THE HEART OF THE TREE* 



BY HENRY CUYLER BUNNER 



WHAT does he plant who plants a tree ? \ 

 He plants the friend of sun and sky; 

 He plants the flag of breezes free; 

 The shaft of beauty towering high; 

 He plants a home to heaven anigh, 

 For song and mother-croon of bird 

 In hushed and happy twilight heard 

 The treble of heaven 's harmony 

 These things he plants who plants a tree. 



What does he plant who plants a tree, 



He plants cool shade and tender rain, 

 And seed and bud of days to be, 

 And years that fade and flush again; 

 He plants the glory of the plain; 

 He plants the forest's heritage; 

 The harvest of a coming age; 

 The joy that unborn eyes shall see 

 These things he plants who plants a tree. 



What does he plant who plants a tree? 

 He plants, in sap and leaf and wood, 



*From "The Poems of H. C. Bunner," copyright 1884, 1892, 

 1896, 1899, by Charles Scribner's Sons. 



