Comments on: The Hallowed Yew http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2009/12/11/the-hallowed-yew/ Fri, 24 May 2013 05:56:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Deirdre Larkin http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2009/12/11/the-hallowed-yew/comment-page-1/#comment-33998 Deirdre Larkin Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:46:04 +0000 http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/?p=3968#comment-33998 I suspect that most Americans don't share the sense of the yew's distinction and power enjoyed in Great Britain and Europe. For us it is a commonplace landscape shrub of city parks and suburban foundation plantings. The ancient churchyard yew, more ancient than the church itself, is not part of our daily lives. It is, as you say, an exceptionally wonderful wood as well as an impressive tree. I remember my first encounter with antique furniture made of polished yew. I was awed by its beauty. I suspect that most Americans don’t share the sense of the yew’s distinction and power enjoyed in Great Britain and Europe. For us it is a commonplace landscape shrub of city parks and suburban foundation plantings. The ancient churchyard yew, more ancient than the church itself, is not part of our daily lives.

It is, as you say, an exceptionally wonderful wood as well as an impressive tree. I remember my first encounter with antique furniture made of polished yew. I was awed by its beauty.

]]> By: Elly Brauer http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2009/12/11/the-hallowed-yew/comment-page-1/#comment-30063 Elly Brauer Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:57:43 +0000 http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/?p=3968#comment-30063 I always used to worry that the berries were going to 'poison my hands', as if when playing with them they would somehow poison me by association! Oddly the tree itslef (there was a cloister behind the cathedral I passed on the walk to school as a child and there was three in the courtyard) held more fascination for me than the cathedral itself... I don't know if you feel the same way, but somehow, the Yew seemed to me to be "defiant" of all the other trees and bushes... It stood in a way that suggested a dignity unlike any other, perhaps, only the noble juniper could understand this defiance... And yet the juniper, while loved for it's tonics, never did yield a post, bowl, walking stick, or bow so magnificent as the Yew... I always used to worry that the berries were going to ‘poison my hands’, as if when playing with them they would somehow poison me by association! Oddly the tree itslef (there was a cloister behind the cathedral I passed on the walk to school as a child and there was three in the courtyard) held more fascination for me than the cathedral itself…

I don’t know if you feel the same way, but somehow, the Yew seemed to me to be “defiant” of all the other trees and bushes… It stood in a way that suggested a dignity unlike any other, perhaps, only the noble juniper could understand this defiance… And yet the juniper, while loved for it’s tonics, never did yield a post, bowl, walking stick, or bow so magnificent as the Yew…

]]> By: Deirdre Larkin http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2009/12/11/the-hallowed-yew/comment-page-1/#comment-16097 Deirdre Larkin Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:01:25 +0000 http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/?p=3968#comment-16097 I think we all were, Nancy. There was something about crushing that soft red berry, and popping out the yellow seed and all that lovely goop. . . I think we probably had been told how dangerous they were, and that gave them a special glamour. I think we all were, Nancy. There was something about crushing that soft red berry, and popping out the yellow seed and all that lovely goop. . . I think we probably had been told how dangerous they were, and that gave them a special glamour.

]]> By: Nancy Heraud http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2009/12/11/the-hallowed-yew/comment-page-1/#comment-10673 Nancy Heraud Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:54:58 +0000 http://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/?p=3968#comment-10673 I was always fascinated by the berries as a child. I'm glad I wasn't so interested in eating them! I was always fascinated by the berries as a child. I’m glad I wasn’t so interested in eating them!

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