Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FALLEN ELM, by JOHN CLARE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Old elm that murmured in our chimney top Last Line: & freedoms birthright from the weak devours Subject(s): Elm Trees; Environment; Freedom; Trees; Environmental Protection; Ecology; Conservation; Liberty | ||||||||
Old elm that murmured in our chimney top The sweetest anthem autumn ever made & into mellow whispering calms would drop When showers fell on thy many coloured shade & when dark tempests mimic thunder made While darkness came as it would strangle light With the black tempest of a winter night That rocked thee like a cradle to thy root How did I love to hear the winds upbraid Thy strength without -- while all within was mute It seasoned comfort to our hearts desire We felt thy kind protection like a friend & edged our chairs up closer to the fire Enjoying comforts that was never penned Old favourite tree thoust seen times changes lower Though change till now did never injure thee For time beheld thee as her sacred dower & nature claimed thee her domestic tree Storms came & shook thee many a weary hour Yet stedfast to thy home thy roots hath been Summers of thirst parched round thy homely bower Till earth grew iron -- still thy leaves was green The childern sought thee in thy summer shade & made their play house rings of sticks & stone The mavis sang & felt himself alone While in thy leaves his early nest was made & I did feel his happiness mine own Nought heeding that our friendship was betrayed Friend not inanimate -- though stocks & stones There are & many formed of flesh & bones Thou owned a language by which hearts are stirred Deeper then by a feeling cloathed in words & speakest now whats known of every tongue Language of pity & the force of wrong What cant assumes what hypocrites will dare Speaks home to truth & shows it what they are I see a picture which thy fate displays & learn a lesson from thy destiny Self interest saw thee stand in freedoms ways So thy old shadow must a tyrant be Thoust heard the knave abusing those in power Bawl freedom loud & then opress the free Thoust sheltered hypocrites in many a shower That when in power would never shelter thee Thoust heard the knave supply his canting powers With wrongs illusions when he wanted friends That bawled for shelter when he lived in showers & when clouds vanished made thy shade amends With axe at root he felled thee to the ground & barked of freedom -- O I hate the sound Time hears its visions speak & age sublime Had made thee a deciple unto time -- It grows the cant term of enslaving tools To wrong another by the name of right It grows the liscence of oerbearing fools To cheat plain honesty by force of might Thus came enclosure -- ruin was its guide But freedoms clapping hands enjoyed the sight Though comforts cottage soon was thrust aside & workhouse prisons raised upon the scite Een natures dwellings far away from men The common heath became the spoilers prey The rabbit had not where to make his den & labours only cow was drove away No matter -- wrong was right & right was wrong & freedoms bawl was sanction to the song -- Such was thy ruin music making elm The rights of freedom was to injure thine As thou wert served so would they overwhelm In freedoms name the little that is mine & there are knaves that brawl for better laws & cant of tyranny in stronger powers Who glue their vile unsatiated maws & freedoms birthright from the weak devours | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LOVE THE WILD SWAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS AFTER TENNYSON by AMBROSE BIERCE QUARTET IN F MAJOR by WILLIAM MEREDITH CROSS THAT LINE by NAOMI SHIHAB NYE EMANCIPATION by ELIZABETH ALEXANDER |
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