Binsey Poplars Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #7

Ten or twelve, only ten or twelve
Strokes of havoc únselve (20-21)

It doesn't take much for man to ruin the natural world. Only a dozen or so "strokes of havoc" can permanently change the environment. We're doing more than just damaging the place, says the speaker; we're causing permanent change: "unselv[ing]" Nature and converting it to an extension of human civilization.