There Was a Cherry-Tree - Read by JCM
There Was a Cherry-Tree - Read by JCM

There Was a Cherry-Tree

A calm solo reading of James Whitcomb Riley’s “There Was a Cherry-Tree” presents a brief, nostalgic look at childhood and nature. The episode keeps things simple and gentle, offering a short pause for reflection in a busy day.

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1:09•20 May 2012

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About this podcast

There Was a Cherry-Tree

James Whitcomb Riley

LibriVox volunteers bring you 18 recordings of There Was a Cherry-Tree by James Whitcomb Riley. This was the Weekly Poetry project for May 13, 2012. Riley began his career writing verses as a sign maker and submitting poetry to newspapers. Thanks in part to an endorsement from poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, he eventually earned successive jobs at Indiana newspaper publishers during the latter 1870s. Riley gradually rose in prominence during the 1880s through his poetry reading tours. He traveled a touring circuit first in the Midwest, and then nationally, holding shows and making joint appearances on stage with other famous talents. Regularly struggling with his alcohol addiction, Riley never married or had children, and was involved in a scandal in 1888 when he became too drunk to perform. He became more popular in spite of the bad press he received, and as a result extricated himself from poorly negotiated contracts that limited his earnings; he quickly became very wealthy. (Summary from Wikipedia)

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Episodes: 36

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There Was a Cherry-Tree: A Gentle Step Back into Childhood

Episode Overview

Features a single, uninterrupted reading of James Whitcomb Riley’s “There Was a Cherry-Tree.”
Highlights themes of childhood, memory, and the comfort of familiar natural scenes.
Uses vivid images like “bloomy snows” and a bright blue-jay against white blossoms to spark reflection.
Offers a short, quiet listening experience that can act as a brief mental reset.
Keeps the production simple and distraction-free, focusing attention on the words and voice.

“There was a cherry-tree. Its bloomy snows cool even now the fevered sight that knows no more its airy visions of pure joy, as when you were a boy.”

What emotional and inspiring tales of recovery are out there? Here the focus shifts to a different kind of healing: a gentle step back into childhood through poetry. This episode features a calm, focused reading of James Whitcomb Riley’s poem “There Was a Cherry-Tree,” performed by JCM as part of a LibriVox Weekly Poetry project. Rather than analysis or chatter, you get a straight, mindful reading. It’s just the voice, the words, and a bit of space to breathe.

The poem itself circles around a single image: “There was a cherry-tree. Its bloomy snows / cool even now the fevered sight…” Childhood memories, the shock of bright colours, and the taste of cherries all blur into a simple, comforting scene that might remind you of easier days. Riley’s language turns ordinary things—a tree, a bird, a boy—into something almost magical: “There was a cherry-tree.

The blue-jay sat / his blue against its white.” It’s the kind of piece you could use as a short grounding ritual, a reset between stressful moments, or a quiet companion on a walk. The public-domain recording style is minimalist, with no background music or commentary to distract from the poem. For anyone dealing with stress, craving a moment away from noise, or just wanting a small, safe pocket of nostalgia, this reading offers a gentle pause.

It’s only a few minutes long, so it’s easy to fit into a hectic day. Maybe it’ll even prompt you to ask: what’s your “cherry-tree” memory that still cools the “fevered sight” when life gets a bit too much?