Last month, the Zoology Department’s Dr. David Kelly launched his first book of Japanese short form poetry, Hammerscale from the Thrush’s Anvil. At the launch of the book, David invited us in the audience to try our hand at writing our own haikus.
Taking him up on his challenge, and taking inspiration from his book, a few of us in the School of Natural Sciences have penned our own poems based on our areas of study. We even have a contribution from David Kelly himself!
Trying not to sacrifice coherency at the alter of syllable number was a rather new struggle for most of us, but we managed and, I’d like to think, emerged with a greater appreciation for the poets in our midst. Read on for our science-y foray into the arts!
(Paula Tierney @_ptierney)
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Yellow red fish eyes
Maybe that’s a nematode?
No, it is more fish
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Carbon fixed by plants
Then sequestered in the soil
Helps to keep Earth cool
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Hoverflies hover
Syrphidae flying over
Gardens of flowers
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Monochrome poets
Curved claws etching musky spoors
Into the cold night
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Something stirs within
Yolk pillow, porcelain case.
Almost a chicken.
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Experiment fails
Surprise cannibalism
Don’t eat each other
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Nature feeds us all
So we should look after it
Let’s start with the bees
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Their hidden kingdom
Out of sight not out of mind
Deep-buried bivalves
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Zoos are big and full
With loads of small cute beasties,
Or few big beasties!
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Anybody care, but me
What lives inside a badger?
Cut them up and see
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academic registry to zosterops
and back
every 10 minutes.
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Seeds, drop, drift and float,
Hitch-hike with bird, beast and man,
How many grow where?
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Voles long since left home
Courting under falling leaves
Feed new towns inside
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Consumption of bait
Oral vaccine offers the
End of consumption
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