On Killing A Tree (Explained)

★ Central idea of the poem.
-> A protest against men's indiscriminate cutting down of trees.

★ Message of the poem.
-> Emphasis of afforestation.

★ Conflict -> Man vs nature. For existence men kill trees. But trees help them. Man doesn't care the civilization. They do a senseless act.

Annotation of the poem:

1. It takes much time to kill a tree.
-> To kill a tree is not an easy task. It requires much time and effort.

2. Not a simple jab of the knife will do it.
-> An attempt to kill a tree by stabbing with a knife can't be successful.

3. It has grown solely consuming the earth.
-> the trees develop slowly by observing the nutrients from the soil.

4. Rising out of it.
-> the tree moves upwards penetrating the earth / soil.

5. Feeding upon its crust.
-> Earth/soil feeds the tree its top most layer for its growth.

6. Absorbing years of sunlight.
-> The tree absorbs sunlight for years for its growth.

7. And out of its Leprous hide/ sprouting leaves.
-> leaves grow from the rough and discoloured skin.

8. So hack and chop.
-> So: continuation of the fact.
 ★ As a simple jab of the knife is useless to destroy the tree. Therefore the poet says that he needs more difficult jab, hack and chop.

9. But this alone won't do it.
-> But: 'But' is used to express the negation ( না বাচক ) of the previous thought. (use of hacking and chopping)

★The poet says that only hacking and chopping is useless it is fail to cut / destroy the tree.

10. Not so much pain will do it.
-> Hacking and chopping creates much pain to the tree. But too much pain will not kill the tree.

11. The bleeding bark will heal.
-> Hacking and chopping creates bleeding to the bark of the tree. But the bleeding of the bark will be cured soon.

12. And from close to the ground / will rise called green twigs.
-> Curled green twigs emerged ( উৎপন্ন হয় ) from close to the ground. In which hacking and chopping is imposed.

13. Miniature boughs / which if unchecked will expand again / to former size.
-> Then green twigs become a miniature branch. If these branches are unchecked, they turn into a big size like the stem. ( কান্ড )

14. "No, / The root is to be pulled out / Out of the anchoring earth"
-> To kill a tree, the root of the tree is to be pulled out completely from the earth.

15. " It is to be roped, tied"
-> To pull out the tree from the anchoring Earth, the poet give some steps. First he says, that the tree is to be roped tightly

16. " And pulled out-snapped out / or pull out entirely / out from the earth cave"
-> The poet says that the tree is to be pulled out of snapped out forcibly or the tree is to be uprooted entirely from the Earth.

17. " And the strength of the tree exposed"
-> If these activities are done then the strength of the tree will be destroyed.

18. The source, white and wet/ the most sensitive hidden / For years inside the earth.
-> the poet says, the root is white, wet, sensitive and hidden for years inside the earth. The source is white because it is under the earth. It has no contact with sunlight. It is wet because it absorbs water from the Earth, that's why it is wet. It is sensitive because it has the power to move to its food and proper place. It is hidden because it's stays inside the earth.

19. Then the matter / of scorching and choking / in the sun and air.
-> Then the poet refers next steps of killing a tree. He says that the tree is to be scorched and choked.

20. Browning, hardening / twisting, withering
-> After drying the tree becomes browning, hardening, twisting and withering.

21. And then it is done.
-> The poet says if these steps are taken, the killing of a tree becomes complete.