On arctic foxes and snow owls

Ann Shenfield

If this were a perfect world 
then the arctic fox would eat berries
and not hunt baby snow owls

But in this lesser place 
where snowy owlets feed 
on goslings and songbirds

There are those who say 
that animals are much like us 
but that they are pure emotion 

Except isn’t everything analogous
and I don't know, are you an arctic fox
am I a snowy owl?

Ann has worked as an animation filmmaker, illustrator and writer. Her animated films have received numerous prizes, including selection to the Official Competition at the Berlin Film Festival. Her writing has also received various prizes, including being shortlisted for the Brisbane Premier’s Literary Awards as well as winning the Judith Wright Poetry Award for her poetry collection You Can Get Only So Close on Google Earth.