Poetry, Science and the Cosmic Imagination

This series is a reflective and participative journey at the intersection of poetry and science where these converge to expand our understanding of the universe. It brings together selected poets whose work illuminates the cosmos of the possible, crafting language that moves between wonder and knowledge, creativity and discovery. 

Featuring a selection of contemporary poets, including First Nations poets, the series explores how storytelling, metaphor, and deep scientific thought interweave to form new ways of seeing. Whether tracing the patterns of the stars, or the intricate mysteries of quantum reality, the poets in this series invite us to reflect on our place in the cosmos- not only as observers but as participants in its unfolding imagination. 

We will draw on poets weaving First nations knowledge and cosmic storytelling and poets who use cosmic imagery as metaphors for human emotion, knowledge and existence. We will explore how scientific concepts are inherently poetic, how poetry and science conceptualize deep time and the cyclical nature of existence, and how poetry can engage with planetary consciousness connecting environmental science with cosmic awareness.

Our Sessions together will resonate with Thomas Berry’s call for a new story, one that integrates science, Indigenous wisdom and the creative force of poets and artists in shaping our collective understanding of the universe. Thomas saw poetry and the imagination as essential tools in shifting humanity’s relationship with the cosmos, moving beyond mechanistic worldviews to embrace an interconnected, sacred reality. The series contributes to Thomas’s vision of cosmology that is not merely factual but evocative – one that invites participation and creative reflection. 

In each Session you can expect to be reading poetry aloud, to be conversing in pairs and in the large group, and to be engaging in writing practices which invite your own deeper apprehension and attunement to cosmic story, discovery, resonance and creativity.

The poetry for the series will be made available to participants.

About Judith Keller

Judith Keller lives on the unceded lands of the Kombumerri people of the wider Bundjalung language nation at Southport, in the Bioregion of S.E. Qld on the E. coast of Australia. Judith’s background is in education, spirituality and the arts. She has held academic positions in universities in Australia, Australian Catholic University Qld, and the University of Newcastle NSW. In her retirement Judith trained as guide in her Regional Botanic Gardens at Benowa at Southport leading guided walks related to endangered species of her Bioregion as well as advocating for and educating about endemic tree species.