Lakshmi Kanchi SoulReserve - 'Into the Wetlands' A Community-Sourced Poetry Anthology (lka002)

All poets who live in Western Australia were invited to send poems to be considered for inclusion in this community-sourced anthology supported by The Wetland Centre’s Poet-in-Residence program. The anthology was curated by WA’s acclaimed eco-poet, Dr Nandi Chinna, and was released in time for Earth Day 2023.

The theme of the anthology is "Wetlands". This includes all poetry on wetlands or related to the wetlands, their flora and fauna, their place in nature and in our lives, their historical, cultural, scientific and spiritual significance, and the issues around the environment, climate change and human impact in relation to wetlands.

In the intricate tapestry of our world, the wetlands stand as enigmatic realms where land and water intertwine, captivating and teeming with life. “Into the Wetlands” anthology celebrates their essence, as words foraged from the community paint them vividly into transcendence—bursting with imagination and emotions. Diverse voices harmonize, reminding us of our poetic capacity to marvel at nature’s wonders. Through this collection, we honour the wetlands’ ecological importance, their role as metaphors for growth and renewal, and their call to stewardship. Join us on a poetic voyage, where verses become whispers of inspiration, guiding us into the heart of these watery havens.

About the Author

Lakshmi Kanchi, pen name SoulReserve, is an emerging Western Australian poet of Indian descent. Her poetry explores love and its tumultuousness, fantasy and zest in nature, and allegories that provoke thought and evoke tender feelings. Her writing anatomises the complex linkages between history, language, culture, perception, and nature.

She is a Centre for Stories fellow and the recipient of the 2021 Pocketry Prize for Unpublished Poets. Her poem “Watermarks” was shortlisted for the South Coast Writers Centre’s 2022 Poetry Prize. Read her published works in—”Social Alternatives”, “Portside Review”, “Burrow Journal”, “The Saltbush Review”, “Blue Bottle Journal”, “Seagift Journal”, “Recoil 12”, “Poetry d’Amour—2019, 2020, & 2022”, “Letters To Our Home”, “Brushstrokes II” and “Creatrix.”