Poems (Tynan)/The Tree's Double
THE TREE'S DOUBLE
How beautiful the tree shadows he 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.