With Birds You’re Never Lonely (Raymond Antrobus)

This section provides analysis for the poem With Birds You’re Never Lonely by Raymond Antrobus. Raymond Antrobus' poem With Birds You’re Never Lonely explores themes of nature, communication, and the contrast between urban and natural environments. The poet reflects on his experiences in New Zealand’s Zealandia forest, comparing them with city life in London. Antrobus, who is Deaf, uses his unique perspective to contemplate the nature of sound and silence, connection and loneliness, and the way the natural world communicates in ways that go beyond human language. You can read the poem below followed by detailed analysis. 

With Birds You’re Never Lonely by Raymond Antrobus

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 Zelandia forest
with sun-syrupped 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.

Analysis of With Birds You’re Never Lonely by Raymond Antrobus

Key Themes

Nature and Connection: The poem contrasts the serenity and vibrancy of nature with the isolation of urban life. The poet finds a deep connection with the natural world, particularly with the birds and trees in Zealandia forest, which offer companionship and understanding in ways that humans sometimes cannot. This connection is embodied by the birds that blare loudly, drawing the speaker's attention and ultimately making him reflect on what nature has to say about humanity.

“I wondered what the trees would say about us? What books would they write if they had to cut us down?” This line highlights the poet's musings on the wisdom of nature and its ability to observe and judge human actions.

Sound, Silence, and Hearing: As a Deaf poet, Antrobus brings a unique perspective on sound and silence. In the forest, he experiences a profound relationship with silence, describing it not as an absence but as something filled with meaning and presence. By turning off his hearing aids, he temporarily disconnects from human-made noise and tunes into a deeper, more intimate experience of the natural world. The birds and trees in the poem communicate through their presence and movement, not just sound.

“When all sound disappeared, I was tuned into a silence that was not an absence.” This line captures the poet's experience of a rich, meaningful silence, contrasting it with the noisy, cluttered environment of the city.

Urban Loneliness: The poem presents the city, particularly London, as a place where people and nature are disconnected. The trees in London are described as "grey" and isolated, lacking the family and spiritual connection that the birds and trees in Zealandia possess. This contrast suggests that urban life can be lonely and lacking in the deep, organic connections found in the natural world.

“I felt sorry for any grey tree in London, for the family they don’t have, the Gods they can’t hold.” This evokes a sense of sympathy for the trees in London, which seem deprived of the companionship and vitality that the poet finds in the trees of Zealandia.

Cultural Knowledge and Tradition: Towards the end of the poem, the poet listens to a young Māori woman who learned to recognise bird calls from her grandfather. This scene introduces the idea of traditional knowledge and the importance of understanding and appreciating nature. It also suggests that this kind of knowledge provides comfort and connection, reinforcing the idea that with birds, and through nature, one is never truly alone.

“She could tell which bird chirped, a skill she learned from her grandfather.” This line highlights the transmission of cultural knowledge and the deep relationship between people and the natural world, emphasising the value of indigenous wisdom.

Key Imagery and Symbols

Birds: The birds in the poem, especially the Tui birds, are symbols of life, communication, and companionship. They provide a connection to nature and a reminder that the natural world is vibrant and alive, even when human connections feel distant. The phrase "with birds you’re never lonely" suggests that birds are always present, offering companionship through their songs and presence.

“brazen Tui birds with white tufts and yellow and black beaks.” The vivid description of the birds brings them to life, showing their boldness and beauty, while their loud calls force the speaker to disconnect from his hearing aids and engage with a different kind of communication.

Trees: The trees, particularly the Kauri trees in Zealandia and the "grey" trees in London, symbolise both connection and isolation. In Zealandia, the Kauri trees are sturdy and ancient, representing a harmonious connection with nature. However, the grey trees in London are depicted as lonely and disconnected, mirroring the poet's sense of isolation in the city.

“the earthy Kauri trees, their endless brown and green trunks of sturdiness.” The Kauri trees symbolise strength and continuity in nature, while their London counterparts are deprived of the familial and spiritual connections that give life meaning.

Sound and Silence: Sound and silence are important motifs in the poem. The poet experiences the natural world through both sound (the loud Tui birds) and silence (when he turns off his hearing aids). Silence in the poem is not empty; instead, it is filled with meaning and presence. This challenges traditional notions of silence as a void and reflects the poet’s Deaf identity.

“I was tuned into a silence that was not an absence.” This line redefines silence, suggesting that it can be a space of deep connection and understanding, especially in the natural world.

Structure and Form

The poem is written in free verse, without a regular rhyme scheme or metre. This gives the poem a conversational, reflective tone, allowing the speaker to move between memories of New Zealand and observations of city life in London.

Shifts in focus occur throughout the poem, as the speaker moves from the noisy coffee shop to his memories of Zealandia forest, before returning to the urban environment. This structure mirrors the contrast between the speaker’s peaceful, connected experience in nature and the isolating, noisy experience of city life.

The use of enjambment creates a flowing, natural rhythm that mirrors the stream of consciousness style of the poem. The poet’s thoughts drift from one idea to another, reflecting the way memories and reflections often blend together.

Tone

Reflective and Contemplative: The poet reflects on his experiences in both the natural and urban environments, considering the contrasts between them. His tone is thoughtful as he contemplates the connection between nature and humanity, sound and silence.

Sympathetic and Melancholic: The speaker expresses sympathy for the lonely trees in London and for the loss of connection in urban life. There is a sense of melancholy in the realisation that nature in the city is often deprived of the vitality and family connections that exist in more natural environments.

Peaceful and Attuned: When describing his time in Zealandia forest, the tone becomes more peaceful, as the speaker experiences a deep connection with nature and silence. This contrasts with the more chaotic and disconnected feeling of the city scenes.

Key Quotations for Analysis

“When all sound disappeared, I was tuned into a silence that was not an absence.”

This line redefines silence, showing that it can be full of meaning and presence rather than a void. It reflects the poet’s Deaf experience and challenges conventional ideas about sound and communication.

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

This rhetorical question highlights the poet’s reflection on humanity’s relationship with nature. It suggests that trees, if they could speak or write, might have a critical view of how humans treat the natural world.

“She could tell which bird chirped, a skill she learned from her grandfather.”

This line highlights the importance of traditional knowledge and cultural connection to nature. It suggests that understanding nature, particularly through bird calls, provides a sense of companionship and continuity.

“I felt sorry for any grey tree in London, for the family they don’t have, the Gods they can’t hold.”

This line captures the poet’s sympathy for the urban trees, which seem deprived of the vitality and spiritual connection that the trees in Zealandia possess. It reflects the loneliness and disconnection of city life compared to the natural world.

Context

Raymond Antrobus is a British-Jamaican poet who is Deaf and often writes about themes of sound, silence, and communication. His work frequently explores the Deaf experience, as well as broader issues of identity, belonging, and connection. In With Birds You’re Never Lonely, Antrobus reflects on

his experiences in nature and contrasts them with the alienation he feels in the urban environment. The poem also touches on cultural connections to nature, particularly through the Māori woman’s knowledge of bird calls, emphasising the importance of tradition and wisdom passed down through generations.

With Birds You’re Never Lonely is a beautifully reflective poem that explores themes of sound, silence, nature, and connection. Through vivid imagery and thoughtful contrasts between urban and natural environments, Raymond Antrobus invites readers to consider how we relate to the world around us. The poem highlights the richness of silence, the companionship of birds, and the loneliness of city life, offering a unique perspective shaped by the poet’s Deaf identity and his deep connection to nature.

You can find analysis of all the AQA Worlds and Lives Anthology Poems here.