The Mistake - Abse

The Mistake is a poem by Abse that covers the themes of nature and through this life. From within the first stanza we see that this tree is being personified through the quote 'confront the green tree' this gives us the idea that this tree is alive and that it's special features have just been noticed. Abse may use this in order to distinguish how nature and life are closely linked.

From within the second stanza we see that the trees fame is slowly lifted when it is given a name 'Evodia danieli' and we learn that it originates from Korea. However also within this stanza we get the reinforcement of human selfishness towards nature. The quote 'now we had something to boast about' suggests that the people within this poem are willing to use the tree in order to promote themselves within their community in Wales. Abse is conveying through this that as humans we all have a desire to constantly keep bettering ourselves.

We get the comparison with welsh gold and the tree within stanza three through the quote 'It's a rare welsh gold'. Abse is comparing the tree with welsh gold to encompass how holy this tree is. This suggests that at this point in the poem it is at the height of it's fame and the community may stare in wonder considering how rare the tree is. From within the last part of this stanza we see that the tree has healing powers when 'it'll charm away your cold' this suggests that it can cure people through providing them with medicine. This reinforces the holy nature that this tree has.

Within the last stanza we get the reinforcement of the rarity of this tree though the quote 'who, in all of Great Britain possessed such treasure?' However later on the tree is 'Tired of lies' suggesting that it is fed up of the fake fame that it is receiving from humankind. It is also 'shamelessly free of disguise' suggesting that the tree is no longer special. Maybe it's specialities were just an advertisement strategy from its owners and now that the community know the trees true self it has faced its ultimate downfall as the perceived image of the tree is merely a façade.

This poem has close links to the Larkin poem Essential Beauty when mass media for example advertising in Essential Beauty and the tree in The Mistake convey a message that couldn't possibly happen in reality, it shows items that are idealistic which people wish they could have but can't.