“Gestutzte Eiche” by Hermann Hesse

By Website Editor | December 18, 2025

Herman Hesse

A heavily pruned oak as an image of endurance, renewal, and the stubborn will to keep growing despite hardship

Read more about “Gestutzte Eiche” by Hermann Hesse

"The Oak" by Alfred Tennyson

By Website Editor | October 29, 2025

A human life and an oak through the seasons

Read more about "The Oak" by Alfred Tennyson

"La quercia caduta" by Giovanni Pascoli

By Roderick Cameron | June 28, 2025

Giovanni Pascoli

A meditation on a fallen oak

Read more about "La quercia caduta" by Giovanni Pascoli

"Sonnet for Quercus rugosa" by T.A. Penwood

By Website Editor | April 1, 2025

Quercus rugosa leaf underside

A poem by a reclusive British-Mexican poet

Read more about "Sonnet for Quercus rugosa" by T.A. Penwood

Extract from "Oak" by Katharine Towers

By Website Editor | December 20, 2024

Oak by Katharine Towers

An extract from Oak, a book by British poet Katharine Towers

Read more about Extract from "Oak" by Katharine Towers

"A um carvalho" by Miguel Torga

By Website Editor | October 25, 2024

A Quercus faginea known as "carvalho da Pedreira" on the riverbanks of Nabão, Pedreira, Centro, Portugal © Jorge A.Gonçalves, source: monumentaltrees.com

This new entry in our series on Oak Poetry was proposed by Hugo Ribeiro, IOS member from Portugal.

Read more about "A um carvalho" by Miguel Torga

"Las Encinas" by Antonio Machado

By Website Editor | June 28, 2024

A new entry in our series on Oak Poetry, this poem by Antonio Machado describes the holm oaks of his native Spain (Quercus rotundifolia and Q. ilex). The common name in Spanish for these trees is encina, which derives from the Latin word ilex, and which originally referred to these oaks, not to hollies.

Read more about "Las Encinas" by Antonio Machado

A Haiku by Matsuo Bashō

By Website Editor | April 15, 2024

1988.72_web.jpg

Continuing our series of posts of poems that feature oaks: a haiku by the legendary Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694).

Read more about A Haiku by Matsuo Bashō

"Mighty Oak Trees" by Hank Williams Jr.

By Website Editor | December 21, 2023

Continuing our series of posts of poems that feature oaks: the lyrics of a country song that likens faithful friends to a stand of oak trees.

If you would like to propose a poem for inclusion in this series, please click here.

Read more about "Mighty Oak Trees" by Hank Williams Jr.

"The Haunted Oak" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

By Website Editor | October 23, 2023

Paul Laurence Dunbar

A harrowing tale of a lynching and the withering of an oak bough

Read more about "The Haunted Oak" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

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Editor's Picks

Yoko and John planting acorns

"Japanese oaks" planted at Coventry Cathedral

Steve Potter | Dec 21, 2025

Group with Quercus macdougallii

Post-Conference Tour: Oaxaca

Six days exploring Oaxaca’s oak diversity, as reported by...

Wally Wilkins | Dec 10, 2025

One of the first planted circles on Hampton Common, London, in partnership with Orleans House Gallery 2025. © Studio Ackroyd & Harvey

Virtuous Circles: Oaks and the Art of Ackroyd & Harvey

Oaks planted in circles as a continuation of the artwork...

Steve Potter | Dec 10, 2025

Plant Focus

Champion Quercus castaneifolia in Iran

Species Spotlight: Quercus castaneifolia C.A.Mey

Chestnut-leaf oak in habitat and in cultivation

Read more

Oak Poetry

“Gestutzte Eiche” by Hermann Hesse

By Website Editor | December 18, 2025

Herman Hesse

A heavily pruned oak as an image of endurance, renewal, and the stubborn will to keep growing despite hardship

Read more about “Gestutzte Eiche” by Hermann Hesse

"The Oak" by Alfred Tennyson

By Website Editor | October 29, 2025

A human life and an oak through the seasons

Read more about "The Oak" by Alfred Tennyson

"La quercia caduta" by Giovanni Pascoli

By Roderick Cameron | June 28, 2025

Giovanni Pascoli

A meditation on a fallen oak

Read more about "La quercia caduta" by Giovanni Pascoli

"Sonnet for Quercus rugosa" by T.A. Penwood

By Website Editor | April 1, 2025

Quercus rugosa leaf underside

A poem by a reclusive British-Mexican poet

Read more about "Sonnet for Quercus rugosa" by T.A. Penwood

Extract from "Oak" by Katharine Towers

By Website Editor | December 20, 2024

Oak by Katharine Towers

An extract from Oak, a book by British poet Katharine Towers

Read more about Extract from "Oak" by Katharine Towers

"A um carvalho" by Miguel Torga

By Website Editor | October 25, 2024

A Quercus faginea known as "carvalho da Pedreira" on the riverbanks of Nabão, Pedreira, Centro, Portugal © Jorge A.Gonçalves, source: monumentaltrees.com

This new entry in our series on Oak Poetry was proposed by Hugo Ribeiro, IOS member from Portugal.

Read more about "A um carvalho" by Miguel Torga

"Las Encinas" by Antonio Machado

By Website Editor | June 28, 2024

A new entry in our series on Oak Poetry, this poem by Antonio Machado describes the holm oaks of his native Spain (Quercus rotundifolia and Q. ilex). The common name in Spanish for these trees is encina, which derives from the Latin word ilex, and which originally referred to these oaks, not to hollies.

Read more about "Las Encinas" by Antonio Machado

A Haiku by Matsuo Bashō

By Website Editor | April 15, 2024

1988.72_web.jpg

Continuing our series of posts of poems that feature oaks: a haiku by the legendary Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694).

Read more about A Haiku by Matsuo Bashō

"Mighty Oak Trees" by Hank Williams Jr.

By Website Editor | December 21, 2023

Continuing our series of posts of poems that feature oaks: the lyrics of a country song that likens faithful friends to a stand of oak trees.

If you would like to propose a poem for inclusion in this series, please click here.

Read more about "Mighty Oak Trees" by Hank Williams Jr.

"The Haunted Oak" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

By Website Editor | October 23, 2023

Paul Laurence Dunbar

A harrowing tale of a lynching and the withering of an oak bough

Read more about "The Haunted Oak" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Pages

The International Oak Society acknowledges the generous support of the following institutions:

Supporting Institutional Members

Standard Institutional Members

Rice University

The International Oak Society acknowledges the generous support of the following institutions:

Supporting Institutional Members

Standard Institutional Members

Rice University