Inspired by Nature: A Poem of Return
Froglife’s Communications & Fundraising Officer, Ashlea Mawby, felt inspired by the work she does here at Froglife and wrote this poem.
Wildlife
Inspired by Nature: Life in the Garden
Inspired by Nature is a themed Croak to entertain you with some of our favourite artwork based on nature and the outdoors. We hope it will stimulate you to get creative and produce something yourself. If you do and would like to share them with us, please post them on our Facebook page, Twitter account, or email us at info@froglife.org
This months feature has been written by Rebecca Neal our Conservation Youth Worker on the Peterborough Green Pathways project, funded by BBC Children in Need.
In my creative writing class recently, we looked at a form of Japanese creative writing called a haibun. It combines haiku poetry and prose (non-poetry). Haiku is a 3 lined poem, with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the next, and 5 in the final line. The prose is supposed to link to the poetry but each poem should be able to stand alone. This is the example we looked at in class, which I love http://www.kenjoneszen.com/
I wanted to write one about the characters I see within the wildlife in my garden. I wrote the haikus first and then tried to see if I could put them in some kind of order to support a story. The story was supposed to be positive but somehow or other ended up quite dark! Can you recognise which aspect of a wildlifey garden each haiku is about? The answers are at the end.
We would love to hear about your writing inspired by nature. E-mail us on info@froglife.org, find us on facebook.com/froglife or tweet us @froglifers
Life in the Garden
The house was like a child’s drawing. Perfect for her perfect life. The garden could be tame and wild, practical and indulgent. She would watch what came, to make her happy.
Constantly moving
Family love arguments
Jolly tinkly charm
The first baby took its time but when he finally came, he was his own level of chaos. When it got too much she would watch the garden, and it made her happy.
Sugar addicts yearn
Accidental flower slaves
Hyperactive hum
The children trod all over her house. They bounced on the lawn and ran around the oak tree. When they were at school she watched the garden to make her happy.
Messy squawky thugs
Beautiful if you don’t know
Shimmer and chatter
The adolescents had no aspirations. They drank energy drinks and listened to loud music. They didn’t go outside much. Their dad shouted, but they didn’t much care. It blocked out the sound when she watched the garden to make her happy.
Chase flick dip tick run
Body plain music vibrant
Calamity! Gone
When they went, she had little of herself left. What was there, served her husband with tea and meals to the correct deadlines. In between she stared at the garden to make her happy.
Suddenly appears
Hoovering the leftovers
Snuffling in the gloom
He came home smelling of perfume and beer which was not usually found at the office. She continued to stare at the garden.
Grey brown hide in pairs
Furtively hang near the bush
Sometimes cuckolded
The house was hers. Quiet and ordered. She looked out of the window and smiled at the life in her beautiful garden.
Bright red on the spade
Head cocked eyeing the fresh soil
For detritivores
What is each haiku about?
- Goldfinches
- Bees
- Starlings
- Blackbird
- Hedgehog
- Pond
- Dunnock
- Robin
Inspired by Nature: Sonnets
Inspired by Nature is a new themed Croak to entertain you with some of my own and my favourite famous poems written about nature and the outdoors. I hope it will stimulate you to get creative with words and write something yourself. If you do and would like to share them with us, please post them on our facebook page.
Becca (Conservation Youth Worker: Green Pathways Project).
I recently went on a date. I don’t really want to talk about it, but the lucky man did give me a book of poetry, and read some out-loud to me in the pub. Whilst still in recovery, I read through the book and found this beautiful sonnet which really struck a cord with me. I read it over and over again and entertained myself (and others!) on trains and in queues with my enthusiastic renditions. In fact, this poem was the inspiration for this series of Croaks.
The form for a sonnet is difficult to describe, but it has 14 lines, and a tick-tock-like rhythm: da Dum da Dum da DUM da DUM da DUM (technically this is called iambic pentameter). How the lines rhyme depends upon which type of sonnet but it’s the last word that rhymes and the lines are written in pairs and often arranged in fours. This is an example of an Italian sonnet, the other common form is Shakespearean.
O Soliture! If I must with thee dwell John Keats
O Solitude! if I must with thee dwell,
Let it not be among the jumbled heap
Of murky buildings: climb with me the steep, –
Nature’s observatory -whence the dell,
In flowery slopes, its river’s crystal swell,
May seem a span; let me thy vigils keep
‘Mongst boughs pavilioned, where the deer’s swift leap
Startles the wild bee from the foxglove bell.
But though I’ll gladly trace these scenes with thee,
Yet the sweet converse of an innocent mind,
Whose words are images of thoughts refined,
Is my soul’s pleasure; and it sure must be
Almost the highest bliss of human-kind,
When to thy haunts two kindred spirits flee.
What you can do:
What are your favourite poems about nature? We’d love to hear from you. Share them with us on facebook.