So here we are at the second of my three separate articles on “nature”. For those of you naughty people who missed (or ignored, passed over or couldn’t be bothered to read it?) my last months article I explained in it that I will be covering the “theme” nature, but splitting it into three parts. In last months October article I covered “nature of man” and all of which that can involve!
Look it up as you may have even been mentioned, alluded to, or recognised in some way or other, so you need to check that one out I’m very sure. Are you?
In the third part I will be looking at “natures beauty”, but that will be in January after a break for that “C” word time of year, (yes shooooosh Christmas). For that special month I will be having my now usual festive offering or perhaps more likely a “sardonic swipe” at the Yule Tide season! I have now been writing for The Sussex Newspaper and its sister paper Bonjour Limosoun, previously Bonjour France, for three years now!
I will have to consider what I can do for my Christmas article this year before then, but having explained all of that above, let’s move on and all get “back to nature” with those animals and creatures.
Although I started with the following poem last time, I can think of no better or more apt one of mine than this from my second book, (More Poetic Views of Life), so no excuses offered for including it again here…
Nature of Man
As well as my sardonic observations
And cryptic views of life’s things,
I also see nature’s wonders
Like beautiful creatures with wings,
Or amazing life all shapes and sizes
Living plants in varied hues,
Filling us with awe and amazement
And our eyes with special views.
Mr Attenborough awakened minds
Before all closed to planet Earth,
So now we can be astounded
At stunning wildlife giving birth,
With expanding growing numbers
Living with and around us.
Some we see and take for granted
Others just live without fuss.
But though I dearly love to see nature
My main interest is the common man,
Who with knowledge, or perhaps none
Is killing our world each way he can!
–
Obviously animals and creatures come in many shapes and sizes, have a variety of different food chains, live on land, in the sea, and some can fly, but they have virtually all pretty much evolved to how they are now, with all their intrinsic and everyday involvements, which are a straight forward activity of survival for them.
These animals and creatures of all kinds will predominately involve themselves just to preserve their ongoing existence, which is a major difference from man which we looked at last month, and the main cause of trouble between us is when the worlds of mankind and creatures overlap.
So as I’m not, and have no pretence to be, another David Attenborough I will stick to my poems, and now will present a very new one, so new in fact it is only in my sixth and forthcoming book, “Poet Reveals All”, not out yet, and thus soon to be “hot off the press”.
Birds
I don’t write much on natures wonder
Preferring to observe the human kind,
But that’s not to say I never will
As I relax with settled mind.
So when reclining on the decking
Of my mobile home in France,
I was taken by the birds behaviours
And how they swoop and dance.
For a big tree has further grown
Looming over the mobile next to me,
Which allows sight of the top branches
And all the various birds activity.
That rarely seems to cease too much
From earliest morning viewing,
So all day through to nightfall
I can see what they are doing.
The coming and going all the time
Of various birds on the branches,
Where I guess they are much safer
Than on the ground taking chances,
Of being attacked or just disturbed
When about their daily routine.
That gives great delight to me,
With their habits nicely seen.
And of course there is the songs
That is sweet music to my ears,
But I guess it’s just communications
Passing on their love or fears.
So I think that I’m really lucky
With a panorama on a tree’s steeple,
Though watching the activity I wonder
Is it too different from people?
But most birds habits are crucial
And they know what each is for.
Unlike man who so often strives,
For a life of greed or war.
–
A couple of points leap out from that poem on our theme, or probably should do, but don’t worry if they don’t I’ll make allowances for tiredness, hang- over or maybe even downright apathy, but no worries the nice poet will explain. Well don’t be too concerned, it is my poem so I should know….
Thus the points and thoughts that occurred to me are that one, the birds, (and probably all creatures) can give us great pleasure with their activities and sounds, two, the activities were related to their “needs” for survival and procreation, and thirdly being mostly small they had a continued concern for the safety of themselves and family. Of course “man” fears that too, but we have no obvious predators, apart from ourselves I guess. The really intelligent will by now be adding points four, five, six and possibly even more, but I’ll leave all that to you.
As I seem to have kicked of with birds I will follow up with another “bird type” poem describing a different type of “flying” creature that most people, especially those of us living by the coast, will have firm views on! Also as you have been good it is from said new and imminent book as well, so a second exclusive for you here.
Seagull
A flying or strutting monster
The seagull has now become,
Invading our human sanctuaries
For a snack or just a crumb.
Because the seagull is quite fearless
In pursuit of meals to take away,
So will invade our tables or hands
And is now here to stay!
This menace is medium to large
With unhinging jaws to consume prey,
And stout, long, fearsome bills
For pecking anything in their way.
So they now arrogantly descend
Like grey vultures with attitude,
Making their harsh wailing calls
To guide flocks to the food.
So now these nosy and resourceful
Flying bats, with intelligent glare,
Will attack, invade or just mob
Any unsuspecting victim where,
They can be quite vulnerable
To any silent aerial assault.
On themselves or perhaps clothes
If by a shower of poo is caught.
For these “bomber like” seabirds
Now beginning to rule our skies,
And in fact our walkways too
Give cause to shield your eyes.
For in an unguarded moment
You may be trapped on open ground,
And end up being enveloped
By their shrill squawking sound.
–
I did say seagulls evoke strong thoughts and a few clues from me there, but I wonder what your opinion on them is? Come on you can tell me, I’m a poet.
As I had said earlier the problems with man and animals mainly come about when our worlds overlap, and that is more likely with smaller creatures than the “big fellas” like elephants, lions, sharks, crocodiles etc although of course we don’t have too many of them roaming about in Europe.
So smaller creatures and us then, which of course can still fill some people with dread and panic, and in the case of this next poem, frustration!
Fly Past
Flying creatures can be aggravating
And get you extremely mad,
Buzzing around and landing on food
Like an airborne “Jack the Lad”.
Some can give you a sting as well
Filling many folks with dread,
That they will get a nasty prick
As they zoom around their head.
But flapping your arms all about
Won’t work and can make you grieve,
For you will get stung for sure
If you trap one up your sleeve.
But what is it about those little flies
That makes us lose our wit?
Perhaps it’s because they like poo
With a passion to roll in it,
And then eat some for a meal
For that’s exactly what they do,
Ensuring that when they land on us
It can make us want to spew.
Though one special annoying thing
Is that persistent little fly,
Who however many times you swat
Just determines not to die.
So you flail your hands manically
Trying to give it a fatal crack,
But when you think you’ve got him
The blighter comes flying back.
So the war on this tiny air force
Can go to extreme lengths,
Although it’s a very unequal fight
With very different strengths.
For you do your level best to kill
Your miniature battling foe,
Who when you think that you’ve won
Will do a fly past, and then go!
–
Little creatures can be big nuisances, and even dangers then if you look at mosquitoes and malaria, but let’s not go there, but I will just drop the idea in!.
It was just my intention with this article to give food for thought, as all good poets should do, and I will finish off with the next poem and leave you to it.
The Spider and the World
The spider lurks in the shadows
And then its web will spin,
Waiting for the world to arrive
Before naively going in.
The world too will spin around
As we mere mortals live our days,
Trying to understand everything
In so many different ways.
With some things we succeed
But others will prove too much,
For that’s the way of a complex world
And what we never get to touch.
Meanwhile the hermit like spider
Sits patiently in its thread,
Awaiting for the blind unwary
Who very soon will be dead.
Stuck and trapped quite helpless
Condemned to a gruesome fate,
In the cruel fangs of that spider
Or maybe killed by its mate.
So perhaps there is a comparison
Between the spiders web and man,
Who in their very different ways
Just get by the best they can.
With one sitting in a subtle trap
As for victims it quietly waits.
While we in our world twirl in frenzy
And dread to hear what fates
Or misfortune will befall us,
With nerve ends all stretched taut,
Before blundering through our lives
And in webs of deceit get caught.
–
Well as you are thinking I hope you have enjoyed all that, and of course keep your eyes “peeled” for spiders, ants, snakes and even possibly elephants?
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