Speaking directly to a birch tree, the speaker lets it call up an intimate memory. The tree reminds him of a room filled with breathing, not a literal place but an atmosphere of closeness—the sway and whisper of love. That memory sharpens into a woman undressing: first her shoes, then her skirt, then her earrings, one small gesture at a time. The comparison closes when the speaker returns to the tree. Its pale trunk divides into smooth branches, just as the woman’s body emerges from her clothes. The mood is quiet, tender, and faintly wistful. Desire is present, but it is held softly, as if the speaker is savoring a private recollection and letting the birch stand for something loving and fleeting.
Birch — Summary
Birch tree, you remind me Of a room filled with breathing, The sway and whisper of love.
She slips off her shoes; Unzips her skirt; arms raised, Unclasps an earring, and the other.
Just so the sallow trunk Divides, and the branches Are pale and smooth.