The older I get, the happier my childhood becomes. John Burnside childhoodhappyold Change image and share on social
For a boy of ten, used to the coal bings and rust-coloured burns of Cowdenbeath, the fields and woodland of Kingswood, with its overgrown but stately avenue of copper-barked sequoias, felt like a local version of paradise. John Burnside avenuebarkbing 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
What is essential - the one thing that could stop us being coarsened to other lives - is that we feel a great, living wave of animal life all around us, covering the earth. John Burnside animalcoarsencover 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
If I tell you a story, you can choose to believe me, or you can question it. John Burnside choosequestionstory 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