Nature's Philosophy

Inspired by Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest by W.H. Hudson, this poem by Victor Timmons discusses nature and the essence of humankind.

Credit: Waren Brasse on Unsplash

‘Nature’s Philosophy’ by Victor Timmons was inspired by the 1904 book ‘Green Mansions: A Romance of the Tropical Forest’ by W.H. Hudson, one of the first ecological adventure stories published. Following the story of Rima, The Bird Girl of the Forest, who lives in the jungle of Venezuela. Rima's clothes are made of natural materials found and discarded in the forest, so there isn't any threat to the ecology or the environment. She is also a friend to the indigenous animals and meets a young man, Abel, who is exploring the forest. The love story was made into a film in 1959, starring Audrey Hepburn and Anthony Perkins.

Green Mansions 1959 film. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Nature's Philosophy

Nocturnal birds in sibilant causerie

Forest creatures in distant revelry

While nature's blanket dims their rivalry

And stills the air to peaceful reverie

How brief is this tranquillity

As hostile meetings in darkened shrubbery

Remind, if only momentarily

That man alone enjoys in camaraderie

By Victor Timmons

About the Author: Victor Timmons, 78, was born in Scotland and ‘Nature’s Philosophy’ is his first poem. After spending his life as a salesman while travelling the world, his claim to fame is the feature of his own cat Jerry as Sigourney Weaver’s cat in the 1986 Alien sequel film.