Today, in this post, ‘On Killing a Tree Summary, Central Idea, Explanation’, we are going to learn everything about the Class 9 English poem “No Men Are Foreign” by Gieve Patel in a structured way.
In this post, we will cover everything you need to know about this poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, starting with About the Poem, About the poet, the Theme, a Short & Detailed Summary, the Central Idea, Poetic Devices used in the poem, stanza-wise explanation, and finally, a Mind Map drawing to recall this chapter before the exam. Let’s begin!
On Killing a Tree About the Poem
“On Killing a Tree” is a powerful poem that describes the process of killing a tree and highlights how difficult and cruel the act is. It conveys the strength and resilience of nature, and how trees, like living beings, resist destruction.
On Killing a Tree About the Poet
Gieve Patel (1940–2020) was an Indian poet, playwright, painter, and physician. His works often reflect social and environmental concerns. He belonged to the group of modern Indian poets who wrote in English. Through his poetry, Patel questioned human cruelty and expressed sensitivity towards nature and life.
On Killing a Tree Theme
The main theme of the poem is man’s cruelty towards nature and the resilience of trees (nature’s power to heal and regenerate). It shows that destroying nature is not easy; it takes deliberate and violent effort. The poem suggests that nature should be respected, not destroyed.
Short Summary of On Killing a Tree
The poet explains that a tree cannot be killed simply by cutting or hacking its branches because it heals and grows again. To kill it completely, one must pull out its roots from the earth where it has grown strong for years. Once the roots are exposed to sunlight, air, and heat, they dry, wither, and die. The poem symbolises how deeply rooted nature is and criticises human efforts to destroy it.
On Killing a Tree Summary
The poem “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel presents the process of killing a tree in a graphic and realistic manner. The poet highlights both the strength of trees and the cruelty of human beings who attempt to destroy them.
The poet begins by saying that a tree cannot be killed simply by cutting it with a knife or axe. If the bark is cut, the tree only feels a little pain and “bleeds” through its bark. However, this wound is not enough to destroy it, because the tree has an amazing ability to heal. New shoots will grow again from the injured part, and the tree will continue to live. In fact, the tree grows slowly but steadily by absorbing sunlight, air, and water from the earth. Its growth is natural and unstoppable.
To truly kill a tree, one must strike at its roots. The poet explains that the roots are the real source of its strength and life, as they hold the tree firmly in the soil and feed it with nutrients and water. Therefore, the act of killing a tree becomes cruel and violent; it requires uprooting the tree completely, pulling out the roots that have been hidden underground for years.
Once the roots are exposed to sunlight, air, and heat, they lose their natural protection. They dry up, harden, and eventually wither away. Only then can the tree be permanently destroyed.
Through this description, Patel conveys a deeper meaning: nature is strong, resilient, and life-giving, but human beings, through violence and greed, cause its destruction. The poem is not just about killing a tree but is also a metaphor for the exploitation of nature.
On Killing a Tree Central Idea
The central idea is that nature is strong and self-healing, but human beings, through violent actions, can destroy it if they attack its very roots. The poem warns us about the consequences of this cruelty and teaches us the value of respecting and protecting the environment.
View all Chapter: Class 9th English Solutions
On Killing a Tree Poetic Devices
- Personification: The tree is treated like a living being (“the bleeding bark”).
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the tree’s growth and destruction (“scorching and choking in the sun and air”).
- Metaphor: The tree’s survival and growth symbolize nature’s strength.
- Irony: Killing a tree requires more effort than nurturing it, showing the futility of human cruelty.
- Alliteration: Repetition of sounds (e.g., “bleeding bark”).
- Enjambment: Sentences run into the next line without punctuation, creating flow.
On Killing a Tree Explanation
Below is the stanza-wise explanation with reference to context and difficult word meanings for the poem On Killing a Tree by Gieve Patel of Class 9th English:
Stanza 1
Text:
It takes much time to kill a tree,
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.
Difficult Word Meanings
- Jab – sudden sharp blow or stab
- Consuming – using up
- Crust – the surface layer of the earth
- Leprous hide – discoloured bark of a tree, compared to a diseased skin
Explanation with Reference to Context
In this stanza, the poet says that killing a tree is not an easy or quick task. A small cut or stab with a knife cannot kill it because a tree grows slowly and strongly over many years by absorbing nutrients from the earth, sunlight, air, and water. Even though its bark looks rough and diseased, it is still alive and continues to produce leaves. This stanza shows the strength and resilience of trees.
Stanza 2
Text:
So hack and chop
But this alone won’t do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.
Difficult Word Meanings
- Hack – cut roughly
- Chop – cut into pieces
- Bleeding bark – when cut, sap flows out like blood
- Twigs – small thin branches
- Boughs – large branches of a tree
Explanation with Reference to Context
Here, the poet explains that even if you cut a tree by hacking and chopping its branches, it will not die. The wound caused will heal over time, and sap will flow like blood from a human body. From near the cut area, new shoots and branches will grow again. If left unchecked, these will expand and the tree will regain its former size. This shows the regenerative power of trees.
Stanza 3
Text:
No,
The root is to be pulled out —
Out of the anchoring earth;
It is to be roped, tied,
And pulled out — snapped out
Or pulled out entirely,
Out from the earth-cave,
And the strength of the tree exposed
The source, white and wet,
The most sensitive, hidden
For years inside the earth.
Difficult Word Meanings
- Anchoring earth – the soil that holds the roots firmly
- Snapped out – broken suddenly
- Earth-cave – the underground hole in which roots are fixed
- Exposed – uncovered, shown
- Sensitive – easily hurt
Explanation with Reference to Context
In this stanza, the poet explains the real way to kill a tree. One has to uproot it completely by pulling its roots out of the ground. The roots, which have been hidden underground for years, are the true source of the tree’s life and strength. They are soft, white, wet, and very sensitive. By exposing the roots to sunlight and air, the tree is weakened and prepared for death. This stanza highlights man’s violent attack on nature.
Stanza 4
Text:
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.
Difficult Word Meanings
- Scorching – burning under the sun
- Choking – suffocating
- Withering – drying up, shrivelling
Explanation with Reference to Context
In the final stanza, the poet describes how the uprooted tree finally dies. Once the roots are left exposed, the sun and air dry them out. The roots turn brown, hard, twisted, and withered. Only then is the killing of the tree complete. This stanza symbolizes the final destruction of nature at the hands of man.
Read also: On Killing a Tree NCERT Solutions