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Celebrating London’s Plane-Tree

Green is the plane tree in the square,

The other trees are brown:

They droop and pine for country air;

The plane tree loves the town.

 

Here from my garret pane,

I mark The plane-tree bud and blow,

Shed her recuperative bark,

And spread her shade below.

 

Among her branches, in and out,

The city breezes play;

The dung fog wraps her round about;

Above, the smoke curls grey.

 

Others the country takes for choice,

And holds the town in scorn;

But she has listened to the voice

On city breezes born.

 

Amy Levy (1861-1889)