There Was a Cherry-Tree - Read by JRPB

There Was a Cherry-Tree - Read by JRPB

Get ready to be moved by real-life accounts of recovery and reflection, though this time the journey comes through classic poetry rather than personal confession. This short episode features James Whitcomb Riley’s poem *There Was a Cherry-Tree*, read aloud by JRPB as part of a LibriVox Weekly Poetry project. Across just a few stanzas, Riley paints a vivid picture of childhood wonder and memory.

You’ll hear about “bloomy snows” of blossom, a bright blue jay perched against white petals, and the magic of watching those blossoms turn into “a crimson fruitage, far too sweet but for a boy to eat.” It’s the kind of gentle, nostalgic piece that can catch you off guard if you’re in a reflective mood.

The style is simple, rhythmic, and easy to follow, making it ideal if you’re looking for something calming and short rather than a long discussion or heavy analysis. The reading keeps the focus on the imagery and emotion of the poem: the contrast between how things looked through “our child eyes” and how memory softens or sharpens those images over time.

While it’s a literary recording rather than a conversation, it can still appeal to anyone in a season of change, loss, or rebuilding. The poem quietly nods to gratitude for small joys: “There was a bloom of snow. There was a boy.

There was a blue jay of the realest blue, and fruit for both of you.” If you’re after a brief pause in your day, a moment of calm, or a gentle nudge back to simpler memories, this reading might be exactly the kind of soft, steadying background your mind’s been craving. Why not give yourself a few minutes with Riley’s cherry tree and see what memories it shakes loose for you?