The Halloween Tree - Bradbury

The Halloween Tree

circa 1972
By Ray Bradbury (1920-2012)

The Real Halloween Tree as depicted by Bradbury on a Halloween card signed 1968 entitled The Pumpkin Tree - A Painting by Ray Bradbury

It's big, it's broad...
It's broad, it's bright...
It fills the sky of All Hallows' Night...
The strangest sight you've ever seen.
The Monster Tree on Halloween.

The leaves have burned to gold and red
the grass is brown, the old year dead,
But hang the harvest high, Oh see!
The candle constellations on the Halloween Tree!

The stars they turn, the candles burn
And the mouse-leaves scurry on the cold wind borne,
And a mob of smiles shine down on thee
From the gourds hung high on the Halloween Tree.

The smile of the Witch, and the smile of the Cat,
The smile of the Beast, the smile of the Bat,
The smile of the Reaper taking his fee
All cut and glimmer on the Halloween Tree...

© 1972 Ray Bradbury

The town was full of trees. And dry grass and dead flowers now that autumn was here. and full of fences to walk on and sidewalks to skate on and a large ravine to tumble in and yell across. and the town was full of... Boys. And it was the afternoon of Halloween. from The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury, © 1972 Ray Bradbury

If you haven't read The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury there is no better day than today... If you read it as a child or read it to your children in the last few decades there is no better day to read it again...