The poem "On Killing a Tree" by Gieve Patel discusses the difference between cutting down a tree and killing a tree. The poet notes that it takes a long, cruel process to truly kill a tree - its roots must be entirely pulled out of the ground. Once a tree's roots are removed, it will harden, twist, wither and die. The poet conveys that trees should not be killed as they have as much a right to live as any other creature. Removing large numbers of trees can damage the environment through soil erosion, disrupted water cycles and loss of biodiversity. Reforestation efforts are needed to mitigate the effects of widespread tree removal.

1. Poet :-GIEVEPATELPoet :-GIEVEPATEL
ON KILLING A
TREE

2. ABHIJEETABHIJEET
&&
SOPHIASOPHIA
PRESENTED BYPRESENTED BY

3. ABOUT THE POET
This poem is written by Gieve
Patel.
He lives in Mumbai and practices
Medicine.
He writes poems and plays in
English. His poems appeared in
the Illustrated Weekly of India.

4. This is the best known poem by Gieve
Patel. The poet compares the trees to
human beings. According to him trees
also have the right to live like any
other creature. But he is pained to
see that it is the human being only
who kills the trees with utmost
cruelty The poet has all sympathy for
the trees . You must have observed
people cutting down trees . But can
you imagine that they can even kill a
tree? Let’s see what the poet says on

5. IT TAKES MUCH TIME TO KILL A TREEIT TAKES MUCH TIME TO KILL A TREE
NOT A SIMPLE JAB OF THE KNIFENOT A SIMPLE JAB OF THE KNIFE
WILL DO IT.IT HAS GROWNWILL DO IT.IT HAS GROWN

6. SLOWLY CONSUMING THE EARTH,SLOWLY CONSUMING THE EARTH,
RISING OUT OF IT,FEEDINGRISING OUT OF IT,FEEDING
UPON ITS CRUST , ABSORBINGUPON ITS CRUST , ABSORBING

7. YEARS OF SUNLIGHT,AIR,WATER
AND OUT OF ITS LEPROUS HIDE
SPROUTING LEAVES

8. SO HACK AND CHOPSO HACK AND CHOP
BUT THIS ALONE WON’T DO IT.BUT THIS ALONE WON’T DO IT.
NOT SO MUCH PAIN WILL DO ITNOT SO MUCH PAIN WILL DO IT

9. THE BLEEDING BARK WILL HEALTHE BLEEDING BARK WILL HEAL
AND FROM CLOSE TO THE GROUNDAND FROM CLOSE TO THE GROUND
WILL RISE CURLED GREEN TWIGSWILL RISE CURLED GREEN TWIGS

10. MINIATURE BOUGHSMINIATURE BOUGHS
WHICH IF UNCHECKED WILL EXPANDWHICH IF UNCHECKED WILL EXPAND
AGAIN TO FORMER SIZE.AGAIN TO FORMER SIZE.

11. NO,NO,
THE ROOT IS TO BE PULLED OUT-THE ROOT IS TO BE PULLED OUT-
OUT OF THE ANCHORING EARTH;OUT OF THE ANCHORING EARTH;

12. IT IS TO BE ROPED,TIED,IT IS TO BE ROPED,TIED,
AND PULLED OUT-SNAPPED OUTAND PULLED OUT-SNAPPED OUT
OR PULLED OUT ENTIRELYOR PULLED OUT ENTIRELY

13. OUT FROM THE EARTH –CAVE,OUT FROM THE EARTH –CAVE,
AND THE STRENTH OF THE TREE EXPOSEDAND THE STRENTH OF THE TREE EXPOSED
THE SOURCE,WHITE AND WET.THE SOURCE,WHITE AND WET.

14. THE MOST SENSITIVE,HIDDENTHE MOST SENSITIVE,HIDDEN
FOR YEARS INSIDE THE EARTH.FOR YEARS INSIDE THE EARTH.
THEN THE MATTERTHEN THE MATTER

15. OF SCORCHING AND CHOKINGOF SCORCHING AND CHOKING
IN SUN AND AIR,IN SUN AND AIR,
BROWNING, HARDENINGBROWNING, HARDENING

16. TWISTING, WITHERING,
AND THEN IT IS DONE

17. HENCE A TREE IS
KILLED

18. SYNOPSIS
In the poem, “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel, the
poet wants to tell us difference between the cutting
of trees and killing of trees. According to him cutting
is the type of trimming which is required from time
to time for the proper growth of trees but, it will take
too much time to kill a tree. It is not just a simple jab:
a quick stab or blow: to do the job. The tree grows
slowly by getting its nourishment from the earth,
finally the strength of this tree is exposed when its
roots are completely pulled out with the help of a
rope or they are snapped out cruelly .After that they
are hardened, twisted and withered and then at last
the tree is killed

19. IT HAS BEEN NOTICED THAT TREES ARE
USED AS FUEL OR TIMBER WHILE THE
CLEARED LAND IS USED FOR
‘SETTLEMENT’ .
THE REMOVAL OF TREES WITHOUT
SUFFICIENT REFORESTATION HAS
RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO HABITAT AND
BIODIVERSITY LOSS.
IT HAD ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE
ATMOSPHERE ,IT ALSO CAUSES SOIL
EROSION , AND IT ALSO EFFECT THE
WATER CYCLE.
AFTER EFFECT OF KILLING TREES

21. Timber is used as fuelTimber is used as fuel
and constructing theand constructing the
buildingsbuildings

23. The top layer of theThe top layer of the
earth which is fertileearth which is fertile
washed away in thewashed away in the
absence of the treesabsence of the trees

25. Biodiversity is the degreeBiodiversity is the degree
of variation of life.of variation of life.
Different species residingDifferent species residing
in forest area get lost duein forest area get lost due
to the loss of their habitat.to the loss of their habitat.

27. Water cycle is disturbed in the
absence of trees. In water cycle
there are only a few processes that
gives back to the atmosphere
such as transpiration, expiration
and evaporation. Transpiration is
the process by which water is loss
from the trees to the atmosphere. If
trees are killed , there will be less
of water returning in the
atmosphere

28. AGRICULTUREAGRICULTURE

29. As we know that trees bring rainAs we know that trees bring rain
if we kill the tree there isif we kill the tree there is
adverse impact on agriculture.adverse impact on agriculture.
It causes economic hard shipsIt causes economic hard ships
and misery to the farmers andand misery to the farmers and
humans. Bad rain fall leads tohumans. Bad rain fall leads to
major decline in foodmajor decline in food
production.production.

30. ATMOSPHERIC CHANGEATMOSPHERIC CHANGE

31. Do you think that killing of treesDo you think that killing of trees
result in a climate change? Yes.result in a climate change? Yes.
You are correct. Every thingYou are correct. Every thing
about our life tied to the climateabout our life tied to the climate
such as food, production, watersuch as food, production, water
supplies health and well beingsupplies health and well being
etc.etc.

32. MOVEMENTS FOR SAVING TREES
1.CHIPKO MOVEMENT
2.RAKSHA SUTRA MOVEMENT

33. The chipko movement was started by
Sunderlal Bahuguna. This was first
initiated by Amrita Devi while protesting
against a King's men to cut the tree. This
movement inspired the
people for hugging trees to protect them
from being fallen.
CHIPKO MOVEMENTCHIPKO MOVEMENT

35. RAKSHA SUTRA MOVEMENT
THE PEOPLE OF THE UTTRAKHAND HILLS OF UTTAR
PRADESH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AT THE FORE
FRONT OF FOREST PROTECTION MOVEMENT
THEY PROTESTED THE FOREST POLICY OF
BRITISH.
RECENTLY IN TEHRI A GROUP OF SOCIAL
WORKERS AND WOMEN ACTIVITIES INITIATED
ACTION PROGRAMME TO CHECK THE INCREASING
TREE FELLING ACTIVITIES OF THE FOREST
CORPORATION.

37. SLOGAN
SAVE TREE

38. SLOGANS
• Save mother earth by saving trees.
• Plant a tree, plant a tree, so that next
generation can get air for free.

39. MESSAGE OF THE POEM
The trees feel pain, grief , sufferingsThe trees feel pain, grief , sufferings
sorrows and joys as sensitively assorrows and joys as sensitively as
human beings, so we should neverhuman beings, so we should never
even think of hurting them . The poeteven think of hurting them . The poet
wants to remind us that we have notwants to remind us that we have not
inherited these green trees for ourinherited these green trees for our
future generation , so we have tofuture generation , so we have to
conserve trees as a legacy for future.conserve trees as a legacy for future.

40. Save trees
Trees are veryTrees are very
important for ourimportant for our
survival in manysurvival in many
ways. They cleanways. They clean
the soil by filteringthe soil by filtering
sewage andsewage and
chemicals used inchemicals used in
farms. They helpfarms. They help
control noisecontrol noise
pollution andpollution and
reduce flashreduce flash
flooding.flooding.
IMPORTANCE OF TREESIMPORTANCE OF TREES

41. Trees absorb carbon dioxide which contributesTrees absorb carbon dioxide which contributes
to global warming. They also clean the air byto global warming. They also clean the air by
absorbing pollutants like carbon monoxideabsorbing pollutants like carbon monoxide
and sulphur dioxide. They also help to lowerand sulphur dioxide. They also help to lower
temperatures. They give shade during thetemperatures. They give shade during the
summer and act as windbreaks during wintersummer and act as windbreaks during winter
if they are located on the windward side.if they are located on the windward side.

42. LET US ALL PLEDGE,
THE CHILDREN OF MOTHER EARTH
WE’LL GROW TREES,
TO INCREASE ITS WORTH.
GREENERY IS A PRECIOUS JEWEL,
LET US CARVE IT TO KEEP ALL WELL.