Almost every line here begins with "For," which gives the poem the rhythm of a chant or blessing. The speaker lists reasons to admire the oak, and the tone is one of steady, affectionate respect. First come the practical gifts: timber for houses and ships, fruit, medicine, and food and shelter for animals from squirrels to owls. Then the poem notices the tree's looks and seasons, from yellow spring catkins to rattling autumn leaves and a pleasing winter shape.
Later the oak takes on a more mythic feel. It carries mistletoe, its leaf and acorn protect, and it draws lightning and keeps the mark. The final lines turn the tree into a kind of model for endurance. It is knotted by the gall, yet it does not bow to the storm, and even its bent boughs send up straight shoots. The mood is calm, reverent and quietly hopeful, as if the oak's strength is something we might learn from.