From beloved pets to majestic wildlife, and even the first dog in space, animals have long been a source of inspiration for poets across the ages. Animals are evocative of so much—the awe we feel seeing a skylark soaring along a breeze, the fear instilled in us by predators hunting big game, or the deep love we might feel for a pet. Our relationship with the animal world is a diverse and complex subject, which is what makes this collection so fascinating.

Among the 366 poems  in An Animal Poen for Every Day of the Year are T. S. Eliot’s “Macavity: The Mystery Cat,” Robert Frost’s exacting reflections of wildlife in rural America, Wendy Cope observing the livestock at a country fair, Lemn Sissay’s observations on birds, and much, much more.