A London 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 dull fog wraps her round about;

Above, the smoke curls grey.

Others the country take for choice,

And hold the town in scorn;

But she has listen’d to the voice

On city breezes borne.