Trees
Textbook question and answers
(i) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a
treeless forest.
Ans- In a treeless forest, birds cannot sit on branches or build
nests, sunlight cannot create shadows on the ground because
there are no leaves to block it, and the wind cannot move through
branches because they do not exist. Without trees, the natural
balance and beauty of the forest disappear.
(ii) What picture do these words create in your mind: “…sun bury its
feet in shadow…”? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’?
Ans - These words make us imagine rays of the sun trying to
touch the ground through the trees. But the leaves and branches
block the rays, creating shadows as if the ‘feet’ of the sun are
buried under them. Here, the ‘feet’ of the sun means the lower rays
of sunlight that fall on the earth.
(iii) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their
leaves, and their twigs do?
Ans - In the poem, the trees seem to be trapped indoors, trying to
escape into the open air. Their roots are pushing hard to get free,
their leaves are stretching outward for fresh air, and their twigs
are pressing forward to grow naturally. This shows their strong
desire for freedom and growth.
(iv) What does the poet compare their branches to?
Ans - The poet compares the branches to prisoners trying to
escape. The branches look like arms stretched out in desperation,
just as prisoners stretch out their hands when they want to break
free.
(v) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of
the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change?
Ans - At the beginning, the moon is described as calm and shining
peacefully, like a mirror. By the end, its light is broken and
scattered because the branches of the trees cover it. This change
happens because the trees are moving outside, and their branches
hide the moonlight.
(vi) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
Ans - When the trees move out, the house becomes empty, lonely,
and silent. Without trees, it loses the liveliness and freshness that
nature brings.
(vii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of
the forest from the house” in her letters?
Ans - The poet does not mention it in her letters because it is a
strange and unusual event that people may not easily believe.
Sometimes, unusual truths or personal feelings are left unspoken,
as they may disturb others.
Ans 5 - The poem “On Killing a Tree” shows how hard it is to
destroy a tree because it has deep roots and strong life within it. It
proves that trees fight to survive and that harming them is cruel. In
contrast, Adrienne Rich’s poem shows trees struggling to escape
imprisonment inside a house. Both poems highlight the strength
and value of trees, teaching us to respect nature. They remind us
that trees are living beings that deserve care, freedom, and
protection.