In The Form of A Friend

‘Well--one at least is safe. One shelter’d hare
Has never heard the sanguinary yell
Of cruel man, exulting in her woes.
Innocent partner of my peaceful home,
Whom ten long years’ experience of my care
Has made at last familiar; she has lost
Much of her vigilant instinctive dread,
Not needful here, beneath a roof like mine.
Yes--thou may’st eat thy bread, and lick the hand
That feeds thee; thou may’st frolic on the floor
At evening, and at night retire secure
To thy straw couch, and slumber unalarm’d;
For I have gain’d thy confidence, have pledg’d
All that is human in me to protect
Thine unsuspecting gratitude and love.
If I survive thee I will dig thy grave;
And, when I place thee in it, sighing, say,
I knew at least one hare that had a friend.’
‘The Garden’
A beutifully reflective poem by William Cowper 1731 - 1800
Cowper certainly found a life-long treasure in his garden.
To find out everything you need to know about the true origins of the Easter Bunny and the ancient traditions built around it, we can highly recommend a beautifully curated on-line article on the St Neots Museum (Cambridge)website, which is a lovely five minute read for an Easter Sunday