O reader! hast thou ever stood to seeThe Holly tree?The eye that contemplates it, well perceivesIts glossy leaves,Ordered by an intelligence so wiseAs might confound the atheist's sophistries.Below a circling fence its leaves are seenWrinkled and keen;No grazing cattle through their prickly roundCan reach to wound;But as they grow where nothing is to fear,Smooth and unarmed the pointless leaves appear.I love to view these things with curious eyes,And moralize;And in this wisdom of the Holly treeCan emblem seeWherewith perchance to make a pleasant rhyme,One which may profit in the after-time.Thus, though abroad perchance I might appearHarsh and austere,To those who on my leisure would intrudeReserved and rude,Gentle at home amid my friends I'd beLike the high leaves upon the Holly tree.And should my youth, as youth is apt, I know,Some harshness show,All vain asperities I day by dayWould wear away,Till the smooth temper of my age should beLike the high leaves upon the Holly tree.And as when all the summer trees are seenSo bright and green,The Holly leaves a sober hue displayLess bright than they,But when the bare and wintry woods we see,What then so cheerful as the Holly tree?—Robert Southey.
O reader! hast thou ever stood to seeThe Holly tree?The eye that contemplates it, well perceivesIts glossy leaves,Ordered by an intelligence so wiseAs might confound the atheist's sophistries.Below a circling fence its leaves are seenWrinkled and keen;No grazing cattle through their prickly roundCan reach to wound;But as they grow where nothing is to fear,Smooth and unarmed the pointless leaves appear.I love to view these things with curious eyes,And moralize;And in this wisdom of the Holly treeCan emblem seeWherewith perchance to make a pleasant rhyme,One which may profit in the after-time.Thus, though abroad perchance I might appearHarsh and austere,To those who on my leisure would intrudeReserved and rude,Gentle at home amid my friends I'd beLike the high leaves upon the Holly tree.And should my youth, as youth is apt, I know,Some harshness show,All vain asperities I day by dayWould wear away,Till the smooth temper of my age should beLike the high leaves upon the Holly tree.And as when all the summer trees are seenSo bright and green,The Holly leaves a sober hue displayLess bright than they,But when the bare and wintry woods we see,What then so cheerful as the Holly tree?—Robert Southey.
O reader! hast thou ever stood to seeThe Holly tree?The eye that contemplates it, well perceivesIts glossy leaves,Ordered by an intelligence so wiseAs might confound the atheist's sophistries.
O reader! hast thou ever stood to see
The Holly tree?
The eye that contemplates it, well perceives
Its glossy leaves,
Ordered by an intelligence so wise
As might confound the atheist's sophistries.
Below a circling fence its leaves are seenWrinkled and keen;No grazing cattle through their prickly roundCan reach to wound;But as they grow where nothing is to fear,Smooth and unarmed the pointless leaves appear.
Below a circling fence its leaves are seen
Wrinkled and keen;
No grazing cattle through their prickly round
Can reach to wound;
But as they grow where nothing is to fear,
Smooth and unarmed the pointless leaves appear.
I love to view these things with curious eyes,And moralize;And in this wisdom of the Holly treeCan emblem seeWherewith perchance to make a pleasant rhyme,One which may profit in the after-time.
I love to view these things with curious eyes,
And moralize;
And in this wisdom of the Holly tree
Can emblem see
Wherewith perchance to make a pleasant rhyme,
One which may profit in the after-time.
Thus, though abroad perchance I might appearHarsh and austere,To those who on my leisure would intrudeReserved and rude,Gentle at home amid my friends I'd beLike the high leaves upon the Holly tree.
Thus, though abroad perchance I might appear
Harsh and austere,
To those who on my leisure would intrude
Reserved and rude,
Gentle at home amid my friends I'd be
Like the high leaves upon the Holly tree.
And should my youth, as youth is apt, I know,Some harshness show,All vain asperities I day by dayWould wear away,Till the smooth temper of my age should beLike the high leaves upon the Holly tree.
And should my youth, as youth is apt, I know,
Some harshness show,
All vain asperities I day by day
Would wear away,
Till the smooth temper of my age should be
Like the high leaves upon the Holly tree.
And as when all the summer trees are seenSo bright and green,The Holly leaves a sober hue displayLess bright than they,But when the bare and wintry woods we see,What then so cheerful as the Holly tree?—Robert Southey.
And as when all the summer trees are seen
So bright and green,
The Holly leaves a sober hue display
Less bright than they,
But when the bare and wintry woods we see,
What then so cheerful as the Holly tree?
—Robert Southey.