Great Tree
Close as a roof of tiles wood pigeons’ home house of cicadas noon-tide canopy
you hold me in coolness huge oak tree master of birds gatherer of silences giver of seed,
keep for me the coolness of the silent hours, great tree. Yield it to others as they creep burdened into your shade, all sleepy bees the belly-heavy hawk and women over-laden.
Drinker of the dark sun gatherer,take us in wash the dry mind with sounds of water slow the labouring lungs allow to the taxed heart ease.
Great intermediary between soil and air permit this gross intrusion. It is not so long we ask of you.
Paraphrase of Roscius of Byzantium
Roy Ashwell
Woodcut-Gwen Raverat