on killing a tree

1. ON KILLING A TREE
GIEVE PATEL

2. About the Author: Gieve Patel (born on 18th August
1940) is an Indian poet and playwright. His first play was
called ‘Princes’ and it was performed in 1971. He was
born in Mumbai and educated at Grant Medical School.
He briefly worked as a medical examiner in rural Gujarat
before moving back to Mumbai. He currently resides in
Mumbai and practices medicine. He is also a painter. As
one of the contemporary Indian artists, he has been part
of exhibitions around the world.
The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ was one of the poem of his
poetry collection named ‘Poems’ published in 1966. This
collection was launched by Nissim Ezekiel.

3. “On Killing a Tree” is a scathing criticism of
human callousness and cruelty in chopping
down trees for agriculture, urbanization and
industrialization. The poem also applauds the
sturdiness and resilience of trees, they take all
kinds of attacks and wounds in their stride but
refuse to die.

4. Major themes
• Death:
Death is the foremost theme in this poem. The cutting down of trees is
equated with death. Every time Patel talks of cutting down a tree, he
portrays it as killing it. The death the poet incorporates in this poem is
both natural and spiritual.
Deforestation:
• Deforestation is another major theme. Deforestation has become a
problem, especially in the modern times, where forests are cleared
to make roads, or for furniture of for fossil fuel. It is incredibly
harmful to the ecosystem and the imminent danger is felt
throughout the poem.
Pain:
• Patel spins a very visual tale of pain where the reader can almost
feel the hacks made at a tree. The ‘bleeding bark’ is the visual
representation of the pain Patel envisions the tree going through.

5. MESSAGE
In the poem, “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel, the poet
wants to say something about the cutting of trees.
According to him, it will take too much time to kill a tree.
The tree does not seem to feel any kind of pain because
the bleeding bark seemed to heal all the time.
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.

6. The central idea in this poem is that the act
of killing a tree is equal to destroying the
environment. We cannot pretend that the slow
destruction of our forests and our landscapes is
a result of accident.

7. SUMMARY
“On Killing a Tree” is a sensitive poem. The poet persuades the reader
not to destroy trees and equates it with “killing” a human being. He
says that a plant takes sunlight, water, air and nutrients from the soil
to gradually become a huge tree. It develops a strong trunk and gets
numerous leaves.
Merely cutting the trunk of the tree does not kill it. When a tree is cut,
the sap flows out just like a wounded man bleeds. Once the wound
heals, new branches and tiny leaves grow from there which grow into
trees.
In order to destroy a tree, it has to be uprooted. The roots which are
white in colour and are damp due to the moisture that they get from
the soil are hidden in a pit in the Earth. These roots are the most
sensitive part of the tree as they bind it to the earth. In order to kill the
tree, these roots have to be detached from the soil.
Once the roots are detached, the tree starts dying, It withers, dries up
with the action of heat and wind, twists, hardens and finally, dies.

8. PARAPHRASE
It takes much time…………….. Sprouting leaves
A simple cut does not destroy a tree. A tree
grows gradually, it is rooted in the soil. A plant
takes nutrition from the soil to grow into a big
tree. The tree is firmly bound with the soil. It
takes in sunlight, water and air to grow into a
strong trunk and have numerous leaves.

9. So hack and chop…………. To former size
Humans cut and chop the bark of trees into
many pieces but that is not sufficient to destroy
the tree. The point of the tree which gets cut
gives out sap just like a human being bleeds.
Gradually, this would heals and from there new
branches start growing again.

10. No, the root………..inside the earth
The poet says that in order to kill the tree, it has
to be uprooted. One has to separate the tree
from the Earth which supports it. The roots of
the tree bind the tree with the soil in the pit of
the Earth. From there, the most sensitive and
hidden part of the tree - the roots have to be
detached. The roots are white in colour and are
damp.

11. Then the matter……………………and then it is done
Once the tree has been uprooted, then gradually
it withers and dries up with the action of heat
and wind. The trunk will become brown, twist
and will harden. Finally, the tree will die this
way.

12. Literary devices
1. No rhyme scheme is there in the poem. It is written in free verse. There is no rhyme or rhythm.
2. Enjambment: When one sentence continues into two or more lines.
Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it.
It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide
Sprouting leaves
The most sensitive, hidden
For years inside the earth.
3. Metaphor: indirect comparison
Leprous hide - the uneven colour of the surface of the trunk of a tree is compared to the skin of a
person suffering from leprosy.
Bleeding Bark- bleeding is a metaphor, the poet compares the oozing sap to human blood.

13. 4. Alliteration: repetition of a consonant sound in 2
or more closely places words.
Bleeding bark - ‘b’ sound
White and wet - ‘w’ sound
5. Repetition: a word or sentence is repeated to lay
emphasis on it.
‘Pulled out’ is repeated
6. Imagery – slowly consuming the earth Rising out
of it, feeding upon its crust
7. Personification – The poet portrays the tree as a
human being throughout the poem

14. Asset questions
• Asset Questions:
1.what is the meaning of the word ‘HACK’?
a. computing
b. tools
c. chop
d. sports
2.Which word is OPPOSITE in meaning to ‘SCORCHING’?
a. baking
b. blazing
c. freezing
d. blistering

15. 3. Choose an appropriate option?
a. .......on a chair every day, I am not used......,
and so my leg muscles get sore when I do.
b. sitting / to being stood
c. Having been sitting / to standing
d. To sit / standing
e. Sat / having been standing
f. To have sat / to stand

16. Assignment
1. Choose the correct answer
1. ‘strength of the tree'- refers to its -
(a) green twigs
(b) new leaves
(c) rough bark
(d) roots

17. 2. What is related to the death of roots?
(a) pulling out
(b) scorching
(c) choking
(d) all of the above

18. 3. What does the poet equate killing trees with?
(a) killing animals
(b) killing insects
(c) killing human beings
(d) None

19. Answer in 30-50 words
a. How will the ‘bleeding bark’ of the tree heal ?
b. Explain the phrase ‘ consuming the earth’.
Who has consumed the earth?
c. Why does the poet refer to the tree’s hide as
‘leprous’?

20. Answer in 100-120 words
a. What are the major themes of the poem?
What message is the poet trying to convey
through the poem?