The Megatherium - by Joseph Victor von Scheffel, translated by Charles G. Leland This moralizing poem is about the dangers of acting like a giant ground sloth. Don't be slow or lazy and you won't go extinct. Guest artwork by Zélie.
Tag: fossil
Gingko Fossil Tea by Susannah Lydon & Robin Lamboll Ginkgo Fossil Tea was written as part of a project called Experimental Words. It brought together ten scientists and ten poets, over a few months in early 2021, to produce a “high-energy collision of science and spoken word." Guest artwork by Madison Foran.
The Unpetrified Forest - by Margaret Matthew Forest Margaret wrote this poem to accompany a mural she painted based on the Triassic fauna of Petrified Forest National Park. Guest artwork by Brigid Christison.
Untitled - by George Mercer Dawson Another Victorian poem full of drama and melancholy! This poem from a famous early Canadian geologist is about fossil shells and ancient oceans. Guest artwork by Dr. Hillary Maddin
Fossil Fish & Fossil Fish Addressed - by Robert Dick These two poems were written by Robert Dick about the palaeontology near Thurso, Scotland. Robert was a baker and part-time naturalist, who was an expert in the geology and botany of Caithness. Guest artwork by Athena at Sea to Sky Jewlry Co.
How to Kill a Cockroach & Limerick for Loxolophus - by Jay Artemis Hull These poems were inspired by murals in the Michigan State University Museum’s Hall of Evolution. Later they were a part of a fossil poetry workshop developed by Jay themself. Guest artwork by Katrin Emery.
Observation to a Whail - by Julia Pepper In the mid-1800s, a beluga skeleton was dug up, near Charlotte, Vermont. This was a source of wonder for the locals, and quickly became an attraction at the State House. Julia Pepper wrote this poem in honour of the whale. Guest artwork by John Meszaros.
Die Lust und Leid aus Alter Zeit - by Joseph Victor von Scheffel This German geologist drinking song features many of the most famous fossils of the 1800s, all engaged in indulgent and apparently deplorable behaviour. None survive until the end of the poem. Guest artwork by Katrin Emery.
Ballad of the Ichthyosaurus - by May Kendall Content warning: scientific racism, phrenology. In this poem, the Ichthyosaurus laments that his eye is much more impressive that his brain. He aspires to be as intelligent as humans are. Guest artwork by Dana Korneisel.
In aid of Jamoytius - by Nancy P. Morris Jamoytius is a jawless fish fossil from Scotland. Nancy P. Morris was well-known for her geological poetry. Need we say more? Guest artwork by Dr. Hillary Maddin
PalaeoPoems 