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Clarissa McFairy is a South African journalist and columnist who also writes short stories and poetry for anthologies. She recently wrote a heartfelt poem about the sad death of a female aardvark that washed up on Sunset Beach in Milnerton on Friday.

Also read: Update: Post-mortem results on Sunset Beach Aardvark revealed

Photographers Alex and Juanita Aitkenhead discovered the body, and a wildlife vet named Doctor Luca Mendes performed an autopsy and ruled out drowning as the cause of death.

Because of this, it is thought that animal trafficking played a part in the aardvark’s death.

Clarissa McFairy’s Ode to the Aardvark: 

Your long dear nose
has me in tears
A jetty to my heart
.
Farewell
sweet One
washed up like a wave
.
You were once a wave
of eager beaver bliss
Sniffing for a whiff
.
A morsel of kindness
Any sorrows
drowned with you
.
Dear Aardvark
Bless your burrowing toes
May the soft sands
.
of Sunset Beach
be a resting place
from the wild seas
.
May kind people
salute your soul
and cover your dear nose
.
All I can do
is cover my face
in tears

by Clarissa McFairy
(January 2023)

You can contact Clarissa and access her poetry page here.

Also read: 

Another giant squid found washed up in the Cape

Picture: Alex and Juanita Aitkenhead

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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