15 TREES

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree;

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

( Joyce Kilmer )

Biography

Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918) was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He entered the field of journalism in New York. When the United States entered the World War, Kilmer was one of the first to offer his services to his country.He was at once assigned to the Intelligence Department. One of his duties was to precede the troops before an attack and find out the positions of the enemy guns. He served during almost the whole of the second battle of the Marne until August 1, 1918, when he received a mortal wound. At the time of his enlistment he was the editor of the poetry column in the Literary Digest.

You Practice

Answer the following questions.

1) Do you agree with what the poet says in the first stanza

2) What do you like about this poem? Why?

3) What fact about the tree is told in the second couplet?

4) What does the last couplet tell us?

5) Which do you like better, poems or trees? Explain.