John and the Robin

Though, not a bird held in high esteem by many, the robin stays with us through the seasons. When walking through the woods it has one of the most beautifully resonant songs that carries through the trees. The charming characterful bird often seeks our company and stands close by, hoping for us to disturb the ground and reveal an insect snack. It is ever present through the autumn and winter, occasionally posing for a photograph, showing its flame red bib.As a prolific writer, one of the many moving, and very personal poems John Clare penned was The Autumn Robin which captured both the mood of the man and his alliance with his feathered companion.Sweet little bird in russet coatThe livery of the closing yearI love thy lonely plaintive noteAnd tiney whispering song to hearWhile on the stile or garden seatI sit to watch the falling leavesThy songs thy little joys repeatMy loneliness relievesThis is the first of fourteen verses which go on to describe how shepherds, hedgers, milk maids, ‘gypsey’ boys, ditchers, woodmen and ploughmen across the countryside all stop for a reflective moment to listen to this very amiable little bird.by Matt ParkinsI feel a very strong affiliation to John Clare as my grandfather and father both lived in Northamptonshire. I grew up in a neighbouring, equally rural, county and spent my formative years outdoors at every opportunity, developing a deep connection with the fields, trees and rivers around our village. I didn’t excel in English at school but later combined my passion for wild things with a new-found and self-taught love of writing to share my passion for the natural world. Through this healing connection with wildlife, I find my own therapeutic benefit and enjoy experiencing that with others. At work as a Woodland Tutor in the woods around Dartmoor