Princess of Palaeontology

For a lost hero …..

Princess of Palaeontology

Dorset’s Lyme Regis lass Mary Anning

Born In the year seventeen ninety-nine

Importantly changed dinosaur knowledge

Through her Jurassic famous fossil finds

Mary’s renown raced round global circles

Nicknamed the Princess of Palaeontology

Her conclusions contributing precise changes

In this field’s scientific strict methodology

Her research took her to Blue Lias cliffs

Well-known for ammonites concentrations

Where her poor dog was killed in a landslide

And nearly hers pursuing ancient crustaceans

She was the very first to correctly categorize

The part skeleton of an ichthyosaur found

And travelling to important European sites

Ms Anning’s enthusiasm showed no bounds

Just a pity that the records poignantly show

The mostly Anglican male scientific community

Did not allowed her to join their social sphere

This meant losing out on a financial opportunity

Although esteemed by world geological circles

Sometimes consulted on her vast fossil facts

Mary did not always receive complete credit

Her scientific contributions hidden behind backs

Once in a letter she wrote of her feeling

‘The world has treated me so unkindly

I fear it has made me suspicious of everybody’

How true Mary’s words resonate so blindly

Only after her death was recognition achieved

From her work researched by Charles Darwin

Writing this women’s work should be celebrated

As he regarded Mary a motivational garland

One hundred sixty-three years after her death

The Royal Society added Anning to be observed

As their ten British women in science history

At last bringing her the honour justly deserved

Copyright @ Phillozofee 2018

Author's Note

A Dorset Darling - and I know a few on WC

Reviews

[Beccy]

Interesting poem on a woman few have even hear of. I first discovered her at uni and found her to be both fascinating and well ahead of her time.

Today's world would no doubt not have treated her in such a dismissive fashion. MCP ruled then, thank goodness that era is over; supposedly!

Beccy

[humbleServant]

Thanks for the education! I enjoyed this piece!

[emipoemi]

A nice tribute to a hidden figure of history. A few lines throughout the piece unfortunately, despite seemingly conveying the message you want, actually don't to the fullest extent (and not everyone would consider poems with a careful eye and an analytical mind). So, I would take a look at the poem to tweak those, but on the whole, this is fantastic. Thanks for the history lesson!

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

Interesting and respect and honour well deserved- wonderfully written🌹

[emmajoy]

Mary is: is one of my heros..absolutely and completely.!!! Took a time to become recognised and how now.. as your wonderful poem tells.. she is to be seen, obliquely heard and recognised!!! Grief, am tearing-up so thrilled you've posted this. Thank you so very, very much for writing this poetically fine and very informative lesson of how to.. (Might i just add that people who don't know my county, should know it's filled to the brim (near enough!) with fossils plus has the Jurassic Coast Path as one of the most wonderful treks..)

[sette]

and this is a very informative poem and i am proud to know her and her contributions to the dinosaur research and study

[Ardra]

It's sad like many of other females who never got recognized for their work... at least it's good to know about her...
Now that my son loves dinos.... and I am also found of them... but never knew about this wonderful lady...thank you for sharing :)
As always you are a small Wikipedia at the cafe.. heheh :)
((Hugs))

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and yes, there is still too much of this going on today...we haven't gotten past the dinosaur age with our ancient bones mentality...toward the female gender...those skeletons belong in the natural history museum...in a room where nobody goes.

[H L Rose]

I'm impressed that you shared her story in such an entertaining manner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I find sometimes that people like this from history can get confused in my mind, but you've shared her story with very significant concepts involved in a way that I think really sets her up as an individual that's rememberable. Though I probably wont remember her name.

Quick grammar check; second to last stanza, fourth line, I think "an" should be "a".

I'm definitely glad I got to learn about this "Princess of Paleontology" today!

[Just Kim]

Wow very intriguing and interesting write indeed.