Monday, April 29, 2019

Majestic Oak

I pass by this magnificent oak tree everyday. It towers above all of the other trees, and it's sprawling branches stretch across land that was once part of the main dirt road leading to Nashville.
The tree is a Chinkapin White Oak and is listed on the National Oak Registry, it has stood in this spot for the last three hundred years.
What stories it could tell...…



The oak it is a noble tree,
The monarch of the wood;
Through winter's storms a thousand years,
Its hardy trunk hath stood.
It is not stately, like the beech;
The elm more tall may be;
And gracefuller the lovely lime;
Yet 't is a noble tree.
 
An acorn, by a squirrel dropped
Amid a tuft of grass,
May be an oak, on which we look
With wonder as we pass.
 
But then it years, long years, must grow,
And this may teach to all,
What mighty things in after times
May come from means now small.
 
How little did they think who saw
A green oak sapling spring
In some old forest long ago,
That it would float a king!
 
 Perhaps some ancient Druid came
To pluck from it a bough;
'T is now a gallant ship—but he,
Where is that Druid now?
 
Perhaps an acorn from that tree
Dropped on his nameless grave,
And o'er it now in summer green'
Dark' tangled branches wave.
 
 How beautiful the oak's young leaves,
In the bright days of Spring;
Or, when a richer tint the skies
Of early autumn bring:
 
And all upon the dewy ground
The acorn-cups are laid,
Like richly chased spoons are they,
For fairy banquets made.
 
So, monarch of all forest trees,
On every English plain;
We crown thee still, thou brave old oak,
And long, long be thy reign!
 
      Ann Hawkshaw
 

8 comments:

The Wykeham Observer said...

Beautiful tree. Witness to a lot of history.

Susie said...

Jo, I love old oak trees. They sure look wonderful. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

DJan said...

What a magnificent tree! Thank you for brightening my day with it, and the poem. :-)

Edna B said...

Wow, what a gorgeous tree! Nature surely is impressive and beautiful. Do take another photo of this awesome tree when it is full of green leaves. Thank you for sharing this. You have a wonderful day, hugs, Edna B.

Curtains in My Tree said...


The old oak tree is wonderful, there is an old 200 year old oak tree close to my city

L. D. said...

There are sections in our state where the great oaks grow. They are not of the variety you show us but they too are majestic. Our church in Des Moines has a lone one in a parking lot. The Bridges of Madison County are have groves of them spotted on rolling hills.

Janet @ My Miniature Donkeys said...

Magnificent indeed. How wonderful to sit under it and feel it's energy.

Lowcarb team member said...

What a wonderful tree this is.

All the best Jan