‘On Killing A Tree Poem’ PDF Quick download link is given at the bottom of this article. You can see the PDF demo, size of the PDF, page numbers, and direct download Free PDF of ‘On Killing A Tree Poem’ using the download button.
NCERT Book For Class 9 English Poem On Killing A Tree PDF Free Download
On Killing A Tree Poem
The Author
The simple poem with a profound meaning, ‘On Killing a Tree’, has been written by Gieve Patel, a famous Indian poet, and playwright. He was born in Mumbai and has completed all of his education in Mumbai.
There are many plays and poetry collections to his credit. However, he is better known for his poems. You may refer to slide no. 2 for more information on his life and works.
Introduction
The poet through this poem ironically conveys a profound message to the readers on saving trees. He ironically conveys a message that we should not cut trees.
He says that trees are living beings just like human beings or any other form of life. Throughout the poem, the poet has described various effective steps to completely kill or destroy a tree.
You might ask as to how he is trying to stop the killing of a tree. But, yes, he is truly trying to stop the killing of trees by sensitising people towards to importance of trees in our life through the effective use of irony in the poem.
Stanza -1
It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife Will do it.
It has grown Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding Upon its crust,
absorbing Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide
Sprouting leaves.
Explanation: – In the first stanza, the poet says that a simple cut does not destroy a tree; it takes a long time to kill it. A sudden rough blow of the knife will do nothing to the tree because it has grown up strong by consuming the earth slowly.
It grows up and rises from the crust of the earth, absorbing years of sunlight, air, water. In simple words, it takes nutrients from the soil to grow into a big tree. And from its discoloured and uneven bark, the branches and leaves come out.
Stanza -2
So hack and chop
But this alone won’t do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.
Explanation: – In the second stanza the poet says that cutting the tree roughly by striking heavy blows and chopping won’t do anything to the enormous tree.
It will not feel any pain and its bleeding bark will heal very soon. If we cut from the bottom, that is, from close to the ground, the curled green twigs will start growing with mini branches coming out.
If they are unchecked, then they will expand again to their normal and formal size as they used to be earlier.
Stanza -3
No,
The root is to be pulled out —
Out of the anchoring earth;
It is to be roped, tied,
And pulled out —
snapped out Or pulled out entirely,
Out from the earth-cave,
And the strength of the tree exposed
The source,
white and wet,
The most sensitive,
hidden For years inside the earth.
Explanation: – In the beginning of the third stanza, the poet utters the word ‘no’, because just a small cut with a knife or chop with an axe will not harm a grown up tree.
So now, he sarcastically/ironically explains the steps to kill a tree to the readers.
He ironically says that for killing a tree, firstly, the roots have to be pulled out from its anchoring/holding earth, that is its mother whom the tree holds tightly and securely.
He says that it has to be pulled out entirely or tied up with a rope and then chopped into pieces.
And once, a tree is separated from the earth cave, when the source (roots) which is white and wet, which is the most sensitive and hidden part of the tree, is exposed out, then the tree loses its strength.
| Author | – |
| Language | English |
| No. of Pages | 4 |
| PDF Size | 0.2 MB |
| Category | Poem |
| Source/Credits | aees.gov.in |
NCERT Book For Class 9 English Poem On Killing A Tree PDF Free Download