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A fir stood proudly in the wood outlined by sky. A child cried, ‘Look, The stars are all caught in it. God has made us A Christmas tree!’
Myra Scovel
SourceLicence:Public domain (US, unrenewed)
A fir stood proudly in the wood outlined by sky. A child cried, ‘Look, The stars are all caught in it. God has made us A Christmas tree!’
A fir tree stands in the woods with the sky behind it, and a child looks up and sees something the rest of us might miss: the stars seem to be caught in its branches, like lights hung on a decorated tree. From that, the child draws a simple, joyful conclusion, that God has made a Christmas tree for everyone.
The poem is quiet and warm, with a feeling of small wonder. Most of it is plain description, and the child's words arrive almost like a surprise, which makes the discovery feel fresh. The shape on the page helps too. The short lines narrow the poem down toward the middle, the way a tree tapers toward its top, so the poem looks a little like the fir it describes. The mood is innocent and gentle: nature and faith meet in a child's eyes, and nothing needs explaining.