The Trees English First Flight 5th
Thinking about the Poem
Question 1.
- Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest
- What picture do these words create in your mind: . sun bury its feet in shadow."? What could the poet mean by suns feet
Answer:
- In a treeless forest birds find no place to sit and insects see nowhere to hide themselves. And even the sun fails to find any shade to put his feet
- "..sun bury its feet in shadow" evokes an interesting image. The plain meaning is that there are no trees and therefore no shadows. It is not the suns feet that need shades to bury, but it is our feet that need protection
Question 2.
- Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do
- What does the poet compare their branches to
Answer:
- The trees are in the house in the poem. The trees roots, leaves, twigs and boughs are toiling hard to free themselves from the confines and moving out into the open forests
- The poet compares the branches to just discharged patients moving out of hospitals
Question 3.
- How does the poet describe the moon : (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change
- What happens to the house when the trees move out of it
- Why do you think the poet does not mention "the departure of the forest from the house" in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.)
Answer:
- The moon is shining in full in the cloudless sky. But later, when the trees move out the moon is broken like a mirror. The moving out of the trees from the house to the open forest causes this change
- When the trees move out, the rooms of the house are filled with the smell of leaves and lichen
- The poet was so embarrassed at the unexpected departure of the trees that she fails to write about them in her letters
Question 4.
Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?
- Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the Zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for interior decoration in cities while forests are cut down, are imprisoned, and need to break out
- On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning
Answer:
Yes, the poetess presents the conflict between man and nature. In A Tiger in the Zoo it is the animals that are confined. Here in "The Trees" it is the plants that are restricted to a small space. It is against the laws of NATURE. The poetess also uses the suffering of imprisoned trees as a metaphor to fully reflect the pain of human beings when they are subjected to restrictions
Question 5.
You may read the poem On Killing a Tree by Gieve Patel (Beehive - Textbook in English for Class IX, NCERT). Compare and contrast it with the poem you have just read?
Answer:
Adrienne Richs poem "The Trees" and Gieve Patels work "On Killing a Tree" deal with trees. They have many common features. Contrast is also striking
Both the poems emphasise the need to preserve greenery and protect trees. "The Trees" tells us that trees can revolt, fight against mans onslaught and win over man. "On Killing a Tree", on the other hand, emphasises how hard it is to kill a tree completely.
The poem explains the reasons for that difficulty. The ultimate indication, through irony, there is: "Dont destroy trees". Both the poems highlight the value and power of trees. "The Trees" metaphorically suggests the need to liberate women from the clutches of a male-dominated world
Additional Questions :
I. Read the following stanza
The trees inside are moving out into the forest,
the forest that was empty all these days
where no bird could sit
no insect hide
no sun bury its feet in shadow
the forest that was empty all these nights
will be full of trees by morning
Question 1.
What is the main transformation described in the stanza ?
- Trees moving out of the forest
- Birds flying into the forest
- Insects emerging from hiding
Answer:
Trees moving out of the forest
Question 2.
What was the condition of the forest before the transformation?
- It was full of trees
- It was empty during the day and night
- It was teeming with birds and insects
Answer:
It was empty during the day and night
Question 3.
When does the transformation of the forest occur?
- During the day
- At night
- By morning
Answer:
By morning
Question 4.
What does the line "no sun bury its feet in shadow" suggest about the forest?
- It is always brightly lit
- It is dense with trees
- It lacks sunlight
Answer:
It lacks sunlight
Question 5.
What is the tone of the stanza ?
- Joyful
- Melancholic
- Hopeful
Answer:
Hopeful
Question 6.
What is the implied significance of the forest becoming full of trees by morning ?
- Renewal and growth
- Destruction and decay
- Pollution and degradation
Answer:
Renewal and growth
II. Read the following stanza
All night the roots work
to disengage themselves from the cracks
in the veranda floor.
The leaves strain toward the glass
small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof
like newly discharged patients
half-dazed, moving
to the clinic doors
Question 1.
What is the mafn action of the roots described in the stanza ?
- Disengaging from cracks in the veranda floor
- Reaching toward the glass
- Straining under the roof
Answer:
Disengaging from cracks in the veranda floor
Question 2.
What do the leaves and twigs symbolize in the stanza?
- Renewal and growth
- Desperation and struggle
- Surrender and acceptance
Answer:
Desperation and struggle
Question 3.
What does the imagery of "long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof" suggest?
- The trees are comfortable
- The trees are in pain
- The trees are restrained
Answer:
The trees are restrained
Question 4.
What is the overall mood conveyed by the stanza?
- Contentment
- Restlessness
- Serenity
Answer:
Restlessness
Question 5.
What does the comparison of the boughs to "newly discharged patients" suggest ?
- Relief and freedom
- Suffering and illness
- Resilience and recovery
Answer:
Relief and freedom
Question 6.
What is the significance of the imagery of the leaves and twigs straining toward the glass ?
- They seek warmth
- They long for freedom
- They desire light
Answer:
They desire light
III. Read the following stanza
I sit inside, doors open to the veranda
writing long letters
in which I scarcely mention the departure
of the forest from the house.
The night is fresh, the whole moon shines
in a sky still open
the smell of leaves and lichen
still reaches like a voice into the rooms
Question 1.
What is the main focus of the letters mentioned in the stanza?
- The departure of the forest
- The fresh night
- Personal matters
Answer:
Personal matters
Question 2.
What does the phrase "the whole moon shines in a sky still open" suggest ?
- The sky is clear and vast
- The moon is partially hidden
- The night is ending
Answer:
The sky is clear and vast
Question 3.
What is the significance of the smell of leaves and lichen reaching into the rooms?
- It brings comfort and familiarity
- It signals danger and decay
- It represents isolation and loneliness
Answer:
It brings comfort and familiarity
Qution 4.
What is the authors attitude towards the departure of the forest from the house?
- Indifference
- Sadness
- Excitement
Answer:
Indifference
Question 5.
What does the authors choice to focus on the night and the moon suggest about their state of mind?
- They are feeling lonely
- They are seeking solace in nature
- They are indifferent to their surroundings
Answer:
They are seeking solace in nature
Question 6.
How does the imagery of the smell of leaves and lichen reaching into the rooms contribute to the atmosphere of the stanza ?
- It creates a sense of intimacy and connection
- It evokes a feeling of discomfort and unease
- It symbolizes decay and deterioration
Answer:
It creates a sense of intimacy and connection
IV. Read the following stanza
My head is full of whispers
which tomorrow will be silent.
Listen. The glass is breaking.
The trees are stumbling forward
into the night. Winds rush to meet them.
The moon is broken like a mirror,
its pieces flash now in the crown
of the tallest oak
Question 1.
What is the main imagery used to describe the moon?
- Broken glass
- Flashing pieces in the crown of the oak
- Whispering voices
Answer:
Flashing pieces in the crown of the oak
Question 2.
What does the breaking glass symbolize in the stanza?
- Destruction and chaos
- Renewal and transformation
- Silence and stillness
Answer:
Destruction and chaos
Question 3.
What is the atmosphere created by the imagery of the trees stumbling forward into the night ?
- Fear and uncertainty
- Determination and purpose
- Tranquility and calmness
Answer:
Fear and uncertainty
Question 4.
What do the winds rushing to meet the trees suggest ?
- They are welcoming the trees
- They are trying to stop the trees
- They are amplifying the chaos
Answer:
They are welcoming the trees
Question 5.
What does the imagery of the moon being broken like a mirror convey ?
- Beauty and elegance
- Loss and fragmentation
- Serenity and tranquility
Answer:
Loss and fragmentation
Question 6.
What is the overall mood of the stanza ?
- Calm and serene
- Chaotic and turbulent
- Joyful and celebratory
Answer:
Chaotic and turbulent
The Trees Poem Summary in English
The Trees is an unusual poem. It is symbolic. It presents the conflict between man and nature. It highlights the need of natural habitat for any living being. It emphasises the value of freedom to all creatures. The poem first describes the forest that has no trees. The forest was empty all those days
There was no place for any bird to sit and rest, no shelter for an insect to hide. There was no shade. The forest was empty all these nights. The poem then presents the struggles of trees to move from inside the house to the forest outside. The roots move out from the floor. The leaves exert themselves to break the glass
The branches approach the door. They are like the newly discharged patients. They are eager to leave the clinic and reach their home - the forest. The poet watches the movement of trees. But she does not want to record that event. The night is fresh. The moon shines
The smell of the leaves spreads all around like the voice of someone. The poets head is full of thoughts. But the next day they will subside. Trees are moving out. Winds welcome them. The moon embraces them. Order is restored. This is what needs to be done
Glossary :
disengage (v) : release; loosen; detach; free;
cracks (n-pl) : narrow openings in previously solid material;
strain (v) : exert; struggle beyond limits;
stiff (adj) : rigid; hard to bend;
exertion (n) : tiredness as total energy is spent;
long-cramped (adj) : pressed into a narrow space for a long time;
boughs (n-pl) : tree branches;
shuffling (v+ing) : moving;
scarcely (adv) : hardly; practically not;
departure (n) : leaving a place;
lichen (n) : a spread of algae and fungi;
stumbling (v+ing) : walking clumsily;