A London Plane-Tree
Amy Levy
GREEN is the plane-tree in the square,
The other trees are brown;
They droop and pine for country air;
The plane-tree loves the town.
Here from my garret-pane, I mark
The plane-tree bud and blow,
Shed her recuperative bark,
And spread her shade below.
Among her branches, in and out,
The city breezes play;
The dun fog wraps her round about;
Above, the smoke curls gray.
Others the country take for choice,
And hold the town in scorn;
But she has listened to the voice
On city breezes borne.
Amy Levy was a Londoner (she was born in Clapham) and she would have known the London plane well. Theses tall trees are common throughout London, lining streets like Bayswater and Holland Park Avenue, and giving shade to its garden squares.
