Dear Roselle, thank you for this inspiring post. I, too, love Samuel Palmer's Magic Apple Tree, and recently wrote this prose poem about it:
I’ve known Samuel Palmer’s Magic Apple Tree if not forever, and yet…
It exists in a realm beyond memory, before the prolific trees of my childhood. Windfalls in the grass, then perfect fruit climbed and stretched for, wrapped in newsprint in the cellar. A winter hoard. Magic enough to prime my senses with a pungent sweetness, which for me pervades this painting. The warm scent of never-never. The golden hill shines beyond the tree’s sun-dusted trunk, leafy archway. An almost holy promise. Sheep drowse in a wooly huddle in its glowing shade. I can’t hear, yet dream, the soft notes of the shepherd’s pipe, which conjure from the tree such red-gold bounty that an ancient branch can hardly bear the load. Eternal harvest.
I love the idea of visiting the fruit trees to thank them, and gently waken their spirits. This feels like a worthy ritual...and one I'm sure the trees appreciate!
We have various parcels of land and trees here under our guardianship, but I have to say this particular little orchard, as seen in the top photo, is truly special.
Dear Roselle, thank you for this inspiring post. I, too, love Samuel Palmer's Magic Apple Tree, and recently wrote this prose poem about it:
I’ve known Samuel Palmer’s Magic Apple Tree if not forever, and yet…
It exists in a realm beyond memory, before the prolific trees of my childhood. Windfalls in the grass, then perfect fruit climbed and stretched for, wrapped in newsprint in the cellar. A winter hoard. Magic enough to prime my senses with a pungent sweetness, which for me pervades this painting. The warm scent of never-never. The golden hill shines beyond the tree’s sun-dusted trunk, leafy archway. An almost holy promise. Sheep drowse in a wooly huddle in its glowing shade. I can’t hear, yet dream, the soft notes of the shepherd’s pipe, which conjure from the tree such red-gold bounty that an ancient branch can hardly bear the load. Eternal harvest.
lindasaunders757@gmailcom
LINDA! How lovely to hear from you. Thank you. Needless to say, I love your prose poem. Rx
Samuel Palmer is a magical artist, and it’s wonderful to unexpectedly! come across one of his paintings. Such a vibrant energy to the colours…
(And I can just imagine the fragrance of all those apples as they’re being pressed…)
Glad you like him too! I swear he saved my sanity. I have a WHOLE BOOK of his paintings!
I love the idea of visiting the fruit trees to thank them, and gently waken their spirits. This feels like a worthy ritual...and one I'm sure the trees appreciate!
Ah Jack. Thank you. Well, I love it.
We have various parcels of land and trees here under our guardianship, but I have to say this particular little orchard, as seen in the top photo, is truly special.