Anna Wickham imagines the avenue itself speaking to someone worn out by heat and travel. The speaker offers what the tired traveller has been longing for: a cool, leafy path sheltered by trees. The phrase “straight stretched arms” makes the trees sound like open arms, welcoming and protective. There is tenderness in calling the traveller “thou weary Lover,” as if the road understands both physical tiredness and emotional longing. The avenue is not just a place but a companion. It knows the relief of shade after too much sun, and it offers itself as a gentle escape. The mood is calm and slightly romantic, mixing relief from harsh light with the promise of rest and intimacy. For a first-time reader, it reads like a brief breath of cool air.
The Avenue — Summary
To the tired traveller in summer's heat, The thought of airy trees is sweet. Come, in my straight stretched arms discover A leafy road, thou weary Lover.