On Killing A Tree

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On Killing A Tree

Gieve Patel
(1940)

Gieve Patel is an Indian poet, playwright,


painter, as well as a practising physician. He
belongs to a group of writers who have
subscribed themselves to the 'Green
Movement' which is involved in an effort to
protect the environment. His poems speak of
deep concerns for nature and expose man's
cruelty to it.
On Killing A Tree
Gieve Patel

Introduction :
The poet reveals that it is difficult to kill a tree by merely cutting it because
it regrows from where it is cut. If it has to be destroyed, then it has to be
uprooted. The poet sensitizes the reader and highlights the fact that trees are
living things. He equates trees with humans to convey that trees should not
be cut because destroying trees is just like killing a human being. The poet
insists time and again that it is not as easy to kill a tree as we think it to be.
He reveals that real strength of a tree lies in its roots. So the poet suggests
that to kill a tree, it has to completely uprooted. He then advises not to be
complacent even after uprooting the tree as it may not die if the roots are
connected to the earth. So the roots are to be dried under the sun thereby,
snapping away the supply of nutrients.

It is to create an awareness in the minds of people that


trees are as much living creatures as animals.
On Killing A Tree
Gieve Patel
Theme – Human attitude towards nature

Speaker – A narrator (may be the poet himself)

Figure of Speech
Alliteration: Bleeding bark - ‘b’ sound, White and wet - ‘w’ sound

Metaphor : 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

Repetition: ‘Pulled out’ is repeated

Enjambment (End-stop is the Antonym) : A sentence in a poem continues to the


next line without any punctuation mark. (to attain pace or speed, to convey
multiple ideas)

Scheme : Free-verse
On Killing A Tree
Gieve Patel

Word Meaning
Jab: sudden rough blow
Leprous hide: discoloured bark
Hack : cut roughly by striking heavy blows
Anchoring earth: trees are held securely with the help of the roots in the
earth
Snapped out: chopped out
Scorching and the drying up of the tree after being uprooted
choking:
On Killing A Tree
Gieve Patel

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. 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 heal and from there new branches
start growing again. 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. 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.
Save Trees
Save Life

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