Blog
World Wildlife Day: Fractions Of Magic | Stephen Symons
Thu, 27 February 2025
Fractions Of Magic
Poets have always responded powerfully to the beauty of the natural world.
But what does it mean to respond to nature today, when thousands of species are threatened with extinction because of unregulated human expansion?
As we prepare to celebrate World Wildlife Day on 3 March, the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates the work of Stephen Symons (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7263500.Stephen_Symons), prolific poet, short story writer and graphic designer, whose poems repeatedly confront this urgent question. The title poem of his collection, Small Souls(Karavan Press, 2022), begins with an apology for not being able to write something suitable for a human funeral. Instead, it continues:
“I write for the
insignificance of an ant that is about to be burnt by a
child with a magnifying glass.”
The detail of the child is especially poignant here. Compared to the ant, the child is enormously intelligent, but it is ignorant of the suffering it causes. What follows is a list of animals, both large and small, all of whom meet their fate at the hands of humans. Ultimately, the poem asks whether we are any less ignorant than that child.
“‘Small Souls had been brewing for a long time,” Symons explains. “My mother was an animal rights activist, involved in educating and assisting cart horse owners, and her love of animals left a deep impression on me. The poem is a harrowing read, as it exposes our complicity as we fail to respect and act as caretakers of the countless other species with whom we share the planet. It explores the miracle and wonder of simply experiencing this thing we call life, however briefly, whether you are a fly or an Albert Einstein.”
Does he believe that poetry can mend the world and set such things right?
“No, I don’t. For me, poetry reflects, explores, exposes and challenges. I don’t see poetry as an art form that can mend the world but rather as a means to draw attention to things within and beyond oneself. It is then up to the reader to take things further.”
In Symons’ poems, the lives of creatures tend to be described in ways that emphasise their transience. But there is also a deep undercurrent of curiosity and joy in his work. ‘Two Crows’, from his latest collection, The Algebra of Insignificance(Karavan Press, 2024), ends:
“…I try translate / their calligraphy / into a type of / wonder / permitted to moments / like this…”
Symons confirms this, citing the influence of his family as well as his love of surfing and his appetite for reading as sustaining influences. He adds, “Those moments of simply observing my surroundings closely, whether beautiful or seemingly uninspiring, certainly sustain me.”
Does he have any advice for aspiring poets writing today?
“My first poem was published when I was 46, so I sometimes feel like I’ve gate-crashed a private party. So I am reluctant to offer advice or act as a mentor. I would say read widely, beyond your comfort zone, and focus on your craft. Find someone who can act as a guide or sounding board. Most importantly, be honest about your work, even when it hurts. The digital age has prompted many creatives to become more obsessed with their social media profiles and personas than with their craft. For me, it’s amidst the failure and frustration of creating something from nothing that one experiences these fractions of magic.”
In the next few days, write a poem that starts as an apology for not doing something. Then, write down your reasons for doing something more urgent or important.
The 2026 AVBOB Poetry Competition opens for submissions on 1 August 2025. Visit the AVBOB Poetry website at www.avbobpoetry.co.za today and read some of the prize-winning poems from previous years as you prepare to f
Poets have always responded powerfully to the beauty of the natural world.
But what does it mean to respond to nature today, when thousands of species are threatened with extinction because of unregulated human expansion?
As we prepare to celebrate World Wildlife Day on 3 March, the AVBOB Poetry Project celebrates the work of Stephen Symons (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7263500.Stephen_Symons), prolific poet, short story writer and graphic designer, whose poems repeatedly confront this urgent question. The title poem of his collection, Small Souls(Karavan Press, 2022), begins with an apology for not being able to write something suitable for a human funeral. Instead, it continues:
“I write for the
insignificance of an ant that is about to be burnt by a
child with a magnifying glass.”
The detail of the child is especially poignant here. Compared to the ant, the child is enormously intelligent, but it is ignorant of the suffering it causes. What follows is a list of animals, both large and small, all of whom meet their fate at the hands of humans. Ultimately, the poem asks whether we are any less ignorant than that child.
“‘Small Souls had been brewing for a long time,” Symons explains. “My mother was an animal rights activist, involved in educating and assisting cart horse owners, and her love of animals left a deep impression on me. The poem is a harrowing read, as it exposes our complicity as we fail to respect and act as caretakers of the countless other species with whom we share the planet. It explores the miracle and wonder of simply experiencing this thing we call life, however briefly, whether you are a fly or an Albert Einstein.”
Does he believe that poetry can mend the world and set such things right?
“No, I don’t. For me, poetry reflects, explores, exposes and challenges. I don’t see poetry as an art form that can mend the world but rather as a means to draw attention to things within and beyond oneself. It is then up to the reader to take things further.”
In Symons’ poems, the lives of creatures tend to be described in ways that emphasise their transience. But there is also a deep undercurrent of curiosity and joy in his work. ‘Two Crows’, from his latest collection, The Algebra of Insignificance(Karavan Press, 2024), ends:
“…I try translate / their calligraphy / into a type of / wonder / permitted to moments / like this…”
Symons confirms this, citing the influence of his family as well as his love of surfing and his appetite for reading as sustaining influences. He adds, “Those moments of simply observing my surroundings closely, whether beautiful or seemingly uninspiring, certainly sustain me.”
Does he have any advice for aspiring poets writing today?
“My first poem was published when I was 46, so I sometimes feel like I’ve gate-crashed a private party. So I am reluctant to offer advice or act as a mentor. I would say read widely, beyond your comfort zone, and focus on your craft. Find someone who can act as a guide or sounding board. Most importantly, be honest about your work, even when it hurts. The digital age has prompted many creatives to become more obsessed with their social media profiles and personas than with their craft. For me, it’s amidst the failure and frustration of creating something from nothing that one experiences these fractions of magic.”
In the next few days, write a poem that starts as an apology for not doing something. Then, write down your reasons for doing something more urgent or important.
The 2026 AVBOB Poetry Competition opens for submissions on 1 August 2025. Visit the AVBOB Poetry website at www.avbobpoetry.co.za today and read some of the prize-winning poems from previous years as you prepare to f
