“This change unknown, astonish’d at the sight, My trembling sister strove to urge the flight; Yet first the pardon of the nymphs implored, And those offended sylvan powers adored: But when she backward would have fled, she found Her stiff’ning feet were rooted to the ground: In vain to free her fasten’d feet she strove, And as she struggles only moves above; She feels the encroaching bark around her grow By slow degrees, and cover all below. Surprised at this, her trembling hand she heaves To rend her hair; her hand is fill’d with leaves; Where late was hair, the shooting leaves are seen To rise, and shade her with a sudden green. The child Amphisus, to her bosom press’d, Perceived a colder and a harder breast, And found the springs, that ne’er till then denied Their milky moisture, on a sudden dried. I saw, unhappy, what I now relate, And stood the helpless witness of thy fate: Embraced thy boughs, the rising bark delay’d, There wish’d to grow, and mingle shade with shade.