With Birds You're Never Lonely

"With birds you're never lonely" by Craig Arnold

Context

Raymond Antrobus is a British-Jamaican poet who is Deaf. His work often explores themes of sound, silence, identity, and communication. In "With Birds You're Never Lonely," Antrobus reflects on his experiences in both the urban and natural environments, contrasting the noise and loneliness of city life with the connection and silence found in nature. Through his unique Deaf perspective, the poem delves into the ways we communicate beyond sound and explore the deep relationships humans can have with the natural world.

The Poem

I can't hear the barista

over the coffee machine.

Spoons slam, steam rises.

I catch the eye of a man

sitting in the corner

of the cafe reading alone

about trees which is, incidentally,

all I can think about

since returning.

Last week I sat alone

on a stump, deep in Zealandia forest

with sun-syruped Kauri trees

and brazen Tui birds with white tufts

and yellow and black beaks.

They landed by my feet, blaring so loudly

I had to turn off my hearing aids.

When all sound disappeared, I was tuned

into a silence that was not an absence.

As I switched sound on again,

silence collapsed.

The forest spat all the birds back,

and I was jealous—

the earthy Kauri trees, their endless

brown and green trunks of sturdiness.

I wondered what the trees would say about us?

What books would they write if they had to cut us down?

Later, stumbling from the forest I listened

to a young Maori woman.

She could tell which bird chirped,

a skill she learned from her grandfather

who said with birds you're never lonely.

In that moment I felt sorry

for any grey tree in London,

for the family they don't have,

the Gods they can't hold.

5 Quotes + Analysis to Achieve a Grade 9

1. Juxtaposition: "I can't hear the barista / over the coffee machine."

• Analysis: The opening juxtaposition highlights the noisy, chaotic environment of the café, creating an immediate contrast with the silence and connection found in the natural world later in the poem. It emphasises the disconnection the poet feels in the city.

2. Imagery: "sun-syruped Kauri trees"

• Analysis: The phrase "sun-syruped" vividly evokes the warmth and richness of the trees in Zealandia, symbolising the life and energy found in the natural world. The imagery reflects the connection the poet feels with nature, contrasting it with the urban alienation he experiences.

3. Symbolism: "Tui birds with white tufts and yellow and black beaks"

• Analysis: The Tui birds represent communication and presence. Their loud, assertive calls force the speaker to turn off his hearing aids, symbolising the raw, unfiltered communication of nature, which transcends human-made sound.

4. Irony: "When all sound disappeared, I was tuned / into a silence that was not an absence."

• Analysis: The irony here lies in the idea that silence is not empty but full of presence and meaning. The poet's Deaf perspective allows him to experience a deeper, more meaningful silence, suggesting that silence can be a powerful form of communication in itself.

5. Metaphor: "I felt sorry / for any grey tree in London, / for the family they don't have, / the Gods they can't hold."

• Analysis: The metaphor of the "grey tree" in London contrasts the vibrant trees in Zealandia, symbolising the isolation and disconnection in the urban environment. The "family" and "Gods" refer to the spiritual and communal connections trees in nature hold, which are absent in the city.

Form & Structure Points

• Free Verse: The poem is written in free verse, which creates a flowing, organic rhythm that mirrors the natural world the poet describes.
• Imagery: Vivid imagery contrasts the noise of the city with the serenity of nature, helping to emphasise the speaker's personal connection to the natural world.
• Juxtaposition: The contrast between the noisy café and the silent forest reflects the speaker's differing experiences of urban and natural environments.
• Symbolism: Birds and trees symbolise life, connection, and communication, offering deeper reflections on the ways humans relate to the world around them.

Example Paragraph for a Grade 9 Answer:

In "With Birds You're Never Lonely," Antrobus explores communication through the contrast between the noisy urban café and the quiet, vibrant presence of nature. The Tui birds, with their bold calls, symbolise a form of communication that goes beyond just sound, while the "grey trees" in London evoke a sense of spiritual and emotional disconnection. This contrasts with the symbolic use of nature in other poems, where communication is more traditionally understood through words and sound, but in Antrobus's case, it is about the deeper silence he finds in nature that speaks volumes.