Book Tip

Anni Kaufhold juggles with zoological vocabulary in short, amusing verses against a scientific background and takes a look at the diverse love life of animals with its peculiar aspects, thus drawing enlightening parallels between humans and animals.

It’s about the swan’s marriage for life, promiscuous bonobos, turtle ladies showing their claws to the male or murderous dragonflies flying through the air like interceptors.
Well, just love life … an example?

Love play of the painted turtle

About the painted turtle species,
which possesses claws immense,
decorating both forelegs,
you might observe the following:

The male waves in amorous play
and trembles ceaseless with his claws,
when he sits in front of her,
and this is really not a joke,
the lady shows herself quite well,
she also offers him her claws,
feet outstretched and quietly
vibrating in the self same way.

from: Anni Kaufhold, “Die animalischen Verse” (The animalistic verses), poetry about living, loving and deceased animals with illustrations by the author, in Periplaneta Verlag