The Poet & Musician Tony Maude wrote a poem for children about a woodland owl, and a visit to the animals at London zoo. Published in book form in 2013 by LightEye Pilgrimage Publications the text and cover were illustrated by thirty pencil and ink drawings by Monica.
With the kind permission of the author we reproduce lines from the poem here along with a few of the illustrations.
First edition signed copies of the book are available from Studio Ginger Bunny at £12 including uk postage
Dreaming of the poor mice
who would be his dinner
November when the frost comes brittle
The forest's bones all creak and crackle.
Warm spring days when buds are born,
Nature rubs her eyes, breaks free
Whatever season smiles or scowls,
It's all the same to Mr. Owl.
I'm not that mean, don't get me wrong
I just hoped the money'd gone
To buy the lions juicy bones
Or even get them tickets home.
A London lion's life's no joke
and I'm sure they'd love to see their folks.
We saw tigers pacing nervously
The gorilla's distant dignity.
Rats and snakes and other things
and birds that didn't sing.