Today is Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday. If you haven’t watched the new PBS documentary Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure, put that at the top of your TBW list!
Here is David Attenborough’s thank you card to the world for all of kerfluffle over his kerluffle-worthy birthday.
And here is Brian Bilston’s poem for this occasion. As usual, he nailed the ending, but you’ll have to visit his website to read it!
Life of a Naturalist
it’s his birthday
and the sloths are up early for once
the flamingos line up in pink, long-legged salute
the birds of paradise parade in their finest
the elephants blow their trumpets
the blue whales gush with joy
the gorillas act out stories of his visits
the lions lay off the wildebeest for one day
and stand together on the Serengeti plain
the lyre birds sing his voice in tribute
the seals cannot stop clapping
Happy birthday to ALL who celebrate another trip around the sun in May, and even though few of you (us) will have had the impact that Sir David has had, let’s all take a minute and reflect on all the positive we have done and can still do in our human circles, and for our beloved planet.
Cathy has the Poetry Friday roundup at her blog Cathy Stenquist.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
Thanks for paying tribute to Sir David Attenborough with this fauna-filled poem, I’m sure the animals all enjoyed their part, as much as we are enjoying reading it! Lovely thank you from him too! And lovely tree🌳 from you too, appreciations for all Mary Lee!
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Love David Attenborough! Thanks for spotlighting his birthday today. I would have loved reading an entire PF round-up dedicated to him. Maybe next year (all my fingers crossed hoping he makes it to 101!!)
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Wonderful poem to celebrate Attenborough’s birthday. 100 years is quite something and we should all follow his example in whatever way we can when it comes to caring for our planet. Also loved Paul McCartney’s birthday wish for David. 🙂
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Mary Lee, thanks for sharing Brian’s poem, I agree, a perfect way to honor Sir David Attenbourough’s 100th! His voice and narratives have been such a gift, what a wonderful tribute to him. Gorgeous Old Cottonwood photo:) Thanks for sharing the Poetry Friday inspiration! Jill
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What a beautiful tribute! I love that you help us love the world a little harder and longer.
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Happy happy! What a fun way to celebrate DA. I’ve just spent two days listening to ways we can practice conservation in our own backyards, and how essential it is that we do so. National parks only make up a tiny percentage of land…the vast majority is privately owned. Time to make a difference on our own land. https://homegrownnationalpark.org/map/ xo
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Happy birthday to you and all the May birthday folk! I love the challenge to look and see the good that “we have done, and can still do.” Thanks for the poem about David Attenborough’s 100th. The ending is great, Mary Lee. I’m off to look up that documentary.
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Not MY landmark birthday LOL! That happened last December!! This post is all David Attenborough! Definitely watch the PBS documentary. It’s fantastic. Also, this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o-9h_hGpn8
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Thanks, Mary Lee!
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Thanks for sharing this poem, Mary Lee. You’re right, the ending is perfect.
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This is such a fun poem…and such a tribute full of joy. And, that last line is perfect! Thank you for sharing this and the link to his birthday thank you.
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and the ostriches urge us
to listen to him
and not bury our heads in the sand
Oof! What an ending. So good, and such a great choice to share, Mary Lee. Thank you!
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Thanks for sharing this tribute to DA. He is amazing, his voice mesmerizing, and his knowledge so vast. What a spectacular life he has led and what a difference he has made. Will definitely be looking up that documentary. I love Irene’s suggestion to do more in the conservation of our own little plots of land. I’m expanding my vegetable garden this year.
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I did see that it was a huge birthday milestone for Sir David Attenborough, Mary Lee. He is an inspiration as is the lovely celebratory poem you shared with us. As an environmentalist and environmental educator, I hope we can convince the world to not bury our head in the sand. I very much enjoyed your post this week. Thank you.
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Well that was wholly delightful. I don’t know that I have too many childhood icons still standing but this man… He taught so many of us that the “ugly” bits of nature could still be utterly fascinating and he’s so valuable to me for that alone.
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Appreciations several times over, for the Brian B. poem with the kicker of an ending, Mary Lee. I feel the young folks are ahead of us – recently I heard they are calling our Earth damages Climate Poisoning, not Climate Crisis. I loved the Birthday Man’s message with such a strong clear voice & humor. Who is currently growing up to be the next DA?
And…. synchronicity, Centenarian Sir DA is a man whose USA travels I’m researching lately, for a poem, as it appears he admired Birdsong Nature Center in SW Georgia, where I’ve been an on-site volunteer & am now writing ekphrastic poems inspired by photographing & recording in poems, glimpses/essences of this site.
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What a perfect poem! And your words after. Missed this last week (we were traveling), but glad to stretch out the celebration a bit. :0)
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