The poem depicts a court lady standing beneath a plum tree, symbolizing the fleeting nature of beauty and life. The image serves as a metaphor for the transience of human existence, where even the most exquisite and delicate things can wither and perish. The plum tree's blossoms are likened to the lady's beauty, which is fragile and ephemeral.
By John Gould Fletcher · First published 1922 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Imagism