Who Are You Calling Vermin?

A poetic satire on country life, full of Pam Ayres’s characteristic charm and wit, and beautifully illustrated by Joel Stewart.

‘Nature, red in tooth and claw, One goes down the other one’s maw, Fox and badger, owl and stoat, We all disappear down the other one’s throat.’

Pam Ayres has lived in the countryside all her life, so she knows that beyond the idyllic photographs, bluebell woods and babbling brooks, there is great unrest between the animals and the people, all fighting for their place.

In this poetic satire on life in the country, Pam tells their stories. You will meet the posh toffs who feel duty bound to wipe out the ‘vermin’ from their land, the estate agents who are selling off traditional fishing cottages (driving out the fishermen), the poor farmers who are struggling to make a living, the rapping fox who has grown cynical from being hunted and the barn owl who has lost his home.

Through these charming and thoughtful poems, Pam explores the battles the countryside faces in modern times, such as the decline in wildlife and the disintegration of communities, but she also offers a beacon of hope for how we can live in harmony with each other.