THE TREES

ADRIENNE RICH
Mrs. S.Jonathan
SPS-BEAWAR

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 Trees are not very happy with the activities of human beings. The crux of the poem is the
conflict between man and nature. This poem portrays how humans have harmed nature for
their selfish needs. The poem, 'The Tree shows the conflict between man and nature. With
the growth and development of society, human beings have used nature for their own benefit
and caused a lot of harm to it. In order to use natural resources like forests, minerals etc.
The poem, Trees' is a long catalogue describing the various advantages of trees. Every
person who looks at a tree appreciates it for a different reason. Trees are the source of
sustaining life; they provide food and shelter. They are loved by children while playing games.
The message of the poem The Trees is that freedom and equality should be for all the living
organisms in the world. Whether we take this poem as nature's poem or a feminist oriented
poem, the poet gives a clear message that we should have equal rights. No one's freedom
should be taken away.

THEME
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 The poet says that the trees are moving out of
the confines of the houses, into the open forest.
This is unrealistic as trees are immoveable and
hence, we realize that the poem has a symbolic STANZA 1
meaning. We interpret that trees refer to The trees inside are moving out into
females who have healed themselves and are the forest,
the forest that was empty all these
ready to move out of their homes, into the days
forests to fulfil their primary purpose of filling where no bird could sit
no insect hide
the world with mankind. Further she adds that no sun bury its feet in shadow
the forest that was empty all these
the forest has been empty for the past many nights
days and so, no birds can be seen as they do not will be full of trees by morning.
have any trees to sit on, on insects can be seen
as they do not have any shelter and the Sunlight
cannot form any shadows. The forest of
humanity has remained empty for many days
but will soon be full and bright.
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 Personification: Sun bury it’s feet. Sun has been personified.
Enjambment: Continuation of a sentence to the next line (the forest that
was…… trees by morning).
Anaphora: 2 lines begin with ‘no’
imagery: “The trees inside are moving out into the forest” - shows
kinestatic imagery
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POETIC DEVICES
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 The poet explains the struggle done by the
plants to reach the forest. She says that the
roots worked for the whole night to separate
themselves from the veranda floor. The leaves STANZA 2
tried hard to reach the window of glass so that
they could go outside. Even the small stems of All night the roots work
to disengage themselves from the
the trees put much of their effort in order to set cracks
themselves free. The big branches were also in the veranda floor.
trying a lot to go out from the roof of the room. The leaves strain toward the glass
We can say that women are desperate for a small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling
change and their effort is compared to that under the roof
made by a patient who has been released from like newly discharged patients
the hospital and he tries to move out in a hurry half-dazed, moving
although he is confused. Maybe because they to the clinic doors.
are half conscious and are under the influence
of some medication, they are unsteady but in a
hurry to leave the clinic.
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 Enjambment: continuation of sentence to the next line (the leaves
strain……. Half dazed)

 Simile: trees compared to patients (like newly discharged patients)

 personification: twigs and boughs have been personified.

POETIC DEVICES
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 STANZA 3
 The poet says that she is sitting in her veranda, I sit inside, doors open to the veranda
writing long letters. She does not mention about writing long letters
the trees leaving her house in her letters. She in which I scarcely mention the departure
says that the night is very clear. She can see the
complete moon which is shining. The smell of of the forest from the house.
leaves and lichens is like a voice which is yelling
and expressing a desire for freedom from the The night is fresh, the whole moon shines
confines of the house.
in a sky still open

the smell of leaves and lichen

still reaches like a voice into the rooms

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 Alliteration: ‘long letters’ forest from’ ‘sky still’ ‘leaves and lichen’

 Enjambment: continuation of sentence to the next line (doors

open….the house)

 Imagery: the poet has tried to create a scene in which she is observing
all the things happening (the night is fresh……into the rooms)

POETIC DEVICES
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 Her head is full of the slow sounds made by the STANZA 4
trees which are desperate to move out. These
My head is full of whispers
sounds will not be heard the next day. The poet
which tomorrow will be silent
asks the reader to listen carefully as a change is
about to take place. She hears the glass window Listen. The glass is breaking.
breaking and the trees stumble out into the
The trees are stumbling forward
night. The wind is blowing outside. It meets the
trees. The moon is like a mirror and it appears to into the night. Winds rush to meet them.
have been broken into pieces as the shadow of
The moon is broken like a mirror,
the oak tree divides the moon into many
fragments. its pieces flash now in the crown

of the tallest oak.

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 Simile: The moon is compared to a mirror (Moon is broken like a mirror)

POETIC DEVICES
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