Wood burner's poem from an anonymous English poet...

[fire_man]

I was reading "The complete book of Heating with Wood" written in 1975, when Electricity averaged 2.5 cents/Kilowat and Oil was $0.75/gallon. I got a kick out of this poem credited to "an anonymous English poet".

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year.
Chestnut only good,they say,
If for long 'tis laid away.
But ash new or ash old
Is fit for queen with crown of gold.

Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last.
It is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elmwood burns like churchyard mold,
E'en the very flames are cold.
But ash green or ash brown
Is fit for queen with golden crown.

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke.
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense like perfume.
Oaken logs, if dry and old,
Keep away the winter's cold.
But ash wet or ash dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.

 

[Blue Vomit]

True Dat.

- Blue Vomit, circa 2011

 

[Woody Stover]

Big Ash fan, the bard.

"Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last."
I think Battenkiller would disagree. I guess they don't have Black Birch across the pond.

"Elmwood burns like churchyard mold,
E’en the very flames are cold."
OK, then I made made the right move giving that stuff to my SIL. Her leaky Fireview needs cold flames so she won't get roasted out. :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Tony, I sent you some more poems like that. Hope you enjoy them.

 

[oldspark]

Big Ash fan, the bard.

"Birch and fir logs burn too fast,
Blaze up bright and do not last."
I think Battenkiller would disagree. I guess they don't have Black Birch across the pond.

"Elmwood burns like churchyard mold,
E’en the very flames are cold."
OK, then I made made the right move giving that stuff to my SIL. Her leaky Fireview needs cold flames so she won't get roasted out. :lol:

Never did agree with the elm cold flame thing, have had good luck with it. You have to remember that poem is older than dirt.

 

[firefighterjake]

Seems like a good time to dig this one out . . . last posted in the Spring of 2010. I apologize in advance for my poor literary skills.

--

Firefighterjake's Poem about Wood

Wood Is Good

Here is a poem about wood, a little ditty,
Before I forget, welcome to hearth.com tickbitty.

All wood is good if it is given time to season,
Here is my thinking, here is the reason.

Just like the song "Turn Turn Turn" by the Byrds,
Every species of wood has its place, at least according to this Nerd.

Poplar, silver maple, spruce and fir,
In the shoulder seasons will make the woodstove purr.

You will not burn down your home with pine,
Good for kindling or quick, fast fires, to this wood species I raise my stein.

Beech, sugar maple, hickory, locust and oak,
Good for those really cold days, the fire will not die out or soon croak.

And what about the aromatic cedar?
Good for kindling or shoulder seasons -- throw it in your heater.

Some folks do not like burning birch -- yellow, gray, black or white,
They say it burns up too fast, I say the fire is still hot and burns bright.

Elm they say is too wet and hard to split when fresh cut as it is stringy and burns poorly, I say it gets a bad rap,
Wait a year, when seasoned and elm is burning, in front of the warm stove you'll soon be taking a nap.

Ash, oh ash, I love this wood the best of all, my favorite wood of all is ash,
But it really should season and then this wood is better than cash.

So to all new burners who wonder and worry about the species of wood,
I say to you, all species of wood is very good.

But heed these words well -- you really need to give most wood a year to dry,
If you do not season the wood, the fire will sputter and you will no doubt swear and may cry.

Cut, split and stack your wood for a year,
And then come next Winter in front of the warm fire you will sip your ice-cold beer.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Jake will be taking up a collection. Who will pass the hat?

 

[firefighterjake]

Jake will be taking up a collection. Who will pass the hat?

A bribe for me to not try writing any more poems?

 

[Woody Stover]

Jake will be taking up a collection. Who will pass the hat?

The hearth gang is a generous lot; We might need something bigger... how about a milk crate? ;-)

 

[firefighterjake]

Jake will be taking up a collection. Who will pass the hat?

The hearth gang is a generous lot; We might need something bigger... how about a milk crate? ;-)

A nice thought . . . but I split like God intended us to split wood . . . standing up on my own two feet with the splitter horizontal.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

No Jake, you must be worshiping the wrong God. Sit on the milk crate and split with much less labor.