I sat on a grassy bank near a badger sett in late summer putting this poem together, but the pen/ink drawing was first. I was moved by something said on a lunchtime news bulletin on the radio about gassing badgers. I found an A1 size piece of paper, taped it to the kitchen wall and started drawing in pencil. It took a month to complete. The jury was out then on whether badgers spread TB. It is still controversial.

Who are you man? Entering our stillness as you will. Go home and watch T.V. Have you not enough troubles of your own? Leave us alone to die We do not understand why you do this to us. Tell us what we are doing wrong? We want to live at peace with you. We have lived here for centuries. We follow the same trails. Eat the snails that hurt your crops. Keep our distance from you. Who started this war? You cannot prove we are bringers of destruction. We have no weapons We only want peace. We will not fight My family is in mourning. Why must you tear at us with your dogs? Trap us in cages, Break down our homes. A great depression fills our sett. A darkness is spreading.. Despair..despair.. Is your life so difficult for you That you must do this? Will it make things better for you If we go quietly. Then we will For we have such fond memories We were free once To wander through the evening dew To build our homes together And play with our cubs Without a care in the world. What have we done? What have we done? Badger Poem by Neil Mawdsley Aug.97

Badgers