There are a surprising number of occasions when bats find their way into literature. This page is just a small sample. If you have additions please feel free to mail us.

Posted January 2010

“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. Some men, like bats or owls, have better eyes for the darkness than for the light. We, who have no such optical powers, are better pleased to take our last parting look at the visionary companions of many solitary hours, when the brief sunshine of the world is blazing full upon them.”- Charles Dickens Pickwick Papers”)

Posted July 2009

Bat by Anne Sexton 1928- 1974

His awful skin stretched out by some tradesman is like my skin, here between my fingers, a kind of webbing, a kind of frog. Surely when first born my face was this tiny and before I was born surely I could fly. Not well, mind you, only a veil of skin from my arms to my waist. I flew at night, too. Not to be seen for if I were I'd be taken down. In August perhaps as the trees rose to the stars I have flown from leaf to leaf in the thick dark. If you had caught me with your flashlight you would have seen a pink corpse with wings, out, out, from her mother's belly, all furry and hoarse skimming over the houses, the armies. That's why the dogs of your house sniff me. They know I'm something to be caught somewhere in the cemetery hanging upside down like a misshapen udder.

Posted January 2009

This is by way of a first for bat lit- an original poem It was passed to a bat group member, who persuaded Daz to let us publish it here

MICROCHIROPTERA
Tragus twitching at the sound,
that emanates from snout.
it must quickly process the rebound
as there's lots of bats about.

Its twilight, its not witching hour
as they flap through the air,
so there's no need to fear or cower,
as for your blood, they do not care.

They've hung undisturbed in lofty places,
wrapped in their leathery skin.
They wake and wipe their sleepy faces
and fly off on silent wing.

The Patagium is stretched so tight
to support their mouse-like frame,
and when its not in use for flight
it can protect them from the rain.

The movement of wing makes a silent beat
as they search out the insect prey.
It's time to eat after their short sleep
right through the light of day.

if you are lucky to get close enough
they're fragile and hairy as can be,
but that's nothing to be scared of
because they're mammals like you and me

TAKE CARE OF BATS.
Daz

	If you act like a rotten plum, bats will eat you. Nigerian Proverb.

Ere the bat hath flown
 His cloistered flight, ere to black Hecate's summons
 The shard-borne beetle with his drowsy hums
 Hath rung night's yawning peal, there shall be done
  A deed of dreadful note.
      - William Shakespeare, Macbeth (Macbeth act III, ii)