The Grave-Tree by Bliss Carman
A poem exploring the themes of mortality and the cyclical nature of life and death. The speaker reflects on the transience of human existence, likening it to a tree that has grown old and died, only to be reborn as a new seedling. The poem's imagery is vivid and evocative, with the speaker describing the tree's "rooted depths" and "leafy crown." The tone is meditative and reflective, inviting the reader to contemplate their own mortality and the natural order of things.
By Bliss Carman · First published 1912 · Genre: Poetry, Nature literature, Romantic literature · 601 words
First lines
Let me have a scarlet maple For the grave-tree at my head, With the quiet sun behind it, In the years when I am dead.
Let me have it for a signal, Where the long winds stream and stream, Clear across the dim blue distance, Like a horn blown in a dream;
What this Textopian page supports
The Grave-Tree is listed on Textopian as a poem by Bliss Carman, dated 1912 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Bliss Carman
- Date: 1912 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Nature literature, Romantic literature
- Length: 601 words
- Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Genres
- Poetry — Bliss Carman was a preeminent Canadian poet known for his lyric verse.
- Nature literature — Much of Carman's work features extensive use of natural imagery and landscapes.
- Romantic literature — Carman's poetry often expresses the sentiments and aesthetics of the Romantic literary movement.
Tags
poetry · nature · death · grief · loss · longing · melancholy · symbolism · mythology · folklore · supernatural · surreal