I wonder what the trees will say, The trees that used to share his play, An' knew him as the little lad Who used to wander with his dad. They've watched him grow from year to year Since first the good Lord sent him here. This shag-bark hick'ry, many a time, The little fellow tried t' climb, An' never a spring has come but he Has called upon his favorite tree. I wonder what they all will say When they are told he's marched away. I wonder what the birds will say, The swallow an' the chatterin' jay, The robin, an' the kill-deer, too. For every one o' them, he knew, An' every one o' them knew him, An' hoppin' there from limb t' limb, Waited each spring t' tell him all They'd done an' seen since 'way last fall. He was the first to greet 'em here As they returned from year t' year; An' now I wonder what they'll say When they are told he's marched away. I wonder how the roses there Will get along without his care, An' how the lilac bush will face The loneliness about th' place; For ev'ry spring an' summer, he Has been the chum o' plant an' tree, An' every livin' thing has known A comradeship that's finer grown, By havin' him from year t' year. Now very soon they'll all be here, An' I am wonderin' what they'll say When they find out he's marched away. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A LITTLE CHRISTMAS BASKET by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR FIELD AMBULANCE IN RETREAT; VIA DOLOROSA, VIA SACRA by MAY SINCLAIR IN MEMORY OF WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE TO SAN FRANCISCO by S. J. ALEXANDER LINES ADAPTED TO A FAVOURITE MILITARY AIR by JAMES HAY BEATTIE |