In memory of Wendy Lewis

Last month, we received a handwritten letter from one of our supporters. David Lewis had received a renewal letter to re-adopt Cobweb for his wife Wendy, whom had sadly passed away in July.

David wrote “In her memory, I will continue to adopt Cobweb in her name, as I will continue to adopt Holly in my name. The {renewal letter} you sent encouraged me to write a poem about Owls. I have been writing poems and short stories about animals since the advent of the Covid pandemic, not to mention the love letters to Wendy when I couldn’t visit her because of lockdowns. When she died last month my world fell apart after 49 years of marriage. Writing my poems and stories, now in excess of 180, gave me some stability and comfort to continue with life and it’s problems.”

In memory of Wendy, we have decided to publish David’s poem here, to inspire others to think creatively about the natural world.

Owls

They say the Owl is very wise,
To me, that comes as no surprise.
He knows what’s what when he’s out at night,
Scouring the fields and woods for a tasty bite.
He looks like a headmaster at school,
He always acts like he’s “very cool”.
He is not daft, by any means.
In majestic pose he is often seen.
He usually sleeps through the day,
Then silently waits in the dark of night,
To catch his unwary prey.
He hoots a lot, for that’s his way,
He sometimes does it, night or day.
He comes in many shapes and sizes,
Colours, too, and brilliant disguises!
He lives in countries, far and near,
To most small nocturns, he is a bird to fear!
To humans he is seldom seen but often heard.
I like owls, for all kinds of reasons,
They are a bird for all seasons.
My wife and I have adopted them, you see –
A Barn Owl for her,
A Little Owls for me.
They are cared for at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary.
Why don’t you contact them, or go and see?

This poem is dedicated to Wendy Lewis, who passed away on 16th July 2022, aged 75.
David Lewis