I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet 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.
Trees and Other Poems (1913) | Joyce Kilmer (1886–1918)
Suggestions
- Read this one aloud with younger children.
- Memorize the poem. You can read how we suggest approaching this on our copying page.
- Choose one stanza to copy and illustrate.
- The tree is personified in the poem. Select two places that show personification.
- Choose a tree to study through all four seasons.
Additional Resources
Poetry Dictionary for Kids
Terms, literary devices, and more.
Books
Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Holling
Great tie-in! Check out our go-along activities.
First Book of Trees
Public domain title.
The Science of Drawing Trees
Another public domain title that will help with tracking a tree through the seasons.
Units & Lesson Plans
Free Nature Studies: Our Wonderful World
These are the tree sections from our free nature study with resources and more for studying trees:
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