Dear Anglophile: I was just made aware of the celebrated English poet and entertainer Pam Ayres and must share some of her work with you. As Anglophiles, many of us are hedgehog fanciers, and Ms. Ayres wrote a delightful poem entitled In Defence of Hedgehogs (presented below), which is sure to bring a smile to your face!
Ms. Ayres, who was writing poetry as a hobby, had her first career breakthrough in 1974 when she presented a poem she had created on BBC Radio Oxford. The radio station then chose her poem as a "Pick of the Week" and later included it on its "Pick of the Year" program. Her next big break happened the following year when she appeared on the talent show Opportunity Knocks, which led to even more appearance--on TV, radio, stage, and performing before the Queen.
To see the Pam Ayres official website, click HERE
Ms. Ayres, who was writing poetry as a hobby, had her first career breakthrough in 1974 when she presented a poem she had created on BBC Radio Oxford. The radio station then chose her poem as a "Pick of the Week" and later included it on its "Pick of the Year" program. Her next big break happened the following year when she appeared on the talent show Opportunity Knocks, which led to even more appearance--on TV, radio, stage, and performing before the Queen.
To see the Pam Ayres official website, click HERE
| | <Pam Ayres' audio recording of her delightful poem In Defence of Hedgehogs |
| IN DEFENCE OF HEDGEHOGS by Pam Ayres |
I am very fond of hedgehogs
Which makes me want to say,
That I am struck with wonder,
How there's any left today,
For each morning as I travel
And no short distance that,
All I see are hedgehogs,
Squashed. And dead. And flat.
Now, hedgehogs are not clever,
No, hedgehogs are quite dim,
And when he sees your headlamps,
Well, it don't occur to him,
That the very wisest thing to do
Is up and run away,
No! he curls up in a stupid ball,
And no doubt starts to prey.
Well, motor cars do travel
At a most alarming rate,
And by lunch time you sees him,
It is very much too late,
And thus he gets a-squasho'd,
Unrecorded but for me,
With me pen and paper,
Sittin' in a tree.
It is statistically proven,
In chapter and in verse,
That in a car and hedgehog fight,
The hedgehog comes off worse,
When whistlin' down your prop shaft,
And bouncin' down your diff,
His coat of nice brown prickles
Is not effect-iff.
A hedgehog cannot make you laugh,
Whistle, dance or sing,
And he ain't much to look at,
And he don't make anything,
and in amongst his prickles,
There's fleas and bugs and that,
But there ain't no need to leave him,
Squashred. And dead. And flat.
Oh spare a thought for hedgehogs,
Spare a thought for me,
Spare a thought for hedgehogs,
As you drink your cup of tea,
Spare a thought for heedgehogs,
Hoverin' on the brinkt,
Spare a thought for hedgehogs,
Lest they become extinct.
Which makes me want to say,
That I am struck with wonder,
How there's any left today,
For each morning as I travel
And no short distance that,
All I see are hedgehogs,
Squashed. And dead. And flat.
Now, hedgehogs are not clever,
No, hedgehogs are quite dim,
And when he sees your headlamps,
Well, it don't occur to him,
That the very wisest thing to do
Is up and run away,
No! he curls up in a stupid ball,
And no doubt starts to prey.
Well, motor cars do travel
At a most alarming rate,
And by lunch time you sees him,
It is very much too late,
And thus he gets a-squasho'd,
Unrecorded but for me,
With me pen and paper,
Sittin' in a tree.
It is statistically proven,
In chapter and in verse,
That in a car and hedgehog fight,
The hedgehog comes off worse,
When whistlin' down your prop shaft,
And bouncin' down your diff,
His coat of nice brown prickles
Is not effect-iff.
A hedgehog cannot make you laugh,
Whistle, dance or sing,
And he ain't much to look at,
And he don't make anything,
and in amongst his prickles,
There's fleas and bugs and that,
But there ain't no need to leave him,
Squashred. And dead. And flat.
Oh spare a thought for hedgehogs,
Spare a thought for me,
Spare a thought for hedgehogs,
As you drink your cup of tea,
Spare a thought for heedgehogs,
Hoverin' on the brinkt,
Spare a thought for hedgehogs,
Lest they become extinct.
