Some people write books. Others live them first.
PEL’s remarkable journey reads like a novel long before Nature Speaks ever took shape. His life, rooted in travel, simplicity, resilience, and curiosity, forms the living soil from which his poetry grew.
A Childhood of Wonder, A Life of Movement
PEL was born in Sydney, Australia, a place where the sound of the ocean and the scent of gum trees seep naturally into one’s spirit. But it wasn’t until adulthood that life began revealing just how deeply nature would shape his path.
After working as a schoolteacher for four years, PEL felt the call of the world. Adventure pulled him outward, and, trusting that instinct, he left for Britain—setting the foundation for a life that would soon defy convention.
Hitchhiking Across the World
In the late 1970s, when the world felt gentler, PEL embarked on a journey that most people only dream about:
Travelling overland from London to Sydney.
Armed with little more than a backpack, kindness became his currency.
Strangers offered rides, food, and safety. Communities across borders shared generosity that today feels almost mythical. This experience became one of the seeds for Nature Speaks—the idea that humanity’s natural state is kindness, unity, and connection.
Living in a Tree in Australia
Arriving in Darwin with no money, PEL did something that now sounds almost otherworldly:
he lived in a tree for six months.
During the day, he worked as a gardener. At night, he lived among branches and sky.
There, in the quiet cradle of nature, the idea of listening—truly listening—began to grow.
Cairo, London, and Life Beneath the Trees
After returning to Britain, PEL spent a year teaching English in Cairo, absorbing the sounds, rhythms, and ancient pulse of Egyptian life. This awakened a deep interest in history, mythology, and global spirituality.
Then came seven years living in a van under London’s trees.
What many would consider hardship became a sanctuary.
It was there that PEL taught himself to paint, guided by intuition and presence.
And it was there that the poetry for Nature Speaks arrived, “as if Nature herself was speaking.”
A Book That Wasn’t Written, It Was Received.
Nature Speaks is not a traditional poetry book.
It is a message, an offering.
The poems flow with the wisdom of oceans, forests, animals, ancestors, and Earth itself.
The art reflects a life lived in simplicity and authenticity.
The words feel like they have been waiting to be heard.
This is what makes the book special:
It is not only written from experience but from profound listening.
A Legacy of Kindness and Purpose
Throughout his artistic life, PEL has sold prints and paintings in Camden Market, participated in exhibitions supporting homeless artists, and raised funds for global causes—including $1,700 for Amnesty International through a solo exhibition.
His commitment to compassion continues:
All royalties from Nature Speaks are donated to IFAW, supporting the protection of animals and the environment.
Why Nature Speaks Matters Today
As the world grows noisier, nature’s voice fades.
But PEL’s book invites us to pause.
To breathe.
To remember.
It reminds us that unity is our natural state, and the Earth is not silent, it’s speaking through wind, birdsong, intuition, and stillness.
PEL’s life teaches one truth:
When we live close to nature, we live close to ourselves.