Click play above to hear Rupert reading the excerpt.

In an ancient forest on a certain night
When trees cast shadows by the moon’s white light,
The ground will shudder and start giving birth
To tiny men, all full of mirth.

For years they’ve lain beneath the earth
Snuggled down deep in the warm brown turf
Waiting for now, when the moment’s right,
To pop through the soil on a moonlit night.

And amongst those men who emerge from the ground
Is one, especially, not making a sound,
For he’s seen an owl up above in the trees
Staring straight down from amongst the leaves,

And our hero gulps, his name is Jim,
As he sees the bird set sail on the wing.
With its talons flashing, and eyes shining death

Jim dives for cover and holds his breath,
But the owl glides down, passing right by,
And instead takes a man who tries to say “hi.”

And Jim swallows hard and thinks a thought
As soon as he sees this greeting means naught,
The world isn’t safe for a man like me

With a head the size of a small green pea,
But I’ve hatched for a reason and so it must be
That I find out why to understand me.

It’s cold as a breeze slices clean through the trees
And hundreds of men rise up from their knees
For all of them fell when the owl took flight,
Their hearts almost stopping with sheer white fright.

Some of them vanish alone in the night,
Others make groups and agree to stick tight,
And Jim thinks numbers the safest bet
And makes up a foursome with men he’s met…

Why Choose Rupert Wallis?

"Port Eliot is very much a family oriented festival with tents and events for all ages. Therefore, I would like the chance to read out my poem, which is written for children and adults and will fit the ethos of the festival. Appealing to an audience of all ages my poem should help promote Telltales as an event for everyone, in keeping with Port Eliot itself. Beer, Pimms, burgers and a poem about giants and existential crises – what more could any festival-goer want?"