Yew-Trees by William Wordsworth (Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis)

 

Yew-Trees

by William Wordsworth

(Poem, Summary, Paraphrase & Analysis) 

Yew-Trees

There is a Yew-tree, pride of Lorton Vale,

Which to this day stands single, in the midst

Of its own darkness, as it stood of yore,

Not loth to furnish weapons for the bands

Of Umfraville or Percy ere they marched

To Scotland’s heaths; or those that crossed the sea

And drew their sounding bows at Azincour,

Perhaps at earlier Crecy, or Poictiers.

Of vast circumference and gloom profound

This solitary Tree!—a living thing

Produced too slowly ever to decay;

Of form and aspect too magnificent

To be destroyed. But worthier still of note

Are those fraternal Four of Borrowdale,

Joined in one solemn and capacious grove;

Huge trunks!—and each particular trunk a growth

Of intertwisted fibres serpentine

Up-coiling, and inveterately convolved,—

Nor uninformed with Phantasy, and looks

That threaten the profane;—a pillared shade,

Upon whose grassless floor of red-brown hue,

By sheddings from the pining umbrage tinged

Perennially—beneath whose sable roof

Of boughs, as if for festal purpose, decked

With unrejoicing berries, ghostly Shapes

May meet at noontide—Fear and trembling Hope,

Silence and Foresight—Death the Skeleton

And Time the Shadow,—there to celebrate,

As in a natural temple scattered o’er

With altars undisturbed of mossy stone,

United worship; or in mute repose

To lie, and listen to the mountain flood

Murmuring from Glaramara’s inmost caves.

 

Summary

William Wordsworth’s poem Yew-Trees opens with the image of a single yew tree standing in Lorton Vale. The poet describes this tree as a solitary figure, surrounded by its own darkness, yet strong and enduring as it has been for centuries. It is not merely a passive presence in nature but one that once served a practical purpose. Its wood furnished weapons for the famous northern families of Umfraville and Percy before they marched into battle against Scotland, and possibly also for the English archers who fought in decisive battles such as Agincourt, Crécy, or Poitiers. Thus, the tree is linked with historical memory and England’s past triumphs.

After presenting this lone tree of Lorton, Wordsworth shifts attention to another group of trees: the four great yews of Borrowdale. Unlike the single tree, these stand together as if united in a fraternal bond, forming a solemn grove. Their immense trunks are described as twisted masses of fibres, rising upward in convoluted, serpentine shapes. The impression they give is one of strange vitality and a kind of fantastical design. They carry with them an air of seriousness, even threat, as though their presence warns against irreverence.

The grove itself is likened to a kind of natural temple. The ground beneath the trees is bare of grass, instead covered in a reddish-brown carpet formed from the continual shedding of their dark foliage. Overhead, the dense boughs form a sombre roof, adorned with berries that, instead of adding brightness, seem to enhance the atmosphere of shadow and austerity. This setting, so grave and mysterious, appears to be a place where ghostly figures might gather even at noontime. The poet imagines personified shapes—Fear, trembling Hope, Silence, Foresight, Death as a skeleton, and Time as a shadow—assembled in this grove for a solemn celebration.

The Borrowdale yews, therefore, form a sanctuary, a temple created not by human hands but by nature itself. The poet describes how this sacred space is furnished with altars made of untouched mossy stones, suggesting places of worship. Within this silent grove, one might find not only a scene for ghostly or symbolic gatherings but also a place for rest and stillness. The quiet of the yews allows one to hear the distant murmur of the mountain flood flowing from the deep recesses of Glaramara, the great mountain nearby.

Thus, the poem concludes with a vision of these ancient trees as guardians of both history and timeless silence, offering a setting at once solemn, mysterious, and enduring.

 

Line-by-line Paraphrase

There is a Yew-tree, pride of Lorton Vale,

-> In Lorton Vale, there stands a famous yew tree, admired as the valley’s pride.

 

Which to this day stands single, in the midst

Of its own darkness, as it stood of yore,

-> Even today, it stands alone, surrounded by its deep shade, just as it has always done.

 

Not loth to furnish weapons for the bands

Of Umfraville or Percy ere they marched

To Scotland’s heaths; or those that crossed the sea

And drew their sounding bows at Azincour,

Perhaps at earlier Crecy, or Poictiers.

-> Its wood was willingly used to make weapons for the armies of the Umfraville and Percy families when they fought against Scotland, and also for the English archers who fought at famous battles like Agincourt, and maybe even earlier at Crécy or Poitiers.

 

Of vast circumference and gloom profound

This solitary Tree!—a living thing

Produced too slowly ever to decay;

-> This huge and shadowy tree, growing so slowly, seems almost incapable of decay.

 

Of form and aspect too magnificent

To be destroyed.

-> Its appearance is so grand that it seems indestructible.

 

But worthier still of note

Are those fraternal Four of Borrowdale,

Joined in one solemn and capacious grove;

-> Yet even more remarkable are the four yew trees in Borrowdale, standing together in a serious, wide-spreading grove.

 

Huge trunks!—and each particular trunk a growth

Of intertwisted fibres serpentine

Up-coiling, and inveterately convolved,—

-> Their massive trunks are made up of twisted, snake-like fibres, coiling upward in tightly knotted shapes.

 

Nor uninformed with Phantasy, and looks

That threaten the profane;—

-> Their shapes seem filled with imaginative power, giving off an appearance that warns against irreverence.

 

a pillared shade,

Upon whose grassless floor of red-brown hue,

By sheddings from the pining umbrage tinged

Perennially—

-> They create a shaded grove, with no grass on the ground, only a reddish-brown floor covered year after year with the fallen leaves and needles of the yews.

 

beneath whose sable roof

Of boughs, as if for festal purpose, decked

With unrejoicing berries,

-> Overhead, their dark boughs form a roof, decorated with berries that look solemn rather than joyful.

 

ghostly Shapes

May meet at noontide—Fear and trembling Hope,

Silence and Foresight—Death the Skeleton

And Time the Shadow,—

-> In such a place, even at midday, one can imagine ghostly figures gathering: Fear, trembling Hope, Silence, Foresight, Death (as a skeleton), and Time (as a shadow).

 

there to celebrate,

As in a natural temple scattered o’er

With altars undisturbed of mossy stone,

United worship;

-> They might gather there to perform a solemn ceremony, as if in a natural temple, complete with mossy stone altars that have never been disturbed, offering their worship together.

 

or in mute repose

To lie, and listen to the mountain flood

Murmuring from Glaramara’s inmost caves.

-> Or, one might simply rest silently in this grove, listening to the distant murmur of the mountain stream flowing from the deep caverns of Glaramara.

 

Analysis in Detail

William Wordsworth’s Yew-Trees is a meditation on the grandeur, endurance, and symbolic power of nature, focusing particularly on the yew tree, a species long associated with longevity, death, and sacred spaces. The poem blends history, mythology, and imagination to portray these ancient trees as more than natural objects; they become guardians of time, living monuments, and natural temples that inspire awe and reverence.

The poem begins with a description of a single yew in Lorton Vale. Wordsworth presents this tree as a solitary, dark presence, remarkable for its endurance across centuries. Its significance is heightened by its historical associations. The wood of yews was traditionally used to make longbows, and Wordsworth recalls how this particular tree, or trees like it, might have supplied weapons for the Percys and Umfravilles in their wars with Scotland, or for the English archers at the battles of Agincourt, Crécy, and Poitiers. In this way, the Lorton yew becomes linked not only to natural strength and survival but also to the national memory of England’s military past. Wordsworth’s language gives this tree a dual role: it is both a natural wonder, vast and enduring, and a silent participant in human history.

Having established the power of the solitary yew, the poet turns to an even more impressive sight: the four great yews of Borrowdale. Unlike the single tree, these stand together in a “fraternal” unity, forming a solemn grove. Wordsworth lingers over their appearance, describing their trunks as massive, twisted, and serpentine, rising upwards in fantastical and almost threatening shapes. This description imbues the grove with an air of mystery and foreboding, as though it were a place not merely of natural beauty but of spiritual or supernatural significance.

The grove is likened to a temple, but not one built by human hands. Its floor is bare, covered with the reddish-brown layer of fallen yew needles. Its roof is formed by the dark canopy of branches, adorned with berries that seem more like ritual decorations than ornaments of joy. This imagery transforms the grove into a sacred, sombre sanctuary, distinct from the brightness and life of ordinary nature.

Wordsworth deepens this impression by introducing figures of the imagination. In this natural temple, he suggests, ghostly shapes might gather even at midday—abstract presences such as Fear, trembling Hope, Silence, Foresight, Death, and Time. These personifications underline the symbolic associations of the yew: its longevity connects it with the passing of ages; its darkness evokes death and mourning; and its solemnity suggests reflection on life’s mysteries. The grove becomes a place where human emotions and eternal forces converge, a stage where the profound realities of existence are contemplated.

The poem concludes by portraying the grove as both a place of worship and of repose. It is imagined as a temple scattered with natural altars of mossy stone, where worship is offered not in words but in silent reverence. At the same time, it is a place of stillness, where one may lie quietly, attuned to the faint murmur of the mountain waters flowing from Glaramara’s depths. The closing image brings together silence, nature’s voice, and a sense of timelessness, reinforcing the yews’ role as mediators between the human and the eternal.

In sum, Yew-Trees combines historical memory, natural description, and spiritual imagination to present the yew as both a physical and symbolic presence. Wordsworth emphasizes their endurance against decay, their grandeur of form, and their capacity to evoke solemn emotions. The trees become both monuments of history and natural temples where time, death, and human feeling meet. Through this poem, Wordsworth reveals his characteristic ability to find in nature not only beauty but also deep spiritual and moral significance.