On Monday, 23 March 2020, the people of Britain were instructed to go into lockdown as way of curbing the spread of novel virus, COVID-19.

My name is Geli Berg.  I am a writer and photographer and I am fortunate to live in a beautiful rural hamlet, the site of the former Park Bridge Ironworks, situated in Ashton-Under-Lyne on the border with Oldham.  The area is situated in the Medlock Valley, close to Daisy Nook Country Park and it is home to a plethora of wildlife.

I moved here in 2017 and have reconnected with nature for the first time since my childhood on the edge of the Peak District National Park.  I love walking and taking photographs of nature.

As members of our family live all over the world, I fulfilled a long-term ambition in 2018 when I took a DNA test and discovered that my genes are pretty much equally spread between Britain and Northern Europe, Celtic countries, Scandinavia and the Indigenous People of South and Central America.  I quickly realised the importance of the natural world in at least three of these cultures, and this led me to research how such a heritage might have impacted on me.  I decided to research the relationship between human beings and the natural world in these regions.  So what about the UK? What have we lost in our move towards industrialisation?

But back to the lockdown.  My paid work as a DJ and music agent stopped immediately on account of COVID-19 and, as a vulnerable person with underlying health problems, I have been unable to take on a new, public-facing role.  So, I have been practising a lot of self-care, including taking daily walks in my area.  During the walks, I have come across lots of positive human to human messages, scrawled on tree trunks and fences, written on stones and walkways.

As I have been exploring the native American beliefs that man and the natural world are equal, I wondered what messages the local fauna and flora of Park Bridge would choose to communicate to humans during this period of lockdown.  I have always written poetry and songs, so I decided to observe and explore the symbolism and legend around the birds, plants and animals of Park Bridge and write a series of poems.  The poems would offer advice from the natural world to walkers.  I called the project Wild Wisdom.  The idea was to place these poems where walkers might fall across them, using natural materials wherever possible, so that nothing would harm the environment.  All the poems would be based on research into known symbolism and legends around the chosen flora and fauna.

A friend told me about the commissions being offered to artists by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to form a permanent archive of Greater Manchester’s creative response to COVID-19, so I applied and was lucky enough to be awarded a commission.

I decided to research the natural environment in a short section of one of the walking areas of Park Bridge, known locally as Shepherd’s Rest.  It is located on the National Cycle Path and is just under half a kilometre of pathway, running through woodland.  It is popular with walkers, joggers, horse riders and cyclists. I decided to place eight poems along the route at regular intervals. Here they are:

THE POEMS

IVY
Ivy is known for its tenacity and It is reported to symbolise friendship, fidelity and affection.

Like mine
Your roots are strong
Wrap them round your loved ones
And trust this will be over soon
Stay safe

DANDELION
I wrote this poem based on my observations of the Dandelions in Shepherds’ Rest, they were often in dark, shady positions

I bring
Golden sunshine
To the darkest places
There ARE positives in lockdown
Just search

HAWTHORN
Hawthorne blossoms contain both male and female parts and are fertilized by insects crawling over them.

Hawthorn
Male and Female
I am diversity
Be yourself and make our world shine
For all

NETTLE
Stinging nettle tea is a great spring tonic and a good addition to the diet of anyone recovering from a long illness or who has chronic weakness, fatigue or anaemia.

Healing
Comes from my leaves
(Be careful of my sting)
Take me home and prepare some tea
For strength

OAK
Symbolizing courage and strength, the oak tree is believed to be the most powerful of trees.

Hello
My name is Oak
I am steadfast and true
Under my branches you are secure
Always

CABBAGE WHITE BUTTERFLY
The Chinese believe that a white butterfly symbolises the soul of a departed love one. In the Philippines, it is believed that they mean that a message is on its way.

I’m both
Earth and Spirit.
I carry messages
Of hope from those who’ve passed away
To you.

SNAIL
Of course, snails are well known for embracing a slow pace!

Slow down
You now have space
A precious gift from God!
It’s time to focus on yourself
For once

ROBIN
The Robin signifies the stimulation of new growth and renewal.. He teaches you to make changes with joy, laughter, and a song in your heart.

Listen
To my warbling
I bring new life and hope
To celebrate, join in with me
Let’s sing!