Poem A Day

The Maple Tree

by John Clare

The maple with its tassel flowers of green,

That turns to red a staghorn-shaped seed,

Just spreading out its scolloped leaves is seen,

Of yellowish hue, yet beautifully green;

Bark ribbed like corderoy in seamy screed,

That farther up the stem is smoother seen,

Where the white hemlock with white umbel flowers

Up each spread stoven to the branches towers;

And moss around the stoven spreads, dark green,

And blotched leaved orchis, and the blue bell flowers;

Thickly they grow and neath the leaves are seen;

I love to see them gemmed with morning hours,

I love the lone green places where they be,

And the sweet clothing of the maple tree.

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