The poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’, written by Gieve Patel, is a moving description of men’s insensible destruction of trees. Trees are good friends and generous helpers. But, out of selfish greed, man kills trees for temporary gain. Man does not care for its contribution to the growth of human civilization. Nor does Man think about his own existence on earth. He ignores its aesthetic and environmental value. He adopts violent methods for killing a tree.
The cruelty of a tree cutter is found through his several periodic acts of destroying a tree. The use of the word ‘killing’ overtly brings out the diabolical cruelty of the tree-cutter. The cruelty of a tree cutter becomes intenser when he does not relent even after hacking and chopping a tree. The Killer does not tolerate the sprouting of the twigs from the bleeding tree trunks. He pulls out its roots from the cave of the earth. Then, he ropes the log tightly, scorches it in the sunrays and chokes to ensure its death. The painful death of the tree evokes the image of a man who writhes in pain just before death and reveals the killer’s cruelty. Through this poem, the poet warns the society.
“On Killing a Tree” – Questions and Answers
Who is the poet of the poem “On Killing a Tree” ?
Gieve Patel is the poet of the poem “On Killing a Tree”.
What type of poem is ‘On Killing a Tree’?
‘On Killing a Tree’ is a poem about Nature. In this poem, the poet protested against the cutting of trees unnecessarily. This poem shows how a tree can be cut without any hesitation.
What is meant by ‘leprous hide’?
In ‘On Killing a Tree’, ‘leprous hide’ refers to the rough skin of a tree.
Who finally kills the tree?
In ‘On Killing a Tree’, the tree is killed by the uprooting of its roots. Hacking and chopping fail to kill the tree. At last, the root has been pulled out to kill the tree.
What is the lesson of ‘On Killing a Tree’?
The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ gives us a great lesson that humans should not be cruel to nature. We cut trees. We don’t think about our future. Trees are our friends, not enemies. We cannot live without trees. Instead of cutting trees, we should plant more and more.
Who is the real enemy of trees?
Humans are the real enemy of trees. In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, we see the man’s cruelty to nature. They don’t relent after hacking and chopping. They pull out the tree’s roots to kill it. In our society, the number of trees is decreasing day by day because humans are cutting trees to make buildings.
Who wrote the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’?
Gieve Patel wrote the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Is ‘On Killing a Tree’ a poem?
Yes, ‘On Killing a Tree’ is a poem that was written by Gieve Patel. This poem is about humans’ insensible destruction of trees. Man’s cruelty has been revealed in this poem.
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