Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TREES' COUNSELLING, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TREES' COUNSELLING, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I was strolling sorrowfully
Last Line: "shall discern in all things merit."
Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina


I was strolling sorrowfully
Thro' the corn fields and meadows;
The stream sounded melancholy,
And I walked among the shadows;
While the ancient forest trees
Talked together in the breeze;
In the breeze that waved and blew them,
With a strange weird rustle thro' them.

Said the oak unto the others
In a leafy voice and pleasant:
"Here we all are equal brothers,
Here we have nor lord nor peasant.
"Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring,
"Pass in happy following.
"Little winds may whistle by us,
"Little birds may overfly us;

"But the sun still waits in heaven
"To look down on us in splendor;
"When he goes the moon is given,
"Full rays that he doth lend her:
"And tho' sometimes in the night
"Mists may hide her from our sight,
"She comes out in the calm weather,
"With the glorious stars together."

From the fruitage, from the blossom,
From the trees came no denying;
Then my heart said in my bosom:
"Wherefore art thou sad and sighing?
"Learn contentment from this wood
"That proclaimeth all states good;
"Go not from it as it found thee."
"Turn thyself and gaze around thee."

And I turned: behold the shading
But showed forth the light more clearly;
The wild bees were honey-lading;
The stream sounded hushing merely,
And the wind not murmuring
Seemed, but gently whispering:
"Get thee patience; and thy spirit
"Shall discern in all things merit."





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