On Killing a Tree

Summary

The poet says that if we wish to kill a tree it takes a lot of time. A simple jab of the knife can’t
kill a tree. A tree grows up by getting water and other nutrition from the earth. It absorbs sunlight, air and water for years and becomes very strong. If we try to hack and chop it, it
does not feel much pain. Its bleeding bark heals very soon. Small twigs begin to shoot up
from it and soon they become very big and strong. The poet says that the real strength of a
tree lies in its roots. If we want to kill a tree forever, its roots should be pulled out
completely. They should be left in open to wither in sun and air. They darken, harden and
wither. Then we can say that a tree is killed.

Figures of Speech

1. Alliteration is the repetition of sounds at close intervals. It is used to lend a lyrical or

musical element to the poem.
Example 1: The bleeding bark will heal. (Here the poet has repeated ‘b’ and ‘I’ sounds.)
Example 2: The source, white and wet. (In this line ‘w’ sound is repeated.)

2. Metaphor
Metaphor is a comparison between two unlike objects, but the word of comparison ‘like’ or
‘as’ is not used. Instead of stating that one thing is like another, the poet identifies one with
the other.
Example 1: The bleeding bark
(Here the word ‘bleeding’ is a metaphor. The poet compares the sap oozing out of the bark
of a hacked tree trunk to the blood of a human being or a living creature but does not use
the word of comparison)
Example 2: its leprous hide
Here the uneven, discoloured bark of a tree is compared to the discoloured and gnarled skin
of a person suffering from leprosy. But the poet does not use ‘like’ or ‘as’.

3. Repetition
Repetition is using a word, phrase, or clause a number of times with the purpose of emphasis
or to provide unity to the poem.
Example: 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.
Here the poet uses ‘pulled out’ and ‘out’ again and again to emphasize the effort involved in
uprooting a tree and exposing its roots. It shows that the root of the tree is deeply fixed into
the earth.

4. Enjambment
Enjambment is a figure of speech in which one line of poetry rolls on to the next line without
any pause marked by a comma or a full stop. In this poem, there is enjambment in every
stanza.
Example 1: Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,

Here there is no punctuation mark at the end of the first and the second line.
The first line rolls on to the second and the second is carried on to the third.

Example 2: So hack and chop
But this alone won’t do it.

Here the first line moves on to the second without any comma or full stop at its end.
Example 3: Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.

In these lines, full stop comes at the end of the third line. The first line rolls on to the second
and the second rolls on to the third line.

5. Rhyme scheme
The poem has been written in free verse. There is no rhyme scheme and the length of the
lines varies. Even the stanzas are not of equal length.

Comprehension Questions

Short answer questions (answers in about 30 – 40 words each)

1. "It takes much time to kill a tree. Not a simple job of the knife. Will do it...." Why does it
take so much time to kill a tree?
It is not easy to kill a tree simply with a stroke of a knife. The tree has deep roots which
anchor it to the soil. It has risen out of the earth and absorbed years of sunlight, air and
water. In order to kill a tree, its root must be uprooted. If the roots are left to be scorched
and choked in sun and air, then the tree dies. This process takes much time and it
requires a lot of effort.

2. Contrast 'bleeding bark' with 'green twigs'.
The poet has used the words and phrases very skillfully. 'Bleeding bark' is suggestive of
deterioration whereas 'green twigs' suggest fresh growth. 'Bleeding' represents
destruction; ‘Green’ shows the springing of life. 'Green' and 'bleeding' symbolize the
change from destruction to life.

3. Describe the process of uprooting a tree.

OR

How does the poet describe the uprooting of a tree?
Neither a simple job of a knife nor hacking and chopping kill a tree because it is firmly
anchored to the soil. The root of the tree should be pulled out entirely of the earth. It
should be roped, tied and snapped out. So it should be pulled out entirely from the earth
cover. Then it should be exposed to sunlight. The roots will burn, harden and wither and
then the process is complete.

4. In the phrase ‘consuming the earth’, who consumes the earth and how?
It is the tree that consumes the earth by drawing its nourishment from the soil through its
root. The food required by the tree lies deep inside the earth and the root sucks and
absorbs nutrients and nourishes the tree.

5. What is meant by ‘years of sunlight, air and water’?
Years of sunlight, air and water means that the tree takes years together to grow up fully.
In this course of time it draws energy from sunlight, air and water.

6. Why has the hide of the tree been called leprous?
The bark of the tree is uneven in texture and colour. Leprosy also robs the skin of the
leper of its colour and evenness. Hence, the poet has drawn a metaphorical comparison
between the discoloured bark of a tree and the diseased skin.

7. What does hacking and chopping do to a tree?
Hacking and chopping wound the body of a tree causing it great pain. They peel the bark
of the tree and it appears to be bleeding when the sap oozes out. However, this pain or
bleeding does not kill the tree. The tree is able to heal itself.

8. What will rise from ‘close to the ground after the bark is hacked and chopped? Why?
Curled green twigs and miniature boughs will rise from the stump of the tree that is close
to the ground. They will rise because the tree rejuvenates and revives itself as long as its
root is intact.

9. What will happen if the miniature boughs are left ‘unchecked’?
‘Unchecked’ here means left free to grow without any harm or danger. If left ‘unchecked’,
the new, green, delicate branches from the stump of a tree will expand and regain their
original size.

10. How is the root of the tree to be pulled out? What is the result of this pulling?
The root of the tree is to be tied to a rope and pulled out with a great force. This pulling
results in creating a cave-like hollow in the earth and exposes the root to the vagaries of
weather that eventually cause the death of the tree.

11. What is ‘the most sensitive’ part of the tree? What is it sensitive to and why?
The root of the tree is its most sensitive part. It is sensitive to the heat and vagaries of
weather on the open surface of the earth. Hence, it remains hidden safely under the
earth.

12. How is the exposed root affected by the sun and air?
Sun and air start drawing life out of the exposed root. It becomes discoloured, dry and
hard. It starts withering and becomes gnarled and twisted. Devoid of all its moisture, it
gradually becomes lifeless and the process of killing the tree is completed.

13. “The bleeding bark will heal” How will the bleeding bark heal?
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, the poet says that a woodcutter may cut a tree with his
repeated blows. But this alone will not be able to kill a tree. The affected tree does not
seem to express its pain because its bleeding bark will heal itself in time. ‘Curled green
twigs’ of the tree closely attached to earth will grow from the miniature boughs. The
strength of the tree lies in the roots. If the tree is not completely uprooted, the tree will
expand and become a full grown tree again.

14. Justify the title of the poem.
The title of the poem is simple and appropriate as it contains the major concern of the
poet i.e. merciless and callous felling of trees. It indicates appropriately that the poem is
about the process of killing of tree. The entire poem explains the view that killing a tree is

not a simple, short or easy process. Trees have tremendous strength and great instinct for
survival.

15. What is the message conveyed in the poem?
The poem conveys the message that trees are living beings just like any other form of life.
They have strong survival instincts and can withstand any type of assault, trauma or crisis.
It is not easy to kill them, for they have a never-say-die attitude to life. Every time they
are attacked, injured or scraped, they heal themselves and regain their glory. However, if
they are uprooted and left in the air and the sun, they die.

Long answer questions (answers in about 100 -150 words each)

1. How does a tree grow up?
A tree takes years together to grow to its full size. After sprouting out from the surface of
the earth from a seed it grows gradually. Its root nurtures it by drawing nutrients from
deep under the earth. Sunlight, air and water further nourish it. Out of its bark, tender
green branches shoot out and leaves grow all over them. After a long span of time the
tree stands so strong and sturdy that it can survive even the wounds inflicted with a knife.
In fact, chopping and hacking are not sufficient to kill it as the wounds get healed.
Branches appear again even from the stump and in due course and attain their original
size. As long as the root of the tree remains intact under the earth, the tree keeps
growing.

2. What relationship does the tree have with the earth?
A tree has a deep relationship with the earth. It owes its very existence to the earth. The
seed germinates in the womb of the earth and the baby plant sprouts out over the
surface of earth. The tree draws nutrients from the soil. It is the earth that gives it support
to stand erect and protects it from falling. The earth gives it ground to grow and assume
a massive size. The earth keeps roots of the tree concealed, protecting it from exposure
to the sunlight and the air which can prove to be very injurious for its existence. Thus, the
earth helps a tree right from its birth to its survival. Even a chopped tree grows again out
of the stump and gains the original, size because the earth supports it.

3. What does the root of the tree look like when it is pulled out of the earth-cave?
What happens to it when it is left exposed?
The root of the tree is moist and white when it is pulled out of its hiding, the earth-cave.
It is very tender and delicate as it has remained concealed for years together, away from
sunlight and air. The root cannot tolerate the light and heat of the sun and the open air.
When it is left exposed, it gets scorched and chokes in the sun and the air. Initially, it
starts changing its colour and becomes brown. Then it starts losing its tenderness. It
becomes hard and its suppleness declines. Gradually, it withers away and becomes
gnarled and twisted. Ultimately, life is completely drained out of it and it leads to the
death of the whole tree. This is how exposure robs first the root and then the entire tree
of its life.

4. What would happen if the tree is hacked and chopped?
If the tree is hacked and chopped and left as such with the root of the tree neither dug
out nor injured, the root will continue to provide nourishment to the stump of the tree.
This stump will then be covered with tender twigs that will sprout out of its surface. If
these twigs are not pruned or hacked or chopped, they will keep on growing and
eventually, with the passage of time, the tree will grow up to its original size. The
wounded bark of the tree will get healed and the tree will be as big as it was earlier. The
threat to its life will be overcome and hacking or chopping will fail to kill the tree. The
safe root will rescue and resuscitate the tree and help it to regain its lost glory.

Answers to Textbook questions
Thinking about the Poem

1. Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? Why not?
No, a simple jab of a knife cannot kill a tree because it takes many years for a tree to
grow and rise out of the earth. Moreover, only a chop cannot kill it because it will slowly
rise again and grow to its original size.

2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
The unchecked growth of the tree has led it mature to its full size. It has consumed the
earth and risen above it by absorbing years of sunlight, air and water from its crust.
The words suggestive of its life and activity are- grown consuming rising feeding absorbing
sprouting pain bleeding heal expand.

3. What is the meaning of ‘bleeding bark’? What makes it bleed?
‘Bleeding bark’ refers to the area on the tree trunk where it has been hit with the axe. It
bleeds because the wood cutter has wounded the tree by cutting and chopping it.

4. The poet says ‘No’ in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
In the beginning of the third stanza, the poet has said ‘No’ to lay emphasis on the fact
that mere chopping of the tree would not kill it. The tree would grow again and retain its
original size.

5. What is the meaning of ‘anchoring earth’ and ‘earth cave’?
‘Anchoring earth’ refers to the earth under which the roots of a tree are held firmly,
thereby providing strength and nourishment to it.
‘Earth cave’ again refers to the earth. The poet calls it so, as the roots, which are the most
sensitive part of the tree, stay hidden securely under the earth.

6. What does the poet mean by the phrase –‘the strength of the tree exposed’?
The strength of the tree lies in its roots, which the poet asks to snap out in order to kill
the tree. Thus, the phrase ‘the strength of the tree exposed’ refers to the roots of the tree
being exposed to sunlight and air.

7. What finally kills the tree?
The tree is finally killed when its roots are uprooted and it scorches and chokes in
sunlight and air. This process leads to the browning, hardening, twisting and thereby,
withering of the roots.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q 1 Read the given extracts and answer the following questions.

(a) So hack and chop

But this alone won’t do it.

i. What is the poet talking about?

The poet says that hacking and chopping the bark will not kill a tree.

ii. What will not happen with only hacking and chopping?

Only with hacking and chopping, one will not be able to kill a tree.

iii. How will it heal itself?

Curled green twigs will rise from close to the ground which in time will grow and

expand to former size.

iv. Give the synonym of ‘hack’.

 cut

(b) Browning, hardening

Twisting, withering

And then it is done.

i. What undergoes browning, hardening, twisting and withering’?

The roots of the tree that have been pulled out of the earth undergo the above

processes.

ii. What causes the above processes?

The exposure of the roots to the sun and air causes them to burn and choke and

ultimately die.

iii. ‘And then it is done’- Explain.

Once the roots of the tree turn brown, harden, twist and wither, the tree

ultimately dies.

iv. Find the synonym of drying up or wilting.

withering

Q 2 Answer each of the following sentences in 30-40 words.

(a) Why has the hide of the tree been called leprous?

The bark of the tree is uneven in texture and colour. Leprosy also robs the skin of

the leper of its colour and evenness. Hence, the poet has drawn a metaphorical

comparison between the discoloured bark of a tree and the diseased skin.

(b) What is meant by ‘years of sunlight, air and water’?

Years of sunlight, air and water means that the tree takes years together to grow

up fully. In this course of time it draws energy from sunlight, air and water.

(c) What will rise from ‘close to the ground’ after the bark is hacked and chopped? Why?

Curled green twigs and miniature boughs will rise from the stump of the tree

that is close to the ground. They will rise because the tree rejuvenates and

revives itself as long as its root is intact.

(d) In the phrase ‘consuming the earth’, who consumes the earth and how?

It is the tree that consumes the earth by drawing its nourishment from the soil

through its root. The food required by the tree lies deep inside the earth and the

root sucks and absorbs nutrients and nourishes the tree.

Q 3 Answer each of the following sentences in 100-150 words.

(a) What does the root of the tree look like when it is pulled out of the earth-cave?

What happens to it when it is left exposed?

The root of the tree is moist and white when it is pulled out of its hiding, the

earth-cave. It is very tender and delicate as it has remained concealed for years

together, away from sunlight and air. The root cannot tolerate the light and heat

of the sun and the open air. When it is left exposed, it gets scorched and chokes

in the sun and the air. Initially, it starts changing its colour and becomes brown.

Then it starts losing its tenderness. It becomes hard and its suppleness declines.

Gradually, it withers away and becomes gnarled and twisted. Ultimately, life is

completely drained out of it and it leads to the death of the whole tree. This is

how exposure robs first the root and then the entire tree of its life.

(b) How does a tree grow up?

A tree takes years together to grow to its full size. After sprouting out from the

surface of the earth from a seed it grows gradually. Its root nurtures it by

drawing nutrients from deep under the earth. Sunlight, air and water further nourish it. Out of its bark, tender green branches shoot out and leaves grow all over them. After a long span of time the tree stands so strong and sturdy that it can survive even the wounds inflicted with a knife. In fact, chopping and hacking are not sufficient to kill it as the wounds get healed. Branches appear again even from the stump and in due course and attain their original size. As long as the

root of the tree remains intact under the earth, the tree keeps growing.