West Philly Earth Walk
April 2026
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Let’s dig in and root for the Earth! During our circumambulation of the neighborhood, we stopped at several spots to enjoy the outdoors and witness performances of nature-inspired poetry, music, and ritual theater. Those in attendance were invited to walk with us for the whole journey or hop in at their leisure.
The day will included performances by: Darling Damselfly, Rachel O’Hanlon Rodriguez, Massimo Elijah, Anjoli Santiago, Juicy Judy, Dani Levsky, Lindsay Hargrave, Corey Bechelli, Dre Grigoropol, Joel Chartkoff, Ess M. Kohler, India Halstead, Marshall James Kavanaugh, and more!
What’s a circumambulation? Navigating a spiral around the neighborhood, we match the energies of Spring to renew the flow, protect our planet, and imagine a better world going forward.
Gotta give credit where it’s due: Flier and map designed by Corey Bechelli.
This call to poetic action was inspired by a recent visit to Ferlinghetti Day in San Francisco and the walkabout they led through their city’s literary history. There I learned about the circumambulations that take place quarterly on Mt. Tamalpais near the city. An event founded by poets Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen, and Allen Ginsberg. The event also took inspiration from the historic first Earth Day celebrated in Philadelphia, PA on Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park in April 1970 organized by local students and faculty.
The day will included performances by: Darling Damselfly, Rachel O’Hanlon Rodriguez, Massimo Elijah, Anjoli Santiago, Juicy Judy, Dani Levsky, Lindsay Hargrave, Corey Bechelli, Dre Grigoropol, Joel Chartkoff, Ess M. Kohler, India Halstead, Marshall James Kavanaugh, and more!
What’s a circumambulation? Navigating a spiral around the neighborhood, we match the energies of Spring to renew the flow, protect our planet, and imagine a better world going forward.
Gotta give credit where it’s due: Flier and map designed by Corey Bechelli.
This call to poetic action was inspired by a recent visit to Ferlinghetti Day in San Francisco and the walkabout they led through their city’s literary history. There I learned about the circumambulations that take place quarterly on Mt. Tamalpais near the city. An event founded by poets Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen, and Allen Ginsberg. The event also took inspiration from the historic first Earth Day celebrated in Philadelphia, PA on Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park in April 1970 organized by local students and faculty.
This project was an autonomous action that traveled in a loop around
Clark Park, Woodlands Cemetery, and University of Pennsylvania
April 22, 2026 |
West Philadelphia, PA |
POETS and MUSICIANS performed at each location
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Each performance engaged the audience with their place on earth and encouraged greater connection with the natural surroundings of our neighborhood. Using poetry, music, and ritual theater to bridge any gaps.
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I'd like to take a moment to thank our sponsors:
Thank you to the Eagles, not the sports team, but the bald eagle flying overhead
The Amazon, but not that billionaires cash grab, I mean the rainforest and the river that gives us the air we breathe
Artemis but not the lunar mission rather the goddess that rules over the moon, giving us light at night and excitement in our dreams each morning
I’d like to thank the dogwoods and the redbuds and the lilacs and the cherry blossoms and the magnolias and the tulips and the daffodils and mugwort and the bee balm and the blue birds and the morning dove and the crow and the fox and the wild turkey and the red-tailed hawk, and the white-tailed deer, and the shad, and the trout, and the horseshoe crab, and the goldfinch and so many others for returning each year in their migrations and Spring blooms. A thing we easily take for granted. A thing that is constantly under threat. And yet these great sponsors show up for us every year and give us this beauty of life so rich with magic.
As we walk today and as we listen to the poetry and the music. I invite you all to look out for our furry friends. To enjoy the ruffled feathers in the songs that hover above. To whisper some gratitude to the flowers that show their true colors. To breathe deep this beauty of nature.
These are our sponsors. They invite us all to pay attention and be better stewards to their growth.
To see the Earth renew is a reflection of what we too can perpetuate in ourselves.
Thank you to the Eagles, not the sports team, but the bald eagle flying overhead
The Amazon, but not that billionaires cash grab, I mean the rainforest and the river that gives us the air we breathe
Artemis but not the lunar mission rather the goddess that rules over the moon, giving us light at night and excitement in our dreams each morning
I’d like to thank the dogwoods and the redbuds and the lilacs and the cherry blossoms and the magnolias and the tulips and the daffodils and mugwort and the bee balm and the blue birds and the morning dove and the crow and the fox and the wild turkey and the red-tailed hawk, and the white-tailed deer, and the shad, and the trout, and the horseshoe crab, and the goldfinch and so many others for returning each year in their migrations and Spring blooms. A thing we easily take for granted. A thing that is constantly under threat. And yet these great sponsors show up for us every year and give us this beauty of life so rich with magic.
As we walk today and as we listen to the poetry and the music. I invite you all to look out for our furry friends. To enjoy the ruffled feathers in the songs that hover above. To whisper some gratitude to the flowers that show their true colors. To breathe deep this beauty of nature.
These are our sponsors. They invite us all to pay attention and be better stewards to their growth.
To see the Earth renew is a reflection of what we too can perpetuate in ourselves.
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All imagery and content © 2026 Marshall James Kavanaugh. All Rights Reserved.
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