Calendar Customs Ceremonies for Candlemasse EveRobert Herrick
Down with the Rosemary and Bayes,
Down with the Mistleto;
In stead of Holly, now up-raise
The greener Box (for show.)The Holly hitherto did sway;
Let Box now domineere;
Until the dancing Easter-day,
Or Easters Eve appeare.Then youthfull Box which now hath grace,
Your houses to renew;
Grown old, surrender must his place,
Unto the crisped Yew.When Yew is out, then Birch comes in,
And many Flowers beside;
Both of a fresh, and fragrant kinne
To honour Whitsontide.Green Rushes then, and sweetest Bents,
With cooler Oken boughs;
Come in for comely ornaments,
To re-adorn the house.
Thus times do shift; each thing his turne do's hold;
New things succeed, as former things grow old.
from Trees Be Company, Common Ground's anthology of poetry
edited by Angela King and Sue Clifford for Common GroundBuy a copy from our PUBLICATIONS PAGES
Other poems from this anthology you can read on this site are
The Green Man by Heather Harrison, and
'Loveliest of trees, the cherry now' by AE HousmanAlso, you can read some poems by James Crowden
