Poetry Reading by Evan Wang

Key Takeaways

• The central text, “From the Republic of Conscience” by Seamus Heaney, is a poetic allegory of a society governed by ethical clarity, humility, and shared responsibility.
• From the Republic of Conscience imagines a “republic” where leadership requires accountability and emotional awareness, where public officials must “weep to atone” for power, and where citizens carry their own burdens rather than relying on systems of privilege. Its imagery of dual citizenship, moral obligation, and collective responsibility resonates with the idea that governance should be grounded in conscience rather than bureaucracy.
• The poem reinforces the importance of stillness and listening as forms of action in global health. The idea that “standing up for something, sitting down and listening” reflects the symposium’s emphasis on collective action—not as noise or output, but as attentive engagement with others’ experiences. This aligns with global health practice that depends on community voice, trust, and responsiveness rather than top-down intervention alone.

“Global Health is poetry in practice.”

– Evan Wang