FORM THREE POEM : The Day the Bulldozers Came by David Orme

Born 1948. Trained as a teacher. Full time writer since 1986 Has published over 300 books, including poetry collections and anthologies, fiction for children, non-fiction and teachers books. Married with two grown up children and 3 grandchidren. From January 2012 David and Helen Orme are only undertaking local school visits in Hampshire and surrounding counties.

 (  http://www.nawe.co.uk/DB/professional-directory/david-orme.html )

The Day the Bulldozers Came by David Orme 

The day the bulldozers came
Rooks were building
Crazy egg baskets in the oaks;
Green flies sizzled by the pond
And a cold-eyed toad
Waited for them.

The day the bulldozers came
Squirrels were scattering
Up tree trunks
And leapt from branches
That were hardly there.

The fox
Stirred in his sleep
As the ground trembles
    'Ha ha!' he thought
    'I'm quite safe
Deep down in the Earth
No one can get me here'
Then the bulldozers came.


MEANING OF THE POEM

Stanza 1;

The persona tells about a day when the bulldozers arrive at the forested area. The animals are going about their lives. The rooks are building their nests high on the tops of the oak trees. Green flies are buzzing about near a pond. A toad is motionless eyeing its food.

                             

                       The rooks are building their nests high on the tops of the oak trees

 

A toad is motionless eyeing its food.

Stanza 2; 

When the bulldozers arrive, the squirrels run away quickly in every direction. Some run up tree trunks while others try to escape by jumping from one branch to another. The persona describes the branches as "hardly there". This indicates that the trees are very far apart as many have been cut down before the land can be cleared by the bulldozers.

 

Squirel trying to escape by jumping from one branch to another but  the branches as "hardly there"

Stanza 3:

Tthe persona describes how the fox reacts as the bulldozers come. The fox's slumber is disturbed when the ground begins to tremble under the weight of the large heavy bulldozers. However, the fox is not worried. He mocks at the thought that the bulldozers can harm him. The fox feels that he is "quite safe" in his underground burrow, which is deep below the Earth's surface. He is certain of his safety when he says "No one can get me here". However, his sense of security is only temporary. The blade of the bulldozer can perch into the soil and reach him. We know that even the cunning fox is not safe deep in his underground burrow, when the persona says "Then the bulldozers came".

The fox feels that he is "quite safe" in his underground burrow

THEMES

• Conservation is important
• Nature is fragile
• Respect for all living things
• Social responsibility

MORAL VALUES

• We should take step to conserve and preserve the environment
• We should plan for and develop infrastructure in a responsible way
• We should always maintain a balance between development and ecosystem

SETTING

1. Place
The poem is set in any forested area destined to be destroyed or cleared in the name of progress and development
2.Time
The poem refers to modern times when development projects are ongoing