Jane Tims

Niche Jane Tims

In biological terms, the niche is the quality of a space occupied by a living thing, the sum total of physical, nutritional, biological, psychological and emotional needs gathered together in one place. In human terms, niche can be a metaphor for home, community or personal space. One way of looking at the timeline of life is to think of it as a sequence of niche-spaces lived in, sought after, avoided, encountered, found, or occupied. These are poems about niche-the spaces where plants, animals and humans find home. The poems explore the niche spaces found primarily in Canada's temperate zone where plants and animals have adapted to ecologies with a strong seasonal component. Explore the forests and coastal areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and the prairies of Alberta. As you read the poems, you may discover your own niche, its origins and the changes that follow.