Palaeopoems is a project that brings together the world’s palaeontology poetry in one place for the first time. We seek out poetry by real palaeontologists and share them with short biographies of the authors, natural history context, and original artwork.
‘Twas the Eve of the Cretaceous – by Leo J. Hickey
This seasonal poem spans from the Jurassic to the Paleocene, and describes the rise of angiosperms and the effect that had on primate evolution.
Guest artwork by Megan Leslie
'Twas the Eve of the Cretaceous - by Leo J. Hickey This seasonal poem spans from the Jurassic to the Paleocene, and describes the rise of angiosperms and the effect that had on primate evolution. Guest artwork by Megan Leslie
Similar Cases - by Charlotte Perkins Gilman This is the first half of a much longer poem, featuring "similar cases" of different mammalian ancestors aspiring to be the species we see today. It's social commentary on how society is able to change. Guest artwork by Dr. Dani Fraser
The Petrified Fern - by Mary Bolles Branch This Palaeo-Botany poem is about how context may change the meaning of fossils. This poem also fits into the capitalist and colonial mentality that everything and everyone must be useful in some way, and that finding that use is a noble cause. Guest artwork by Fatema.
Anchiornis - by Jonathan Kane When Emily Willoughby first painted Anchiornis for a book collaboration with Jonathan Kane, the colour of the dinosaur was unknown. This poem is about the life of the dinosaur and how palaeo-art must change to stay scientifically accurate. Guest artwork by Emily Willoughby.
An apology for becoming a flapper of the advanced age variety - by Annie Montague Alexander For Pride Month, we wanted to share the stories of Annie Alexander and Louise Kellogg, who loved field work and each other. Guest art by Katrin Emery
Ode to a Trilobite - by Timothy Abbott Conrad Timothy Conrad was known for both scientific mind and "melancholic" demeanor. Today, we might have said he had depression. Timothy poured himself into science and literature, and this poem is a product of his love for both. Guest artwork by John Meszaros.
Oldhamia antiqua - by John Joly This poem is about a type of trace fossil from the Cambrian, and dramatically muses on how fossils must feel about deep time. Guest artwork by Brigid Christison.
Untitled - by Thomas Chesmer Weston This was the first poem ever found for Palaeopoems. Published in Thomas' 1899 memoirs, it's about one of the earliest fossil-hunting expeditions to western Canada and reflects Victorian ideas about dinosaurs. Guest artwork by Katrin Emery.
The Tilly-bat - by Dr. Glenn Jepsen This poem is unique in that it involves not one by three palaeontologists! Central to the poem is the founder of palaeoneurology and first female president of the Society of Vertebrate Palaeontology, Dr. Tilly Edinger. Possibly the nerdiest of all Palaeopoems, this one summarizes a friendly (and still unresolved) feud about a fossilized braincase and which extinct mammal it may have belonged to. Guest artwork by Greer Stothers.
A Botanical Dream - by Dr. Ellen Marion Delf-Smith 20th century botanist and pioneering woman in science Dr. Marion Delf-Smith uplifted generations of young women to follow in her footsteps... and also dabbled in writing Palaeopoems. Marion wrote "A Botanical Dream" for a women-run botanical comedy magazine in the early 1910s. This post is in honour of her birthday, January 31st, 1883. Guest artwork by John Meszaros.
