Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TREE'S DOUBLE, by KATHARINE TYNAN


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TREE'S DOUBLE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: How beautiful the tree shadows lie on
Last Line: Dances upon the grass to the same measure.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hinkson, Katharine Tynan
Subject(s): Autumn; God; October; Seasons; Shadows; Trees; Fall


HOW beautiful the tree shadows lie on
The paler green o' the grasses!
October wind stirs them a little and passes,
Cloud-shadows sail above them and are gone.

The trees are like a golden fountain's spray,
Like golden waters raining.
When the October skies and ways are waning,
The trees alone have the heart to be gay.

Yet there's a blue sky, and the sun is gold,
A gold tree and a bird in it,
A Jenny Wren or a belated linnet,
Singing away though all the nests are cold.

The tree upon the grass has a bird's shadow,
As the live tree its bird,
Shadow and substance joyfully praise the Lord
As well as when the world was all a meadow.

And when the living tree rocks at its pleasure
Its bird in frolic glee,
The shadow-bird within the shadow-tree,
Dances upon the grass to the same measure.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net