I longed to love a full-boughed beech

   And be as high as he:

I stretched an arm within his reach,

   And signalled unity.

But with his drip he forced a breach,

   And tried to poison me.

I gave the grasp of partnership

   To one of other race—

A plane: he barked him strip by strip

   From upper bough to base;

And me therewith; for gone my grip,

   My arms could not enlace.

In new affection next I strove

   To coll an ash I saw,

And he in trust received my love;

   Till with my soft green claw

I cramped and bound him as I wove . . .

   Such was my love: ha-ha!

By this I gained his strength and height

   Without his rivalry.

But in my triumph I lost sight

   Of afterhaps.  Soon he,

Being bark-bound, flagged, snapped, fell outright,

   And in his fall felled me!