On
Killing a Tree
Lines 1-8
It
is not very easy to kill a tree with a sharp knife. The poet finds the growth
of the tree very interesting. It has grown out of the earth gradually. It has
been rooted in the earth. It has been eating the nutrients inside the earth. It
has got its food from the soil. It has been brought up with sunlight, air, and
water. The colour of the bark of the tree is not so good and pleasant. It is
unpleasant and dull brown. Green shining leaves come out of the dark brown
bark. Thus, the tree is very strong and it is not so easy to kill it with a
single piercing strike of the knife.
Lines 9-17
In
the previous passage the poet has described that the tree is deeprooted in
earth. Only outside or surface cutting and removing of the bark will not kill
it. The tree feller will have to put in hard labour to kill it. The roots of
the tree are deep in earth. The injured or cut portions of the bark of the tree
will become normal in due course of time. Green leaves will come, twigs will
multiply and it will become a huge and vigour tree. It is like a human being
recovering his lost health and vigour.
Lines 18-24
If
someone wants to kill a tree, he has to pull out the deep roots. These roots
are gripped fast by earth. He has to use long and strong ropes to tie the tree
and give it strong jerks and pulls so as to seprate it from its roots. It is
possible to kill a tree if someone manages to pull it out fully off from its
deep roots. The tree is safe in the cave of earth and it is not easy to pull it
out from there. No one can easily move a ship well anchored in the harbor. It
is not easy to remove someone lying in a deep cave.
Lines 25-34
The
strength of the tree lies hidden deep in earth. Those who want to kill the
tree, will have to uproot its most sensitive part which lies inside the earth.
This wet and white portion of roots inside the earth is the would-be and end-be
of a tree. That portion has to be brought out of the earth and exposed to
adverse effects of sun and air. Once the roots are out from inside the earth,
the tree become dull brown and hard. It will lose its freshness. It will decay
and dry. This is the only process through which a tree can be destroyed.
