The London Vegan Festival Poems - Absent Friends. Tributes to Donald Watson, Arthur Ling and Serena Coles.

Donald Watson, Founder of the Vegan Society and the man who coined the word 'vegan' sadly passed away on the 16th November 2005 at the grand old age of 95.

The 2006 London Vegan Festival is dedicated to his memory.

Inspired by the following quote from Society Council Chair George D. Rodger's interview with Donald in 2002 ...

"I suppose, within the next ten years one morning I won’t wake up. What then? There’ll be a funeral, there’ll be a smattering of people at it and, as Shaw forecast for his own funeral, there’ll be the spirits of all the animals I've never eaten. "

... I offer my poetic tribute to a truly heroic visionary :

WatsonMania

The souls were waiting patiently
For Donald to arrive
The souls of all the animals
His idea kept alive

They waited there to thank him
And to let him know they cared
For it was down to Donald
That their lucky lives were spared

They all knew just what vegan meant
The news had travelled far
And they knew Donald Watson
Was their hero and their star

Arriving very quietly
Our Donald was surprised
And set upon by multitudes
He wished he'd gone disguised!

But all was well in SpiritLand
The souls made sure of that
Now Donald sits with all his friends
And wears a party hat!

© Bernie Laprade

Arthur Ling, a leading light of the vegan movement sadly passed away
on the 16th January 2005.

The 2005 London Vegan Festival was dedicated to his memory.

Arthur Ling

To Arthur Ling
"The Plamil King"
And vegan pioneer

We raise a glass
To toast your class
We're lucky you stopped here

Please take a bow
From every cow
Whose life you helped to save

And one from
Every vegan
On the road you helped to pave

© Bernie Laprade

Serena Coles, Honorary Patron and ex-President of the Vegan Society sadly passed away on the 21st December 2005 at the grand old age of 95.

Unfortunately in her latter years Serena disappeared off the radar for a while as she was moved from one care home to another. However, due to 'the diligent detective work of her friend Kirsten Junsberg', Serena was found at a nursing home in Croydon in 2005. With the help of a formidable army of friends and helpers Serena's vegan diet and lifestyle was restored and adhered to for the last year of her life.

Those who knew Serena are much better placed than I to speak of her accomplishments, however, inspired by the account in 'The Vegan' (Summer 2006), saddened how the wishes of our old vegan friends can be ignored in such places, and with a nod to Benjamin Zephaniah for his great 'Talking Turkeys', I offer the following:

Serena Coles

Be kind to old vegans this Christmas
'Cos some get left out in the cold
In some bad nursing homes
They're fed flesh from dead bones
And ignored just because they are old

So please offer to help an old vegan
Who has no-one to help them speak out
And make sure that they eat
Just the best vegan treats
And if not, help them stand up and shout!

Now Serena was one such 'old' vegan
In a home where they denied her right
To eat vegan each day
In her usual way
Ninety Four! And unable to fight!

Then some friends sought her out to say thankyou
For the work she had done for the cause
When they turned on the light
Vegan Food! Day and Night!
These are heroes deserving applause!

Thanks to all who look out for old vegans
And to all who share the same goals
Be kind to old vegans this Christmas
In the name of 'old' Serena Coles

© Bernie Laprade