Our ancestors went to the woods to find fuel; they set snares there for birds and gathered nuts and fungi. John Burnside ancestorbirdfind Change image and share on social
I remember how, back in the 1980s, the Scottish Flow Country became an object of bemused controversy as rich celebrities and businessmen from south of the border acquired great tracts of this vast wetland in the far north in order to plant non-native conifer plantations that attract hefty tax breaks. John Burnside 1980sacquireattract share on social
The older I get, the happier my childhood becomes. John Burnside childhoodhappyold Change image and share on social
A forest - the word dates back to the Norman occupancy, when it meant an area set aside for England's violent new masters to hunt boar and deer - is necessarily larger than a wood. It belonged to the king and was a fit place for his recreation. John Burnside areabackbelong share on social
Andoya is in a different world, set at the northern edge of Europe in what seems to be a time and weather of its own. John Burnside andoyaedgeeurope Change image and share on social
All my life, I have been a celebrant of Halloween. For me, it is the most important day of the year, the turning point in the old pagan calendar. John Burnside calendarcelebrantday Change image and share on social
One of the most beautiful objects I have ever seen was a Yupik wolf mask, made in Nunivak in around 1890. John Burnside beautifulmakemask Change image and share on social
I'm interested in the way language is used to navigate the world around us. John Burnside interestlanguagenavigate Change image and share on social
I remember when I first encountered anthropocentrism. I was in primary school and, in preparation for our confirmation, the class was learning about the afterlife. John Burnside afterlifeanthropocentrismclass Change image and share on social
My poems tend to be more celebratory and lyrical, and the novels so far pretty dark. Poetry doesn't seem to me to be an appropriate tool for exploring that. John Burnside celebratorydarkexplore Change image and share on social