Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, WINTER TREES, by KATHARINE TYNAN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

WINTER TREES, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Across the sky, across the snow
Last Line: And winter trees are beautiful.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hinkson, Katharine Tynan
Subject(s): Beauty; Forests; Nature; Trees; Winter; Woods


ACROSS the sky, across the snow,
The sober rooks are winging slow,
Grey roses in the rush-fringed pool,
And Winter trees are beautiful.

The West is now a garden-close,
Pink roses and a golden rose,
With amber and with tender green,
To let the throbbing stars between.

Against that world of roses stand—
These are the woods of Fairyland—
Poplar and oak and elm to make
A gold brake and a rosy brake.

Instead of silky leaves of Spring
The stars now make their garnishing;
For May roses and April white
The snow has lit them all the night.

The red sun hangs his lantern red
Between the black boughs overhead,
The evening clothes them with his mist
Half sapphire and half amethyst.

The dawn roses are scattered here
As 'twere a rose espalier
Whose happy boughs have borne for fruit
Red roses all from head to foot.

Even the lamp that men have set
To light the way for travelling feet
Caught in the dark tree glitters bright
As chrysoprase and chrysolite.

Down the long road's perspective go
The dark trees in a double row,
Spangled with lamplight, gold and cool;
And Winter trees are beautiful.





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