “Fresh” ideas such as progress, modernisation or profit and the simplicity with which these decisions are made are reflected through the plainness of the title. We are therefore placed in a very passive position, observing the transformation of the environment– a feeling she will channel through the poem and will grow until the last paragraphs of prose. The choice of setting is significant in its political significance and the ways in which it breaks down assumptions. Wong’s choice to set the poem the poem in Canada is symbolic due to its uncontested place in the reader’s mind amid “First World” nations. At first, it seems that Wong’s choice to focus on Canada appears to be personal as she presents her emotions concerning Canada’s exploitation “Bearing witness to the devastation is one of the hardest things I have ever done.” (l.46). Her personal knowledge of Canada is therefore key in her critique, but her emotional attachment to her country will become more significant when observed as an argumentative device. At this stage, the choice of setting can be seen as a strong political argument. Through the critique of Canada’s situation, Wong illustrates how more developed countries also need to be held accountable for their actions - or lack thereof. By opening with Melina Laboucan Massimo’s quote, Wong not only exposes the treatment of indigenous populations but also creates a parallel with the situation of minorities around the world. When reading the quotation, I could not help but realise its resemblance to a passage in Ken SaroWiwa’s A Month And A Day. The passage states that “100 billion dollars’ worth of oil and gas have been carted away from Ogoni land. In return […] the Ogoni people continue to live in primitive conditions in the absence of […] pipe-borne water” (p.66-67). The similarities of both situations, despite being more than an ocean away are striking and lead us to deconstruct the given image of Canada. The relevance of the same issues breaks down the pedestal of “advanced western nations” through the prevalence of inequalities at the heart of these. Indeed, the fact that environmental racism can be found in such advanced nations (self-proclaimed) leads us to consider the deeper politics with the nation and the morality behind certain decisions. Wong pursues in her critique situation by focusing more precisely on the Canadian government. By concentrating on specific examples of ways in which the government engages in what can only be described as corporate violence against the environment, Wong illustrates the profit orientated mindset of western cultures. The diplomatic nature of this violence is the main focus here and Wong shows this through her reference to the government’s “federal abdication of/responsibility” (l.29/30). This specific example is based on the Fisheries Protection Regime that made headlines around Canada. The new legislation allowed the deregulation of pollution in fish bearing waters if said pollution is due to fish farming. Through this example, Wong exemplifies the profit over sustainability mindset as the industry will be more profitable on the short term but over a longer time period, the effects of the polluted ecosystem will catch up and cause irreversible damage. This mindset of living in the present with no respect for “future generations” (l.73) is the main challenge to the environment as economic gain asserts itself as the priority in western cultures. Furthermore, this goes further than legislation as Wong exposes a darker side to the government’s attitude towards environmental information. This scrutiny of Canadian politics lead Heather Milne to argue that “The ‘muzzling’ of the scientists is a reference to attempts by the Canadian Conservative government (in office when Wong wrote this book) to tightly control information disseminated by scientists working on environmental and climate research” (p.130). This bold critique exposes the invisibility of such political workings and contributes to the view that “First World” nations are beyond reproach, swaying the reader’s former beliefs. This corporate violence can therefore be seen across the world, it is just that modern nations use more advanced techniques to further their agendas and are perceived to be beyond such actions. Thinking about Canada and spaces, Rita Wong broadens her critique by suggesting its place in the broader context. Through “acid rain drifting into Saskatchewan” (l.8), Wong refers explicitly to the acid rains in Saskatchewan provoked by the oil sand exploitation in Alberta. This reference fits into this broader context by demonstrating how pollution transcends borders and how this can be applied on a planetary scale. The lack of control over the consequences of environmental exploitation therefore makes these issues become global as there is no containing them. Rita Wong reinforces this a few lines further through “everything leaking everywhere it wasn’t meant/ to go” (l.20/21). The references to spillages once more expose our inability to contain the consequences of pollution and in both cases, these will impact local communities at their core, namely through water. The acid rains referenced above threatened many lakes in Saskatchewan while the spills of unnamed waste turns the water “toxic” (l.23). This is significant as it puts indigenous communities at risk, the same people who have not been granted access to running water now have their natural supply of water taken away from them. From a teaching perspective, Wong’s poem encourages the readers to take a step back and reflect upon the environment from a natural perspective, one free of society’s influence. Wong insists on our universal responsibilities as humans as a way or erasing the boundaries among us. In this section she directly refers to everyone, not differentiating gender, race or class but addressing humans. This may be observed through “the responsibilities […] remain regardless of how we are socialized. They are embedded in each breath we take, each drop of water we swallow” (l.61). Wong therefore suggests that there is a deep, internalised knowledge among all people that we are responsible for the environment. If this knowledge does, as Wong says, go deeper than our socialization, it must be engrained within us. Wong is therefore making us step back and approach the issue from a ‘natural’ perspective, relying only on what is “Existing or present by nature; inherent in the very constitution of a person or thing […] not acquired or assumed” (Oxford English Dictionary). This is suggested by Wong as she asks us to look at the situation “frankly” (l.75), that is to say “Freely; unrestrictedly, without restraint” (OED). There is therefore an insistence on breaking away from the boundaries that differentiate us. Through this natural perspective, we separate ourselves from the current ideologies of western countries which prioritize economic development or an agenda of profit above the environment. Wong strives to do this through addressing the people, empowering them by revealing their ability to alter the situation – “We can […] do better. We are capable of it, if we care to try.” (l.75). The insistence on the unity through the pronoun “we” repeated ten times in the last two paragraphs builds this dynamic and it is interesting to observe the tools Wong uses in order to convey this argument. Wong’s transition into prose from poetry allows her to focus on developing her argument in simple terms widely accessible. The structure of the prose is significant, starting by through a detailed personal experience, Wong broadens the focus, allowing a transition into her main argument and including the reader within it. By opening on a personal experience, Wong creates a more intimate connection between her and the reader. The repetition of “I” seven times in the first ten lines insist of the personal perspective developed through the prose and reinforce Wong’s emotions. This creates a sense of pathos especially through the experience itself – “I would have curled into a fetal ball and sobbed for what has been lost and destroyed. Even now […] my throat stops and my eyes fill with tears.” (l.49). The similarities of this description with the physical act of exposure to the pollution of the tar sands enforce the idea of caring about what one cannot necessarily see. This personal language symbolises Wong’s attempt at persuading the reader of her cause, leaning on the pathos of her experience. Indeed, the conditions for this have been set up through the poetry with descriptions such as “blistering fish inside out” (l.25) and “sickened” (l.26), “thirsty children” (l.25). These allow for the audience’s emotional response in the prose. Additionally, by stating that she has been within range of the Tar Sands, “horror I feel when I see and smell the tar sands” (l.47), Wong automatically shatters the metaphorical distance that the average reader sees between themselves and sources of pollution. The personal anecdote allows Wong to elevate her voice and give it a new level of authority achieved by breaching the belief system that mass pollution happens in distant, developing countries – and therefore outside our sphere of influence. Through this, Wong informs the reader on their ability to bring about change within our own countries and to stop placing issues of pollution in other nations. The use of the personal anecdote therefore allows Wong to educate us while relying on a more emotional response to persuade us of her cause. However, Wong builds on this is the last two paragraphs by through her more factually based approach. Aiming to bring down socially inculcated beliefs, Wong explores the process with a more factual approach as may be observed through the opening of each sentence “Whether or not…” (l.69), “We can…” (l.71, 75). In doing so she keeps the argument very clear and transitions from a persuasive rhetoric to one based on convincing. This insistence on argumentative theories and their use in “Fresh Ancient Ground” insists on the urgency of the environmental situation and the pressing need for action from populations around the world. This is rendered effective through the hopeful tone Wong keeps through these last paragraphs. Not only has she exposed the issues facing the environment in our division, lack of information and inactivity but she provides a solution and remains positive. I believe that amid the damaging actions and consequences of the fossil fuel “industry”, the suggested ability that humans possess to alter the situation provides a gasp of fresh air to the reader. Furthermore, after having been passive for the duration of the poem in witnessing “the destruction of natural habitat, the dangers posed by global warming, the inequalities and violence in our own cultures”, this provides the reader with a drive to improve the situation, to become an active agent. In this sense, the poem leads up to the last two paragraphs and the calm but necessary “We are capable [of doing better], if we care to try” (l.79), that paradoxically symbolises a new beginning for the reader in which only future actions matter. An unusual but welcome image of hope for humans of all backgrounds. Wong’s poem “Fresh Ancient Ground” is therefore very politically motivated, be it through the message as well as the setting, images and use of language. It is this multiplicity of elements that allow Wong to educate readers and break down traditional perceptions of pollution. Wong therefore enables herself to end by advising the reader of the next steps to take and emphasising the ability for change through the hopeful tone. The poem itself is a journey that evolves through various stages and the information provided through it allows for Wong to change the reader’s perception of the world and empower them to change the current course of events. Works Cited Milne, Helen. Poetry Matters: Neoliberalism, Affect, and the Posthuman in Twenty-First Century North American Feminist Poetics, Iowa UP, 2018, https://0-www-jstor-org.lib.exeter.ac.uk/stable/j.ctvvnf7k Saro-Wiwa, Ken. A Month And A Day, Ayebia Clarke Publishing Ltd, 2012. Consulted Works Fejzić, Sanita. “Intersubjectivity and Transcorporeality in Virginia Woolf‘s and Rita Wong‘s Texts, Carleton University”. The Will To Poetry and The Will Of Poetry, 2017 https://curve.carleton.ca/system/files/etd/1451e272-83e9-4801-b6cc5fe158128e3f/etd_pdf/5252bbc6e1eaaa40bc068a93f7173ea8/fejzicthewilltopoetryandthewillofpoetryintersubjectivity.pdf Mash, Cole. Wong’s Undercurrent gives water a voice, The Coastal Spectator, 2015, http://coastalspectator.ca/?p=4356 Nixon, Rob. Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor, Harvard UP, 2011, https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt2jbsgw.5