

The Asselian (lowermost Permian) strata of the Boskovice Basin in the Czech Republic are recognized for their fossil-rich assemblages of discosauriscid seymouriamorphs some of which exhibit exceptional preservation, including soft tissues, such as external gills and eye structures 1, 2, 3, 4. At the same time, it highlights the significance of the ichnological record of the Boskovice Basin which has long been neglected despite offering evidence for the presence of diverse faunal components that have not been reported from these basinal deposits before. The new material adds to the scarce record of synapsids from the Carboniferous/Permian transitional interval of equatorial Pangea.
Illuminate synonym skin#
The best-preserved specimen further shows rare skin impressions, which have not been observed from the hands or feet of early-diverging mammal-line amniotes before. The material originates from three localities situated within the Letovice and Padochov formations and is assignable to the ichnotaxon Dimetropus. Here, we describe well-preserved isolated tracks, manus-pes couples, and a slab with trackways composed of approximately 20 tracks in at least four different directions belonging to early-diverging, or ‘pelycosaur-grade’, synapsids. However, recent fieldwork in the Asselian (lowermost Permian) of the Boskovice Basin has yielded a diverse assemblage of tetrapod tracks, illuminating a hidden terrestrial tetrapod diversity. The only other tetrapods from the strata are represented by rare temnospondyls. We may not be adequately represented in some of those formative picture books, but as participants in society, we are definitely here.Lower Permian deposits of the Boskovice Basin in the Czech Republic have long been renowned for extraordinarily abundant specimens of discosauriscid seymouriamorphs, some of which showing exceptional preservation, including widespread soft tissues. Inviting artists to the table to contribute to the work from the ground up is an even better one. Granting artists opportunities to present their work is a good first step. Poet laureate programs are one way we can employ poets to address matters relevant to local communities, as are initiatives like Poetry City, where municipal councils invite poets to speak in council chambers and other public spaces.

And we should be compensated for our time and expertise because our skills are hard-earned and our perspectives are valuable. Governments and leaders, educators and policymakers should seek our counsel. Our communities should look to us for our ideas, seek out our unique views and experience. In fact, I think we have an even greater role to play. I believe this is a valuable contribution to society, whatever that society might look like. What I love most though is how poetry offers an opportunity to communicate, that is, to connect. I love many things about it - the countless ways that words can be arranged in service of cadence and rhythm, the joy of reaching for a thesaurus to find a fitting synonym, the endless selection of subjects to explore. My artistic journey has been meandering and eclectic and, through it all, poetry has been there, behind the scenes, reminding me of its merits while infusing all my work. Poetry can illuminate the lessons that need teaching, the ailments that need fixing, and the fires that need putting out. We hold up mirrors to reflect the world we live in. In my view, poetry is the act of observing and reporting back.

The work of a poet goes beyond finding rhyme and penning verse. But it doesn't help affirm its value in society. Poetry has a marketing problem, and that's lovely in a way, since poetry is about honesty, the antidote to marketing. I think poetry is overlooked because of its reputation which, in certain corners of the world and the job market, is as outdated as a Richard Scarry book. Even so, I'm not convinced that being an artist is widely considered a strong career choice these days, or that pursuing poetry would be suggested to a high school graduate with a passion for words. Thankfully, we continue to broaden our collective views on what constitutes a worthwhile role to play, a valid profession to pursue. Society is a complex tangle of relationships that can't be summarized in an old picture book. Opinion Stop asking Black people to perform emotional labour during Black History Month
