The Weeping Beech- The Four Seasons

Sub Title Trees

One that was particularly admired was the Weeping Beech on the southern part of the main carriageway. 

Its moods through the year were wonderfully caught in photos by Bruce, shown here. It was always well worth going up to the cemetery, in the different seasons of the year, to look at this wonder. The main feature or previous photo is the Weeping Beech in full bloom. Sadly, early on Boxing Day morning, the tree fell, landing among the gravestones. 

Both Bruce and Geoff have happy memories of the same poem, ‘Trees’, by the American poet Joyce Kilmer, Bruce from having it recited to him in childhood and Geoff from a sung version by the American, Paul Robeson, in the late 1950s. For those who may not be familiar with the poem, here are the words:

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Joyce Kilmer was born in 1886 in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He had a great commitment to Nature and religion and ‘Trees’ was published in 1914. As a family man, he could have served in the National Guard, at home in the USA, during the war but, at his own request, he enlisted in the Infantry, was posted to the Western Front, attained the rank of Sergeant and was closely involved in intelligence work relating the enemy front line. He was considered the leading Catholic American poet of his time. He was killed by a sniper during the Battle of the Ourcq on 30 July 1918 and is buried at Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial in France.

For his bravery, the French awarded him their Croix de Guerre. In 1938, part of a forest in North Carolina was dedicated to him and streets and schools are named after him. 

We have very good cause to be grateful to the cemetery designers for keeping many of the trees that were once part of Southampton Common. As we enjoy the grounds, the beauty of Joyce Kilmer’s poetry can always be with us, whatever the season of the year, and it is well worth lingering, perhaps on a seat, to appreciate the words of ‘Trees’.

The Weeping Beech will long stay in our memories.

Geoff Watts and Bruce Larner – photos also by Bruce Larner