Wildlife Poetry
Poetry is an art form in words. The putting together of words in new and unexpected ways, sometimes in rhyme. Poetry can be a wonderful way to express feelings for wild animals and connections with the natural world. This new section of Born Free’s site is devoted to wildlife poetry.
Birthday verse
Born Free was thrilled when our charity’s Poet in Residence Richard Bonfield wrote a wonderful new tiger poem especially for our Founder Virginia McKenna OBE’s birthday in June. Virginia was delighted by ‘Misty Tiger’ and has made a special recording of the poem (listen here - mp3 0.9MB). Richard’s stunning new collection of poetry ‘Animated Nature’ is available now from Born Free http://www.bornfree.org.uk/shop/acatalog/Books.html.
Please send your own wildlife poetry to Born Free celia@bornfree.org.uk.
Other Poetry Recordings
Listen to Born Free’s Founder Virginia McKenna reading Richard’s extraordinary poem ‘The Beautiful Alphabet’.
Richard introduces and reads 3 of his poems (mp3 file 4.6MB)
Virginia reading Tiger and Manifesto (see below) by Richard Bonfield, Pachydermal Parade and The Tiger's Plea by Ronnie Wilkie and supporter Iain Kemp's poem Peregrine
- Richard reading poems to the Born Free staff at their offices in Horsham
Poet in Residence
Born Free is delighted to introduce our charity’s official Poet in Residence, Richard Bonfield. Born and living in Leicester, Richard is a dazzling, accomplished poet with a deep love for the wild. A consummate writer, a virtuoso with words, his evocative, mesmerising poems feed the imagination, thrill the senses and frequently amuse.
Manifesto
We want the wildness to exist
To dance beyond our fingertips
Beyond the reach of zoos and bars
We want to love things as they are
Contained - confined - cajoled - consigned
Preserved in aspic of the mind
Removed - excised from rightful place
Imprisonment is our disgrace
We must return the landscape whole
For all the wild things have a soul
And all things wither on the vine
When taken from their natural kind
We want the wildness to exist
To dance beyond our fingertips
A robin redbreast in a cage
Puts all Heaven in a rage
Remove the context - tear the web
And all the World is good as dead
Remove the cage - dispense with keys
And give all things their liberty
Renew our contract with the earth
And give all things a second birth.
Richard Bonfield c June 2010
“When I first read Richard Bonfield’s extraordinary poem ‘The Beautiful Alphabet’, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day he would be Born Free’s Poet in Residence.
The beauty and vulnerability of nature, the need to live in harmony with other creatures, their plight when we don’t – all this is expressed in the most poignant, perceptive and original language.
How fortunate we are to have such a person to help the animals and inspire us.”
Virginia McKenna
Born Free Founder & Trustee
“When Virginia McKenna asked me if I would like to be Poet in Residence my answer was a ‘no brainer’ as there was no doubt this was the ultimate accolade. It is to be asked to be Poet Laureate for the whole of suffering nature.
I feel that poetry could be the new Born Free… concentrating the hearts and minds of a new generation with a call to animal alms. Poetry really could change the planet…!
I see my new role as being that of a Pied Piper calling on a new generation of poets to dance the cosmic dance and lead all of us out of the sorry mess we now find ourselves in. The future is in our lyrical hands.
In its 25th year Born Free must be congratulated on flying the flag for the animal community whilst also being concerned for the dignity of the wider human community. It is a delicate balancing act and Born Free does it supremely well…!” Richard Bonfield
Born Free Poet in Residence, July 2009
Poet's Book Launch: On Saturday 6th March we were invited to attend the launch of Richard Bonfield’s latest book of poetry, ‘Animated Nature’. Richard is the Born Free Foundation’s Poet in Residence – how grand is that?! – and at this launch we were invited to have a table of Born Free merchandise. A raffle was also held, in aid of Born Free and the wildlife conservation and rescue work of artist Pollyanna Pickering, another generous supporter of our work. The afternoon raised over £1,000 for Born Free, which was wonderful.
Richard was kept busy in the afternoon, selling and autographing ‘Animated Nature’ while on the Born Free table, Virginia McKenna was kept busy selling and autographing her own book, The Life in My Years.
Richard’s work had first come to Virginia’s attention when she read his poem ‘The Beautiful Alphabet’ where a child asks her parents where the tigers, elephants, and dolphins have gone. “They have buried themselves in our imagination”, they replied, “Then they switched out the light in their daughter’s eyes.”
Last year, to commemorate Born Free’s 25th Anniversary, Richard wrote a follow-up poem, “The Born Free Alphabet”, which he read for us at the launch. This time the child asks: what were zoos / circuses / dolphinariums?
“We fought for years to close them down” said the father
To exorcise the dreadful stain
That caused the wild things so much pain
And now the zoos are all extinct
The bullrings turned to skating rinks
…….And dolphins surf the coral seas
With smiles that say ‘We’re all born free’.
…….Then they switched on the light in their daughter’s eyes.
We will continue to campaign in the hope that one day zoos, circuses and dolphinariums are buried in the imagination too. We are very grateful to Richard for all his support of our work.
Buy Animated Nature from Born Free here
Reviews for Richard Bonfield’s poems and collections
‘Menagerie: Another Animal Alphabet’ (Coypu Publications 2004)
‘This delightful collection of animal poems possess a deftness of touch as well as a wry sense of humour, combining traditional style with a twenty-first century imagination.’
County Lit Literature Newsletter
‘Zooplankton’ (2002)
“I’m writing to congratulate you on being a prize-winner in BBC Wildlife Poetry of the Year Awards. You did extremely well. I loved your poem.”
Rosamund Kidman Cox, Born Free Trustee & former Editor, BBC Wildlife Magazine
‘Bestiary: An Animal Alphabet’ (Coypu Publications 1993)
“A strong first collection of poems, notable for its elegance of form, lyric talent and witty rhymes, as well as exquisite Victorian illustrations. Brilliant value.”
Elspeth Barker, Books of the Year, Independent on Sunday
“Brilliant.”
Heathcote Williams, author of Sacred Elephant and Whale Nation
“Beautifully and lovingly expressed. Injected with moments of fun, each animal emerges with a personality of its own.”
Judith Pearson, Poetry Please, BBC Radio 4
POETRY BY VIRGINIA MCKENNA
Read a selection of Virginia’s own poetry here
SEND US YOUR POEMS
Are you inspired by the wonders of the natural world? Astounded by the beauty of a particular wild animal or place? Concerned about the vulnerability of so many species? Or enraged by the exploitation of vulnerable individuals?
Send us your poetry – in rhyme, blank or free verse. We will publish our favourites here. Email celia@bornfree.org.uk
Kinship
I am the voice of the voiceless;
Through me the dumb shall speak,
Till the deaf world’s ear be made to hear
The wrongs of the wordless weak.
From street, from cage and from kennel,
From stable and zoo, the wail
Of my tortured kin proclaims the sin
Of the mighty against the frail.
Oh, shame on the mothers of mortals,
Who have not stopped to teach
Of the sorrow that lies in dear, dumb eyes,
The sorrow that has no speech.
The same force formed the sparrow
That fashioned man the king;
The God of the whole gave a spark of soul
To furred and to feathered thing.
And I am my brother’s keeper,
And I will fight his fight,
And speak the word for beast and bird,
Till the world shall set things right.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1850 - 1919
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