“The Tyger” – William Blake
“Haiku” – Matsuo Basho r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r – e.e. cumings Over the centuries human civilization has tended to have an exploitative relationship with nature: we plunder the earth for old, precious stone and minerals; we consume grain and fruit, nuts and berries; we kill wildlife – sometimes for food but also for pleasure. Humankind has also meddled in nature – genetically-modified crops are simply the latest example, since before them skilled horticulturalists have for centuries produced hybrid plants for practical or aesthetic purposes. The popularity of zoos and wildlife parks demonstrates our fascination with the other species that inhabit our world. Poets have ...
