Life and Earth

:: On Killing a Tree ::
Poet: Gieve Patel.
A well-known Indian poet and is a doctor by profession. He expresses his concern with living beings through images of violence. On killing a tree is not about the killing of a tree, but about the endless life in a tree.
Paraphrase of the Poem:
[1-9 lines]
It takes a lot of time and strength to kill a tree because it grows slowly and rises out of the earth by absorbing years of sunlight air and water. So, it is not easy to kill a tree with a single stroke of a knife.
[10-19 lines]
The tree has deep roots which draws its sap from the earth. It gives rise to tiny twigs and miniature boughs. We hack and chop to kill a tree. But hacking and chopping cannot destroy it completely as green twigs are sure to emerge from the bleeding bark. The miniature boughs (branches) will grow from close to the ground and grow back to its normal size.
Here the poet uses imagery of violence like cutting, jabbing, bleeding contrasted with the spreading of leaves and boughs.
[20-29 lines]
The source of the tree is its roots which is white and wet. The secret of its strength is that it is hidden inside the earth for years together. It is fixed firmly in the earth. Thus to kill a tree it has to be uprooted, scorched and choked in the sun. It takes much time to kill a tree.
[30-35 lines]
After uprooting, the roots are to be exposed to the sunlight till they dry and become brown. Then it stops breathing. It becomes hardened, twisted and browned.
1. "It takes much time to kill a tree" Why does it takes so much time to kill a tree?
It takes much time to kill because it has grown slowly consuming the earth, rising out of it, feeding upon its crust and absorbing years of sunlight, air and water.
2. "It takes much time to kill a tree. Not a simple job of the knife. Will do it...." Why does it takes so much time to kill a tree?
It is not easy to kill a tree simply with a stroke of a knife. The tree has deep roots which give rise to tiny twigs and miniature boughs. The root has to be uprooted, and it has to be scorched and choked in sun and air. This process takes much time and it requires a lot of effort. Then only the tree is killed.
3. "Not a simple Job of the knife will do it", there are several images of death and violence in the poem. Can you list them?
The images of death are "hack, chop, scorching, choking, browning, hardening, twisting and withering". The words that show violence are roped tied, pulled out and snapped out entirely from earth crust.
4. Why does the poet use the word 'kill' rather than 'destroy? Does it suggest his attitude to trees? What do you think is his attitude to them?
The poet treats trees as living organisms which feel pain and pleasure alike the human beings. He, therefore, feels that trees should not be deprived of their right to live. So his attitude to trees is quite humane.
5. Why does the poet talk about 'killing' a tree?
The poet considers every tree as a living organism. It too feels pain and pleasure alike the human beings. So he uses the expression 'killing the tree' rather than 'destroying' or 'cutting' it. According to him a tree cannot be denied the right to live. So his attitude towards trees is fairly humane is sympathetic.
6. It has grown slowly... 'The word 'grow' is suggestive of life. There were several words of the same kind. Can you spot them? Why do you think the poet uses such words?
Besides the word 'grow' there were several words of the same kind such as consume, rise feed, absorb, sprout etc., are suggestive of life. The poet uses these words to emphasize that the tree is also a living being.
7. The bark of the tree is described the 'leprous hide'. What grows from it? How is it "Ironic" that the leprous hide sproute leaves?
Leaves grow from the leprous hide is the bark of the tree. Leprosy usually eats away the body. It never promotes growth. But, here, the leprous hide that has a cruel tendency of killing has been depicted as a source of growth. Thus, it is ironical.
8. How much does hacking and chopping help in destroying a tree? Why? Which words suggest that the tree is very much a living organism?
Hacking and chopping will not help in destroying a tree. It may give a death blow to the tree but it cannot annihilate it, for green twigs will soon emerge from the bleeding bark. The words bleeding, heal, rise, expand suggest that the tree is very much a living organism.
9." So hack and chop But this alone won't do it". What methods are generally used to kill a tree? Do the methods can fully be worked out? What does 'it' refer to?
Hacking and chopping are generally used to kill a tree. These methods cannot be fully worked out. They may give a death blow to the tree but cannot destroy it completely as green twigs are sure to emerge from it. 'It' refers to 'killing a tree'.
10. Contrast 'bleeding bark' with 'green twigs'. What does 'blood represent? What does 'green' show? Have you noticed the change from death to life?
'Bleeding bark' is suggestive of deterioration whereas 'green twigs' suggest fresh growth. 'Blood' represents death. Green shows the springing of life. 'Green' and 'blood' symbolize the change from death to life.
11. How does the poet describe the uprooting of a tree?
1."Neither a simple job of a knife nor hacking and chopping kill a tree.
2. Hence the root of the tree should be pulled out of the earth.
3. It would, then, be roped, tied and snapped out.
4. So it should be pulled out entirely from the earth cover.
5. It should be exposed to sunlight.
6. This, according to the poet, is the complete process of uprooting a tree.
12. "The sources white and wet, the most sensitive, hidden for years inside the earth". What is the source of the the tree? How is it? What is the secret of its strength?
The source of the tree is its root. It is white and wet. The secret of its strength is that it is hidden inside the earth for years together. It clings firmly to the layers of the earth.
13. "And the strength of the tree exposed the source, white and wet, the most sensitive...." Where does the strength of the tree lie? Why is it referred to as 'the source'? Why is the source most sensitive one?
The strength of the tree lie in its roots. The roots give strength to the tree. So they are the source of the strength. It is the most sensitive because it has been hidden for years inside the earth.
14. Why does the poet describe the killing of a tree in such graphic detail?
Gieve Patel is sympathetic towards trees and treats them as living organisms. He feels that they should not be denied the right to live. What he means is that trees should not be destroyed indiscriminately. He, therefore, describes the killing of a tree in such graphic detail as to evoke sympathy to trees. According to him, to hurt a tree is to hurt a human being.

THE END
THE END

:: Upagupta ::. Two different scenes which were separated in time are described in the poem. Lines 1-12 are in the first scene. It is in the rainy season. Lines 13-22 are in the second scene. It is in the spring season and the branches of the trees were full of flowers.

First Scene (1-5 Lines)
Upagupta lay asleep in the dust by the city wall of Mathura. He slept in the dust because he was a saint and he hated comfort, luxury and wealth. The night was described as murky because it was dark and unpleasant everywhere. It was the rainy season. So, people stayed indoors and they closed the doors and put out all lights. At that time of the night the dancing girl was returning home from the royal court. As it was dark at that time, she approached the city wall and couldn't see the path clearly. She touched Upagupta with her feet. He didn't mind her feet touching him since it wasn't deliberate attempt.
(6-10 Lines)
The dancer was attracted by Upagupta's austerely handsome face. She thought that the dusty earth wasn't the proper place for the ascetic to sleep on. So, she requested Upagutpa to come to her house. But he was a saint. He hated comfort, wealth and worldly pleasure. So, he declined the dancer's invitation of going with her to her house as he understood what she meant. He promised her that he would visit her house at an appropriate time by saying that Woman, go on your way! His words your way have a special significance. He asks her to go on with her worldly pleasures. She is too young to renounce material and physical pleasures. Her way was to enjoy herself. But he was a saint and renounced all worldly pleasures. His way was to lead a simple and spiritual life.
(11-12 Lines)
When the young ascetic had spoken his words, the black night showed its teeth in a flash of lighting and a storm growled from the corner of the sky. Due to this, the dancing girl trembled in fear.
Second Scene
It is the spring season. The branches of the trees were full of flowers. The air was warm and the breeze made musical sounds. The citizens went to the trees to attend the festival or flowers.
(16-20 Lines)
The town was silent and there was no passerby because most of the citizens left for the woods to attend the festival of flowers. The dancing girl was suffering from a deadly disease and she was driven away from the town. She had severe sores on her body. They were very painful and the disease was contagious. She lay in the shadow of the city wall suffering. She should be looked after by someone. She was in dire need of an attendant. The time for the ascetic, Upagupta, had come to serve her. He sat by the side of the suffering woman. He took her head on his knees, watered her lips, applied some balm to her sores and showed great care towards her.

(21-22 Lines)
The dancing girl asked who the merciful one was. He was Upagupta. He said that it was the right time for him to visit her because the duty of an ascetic was to render service to humanity.
THE END
THE END

:: I will Get on Tomorrow::.

In the poem "I’ll Get one tomorrow", the one that the poet is getting tomorrow is hair-cut. But he will say "I’ll Get one tomorrow", when tomorrow comes. The reason is that he is afraid of the armory of the barber. He describes himself as solitary because he is the only one who never visits a barber's den. Due to this, the poet is troubled by his long brown hair. It troubled him climbing like an ivy round his ears, jumped playfully across his collar, moved irregularly down his neck, tripped, trickled and ticked him. Thus it caused him great irritation.

Then, he decided to visit the barber. He wants a thorough and overhaul hair-cut by almost plucking the hair from its very roots. After the hair-cut, he think, he will look like a wizard.

Let us see the humorous comparison in the poem.
The hair is compared to a torrent (a rushing stream of water), ivy (a creeper), jungle, flora (plants growing in wild) and crop.
The barber's shop is compared to a den (cave) (refer line 12)
The barber's tools are compared to armory (a collection of weapons), shears. Snippers (scissors), scythes (reaping implements), electric clippers, sweepers (combs), harvesters, reapers (Refers lines 18, 33, 34, 35, 36)
Angora is breed of goat famous for its long silky hair. The poet compared his long hair to this animal's fur (refer line 25)
Humorous exaggerations in the poem are:
a) Sloth is strong, but hair is stronger (line 29)
b) Employ a dozen extra sweepers (line 35)
c) Bring giant harvesters and reapers (line 36)
d) A Bumper crop waits to overwhelm your shop (Line 38)THE END
THE END

.:: The Snake ::. D.H Lawrence, novelist, poet, short story writer, essayist, and painter is an eminent literary figure of our times. He has written some successful poems on birds, beasts, and flowers, which express a special sense of life. He always sought to present their essential nature to the reader. He uses repetitions, sensuous words, and imagery to make his own personal responses clear. In "snake", Lawrence does not develop the poetic image much beyond the traditional common place meaning, but in the context of his life. The poem is interesting because of its relaxed tone. It has lovely fluidity of movement. It is written in free verse, combining some of the elements of traditional rhyme, and prose rhythm. On an extremely hot day, a snake comes to the poet’s water trough to drink water. The poet comes to the water through with a pitcher. Both of them need water. The poet recognizes it as someone like him, who needs to drink the water. He has to wait since the snake has the first claim because he had arrived before him. The golden yellow snake moves his soft belly over edge of the stone trough, and rests his throat on it . He begins to sip with his mouth, slowly, noiselessly, and with much confidence. The poet describes the place from where the snake comes. Its home lies in the dark golden brown earth, the place of volcanoes. The snake brings something of that place with him. While drinking the water, the snake suddenly lifts up his head just as some cattle and animals do. It looks at the poet rather uncertainly, and continues to drink leisurely. Being satisfied to its hearts content, the snake turns around slowly and goes to words the terrible hole from which it came. The poet is horrified to see the snake return deliberately into that black hole. He does not understand why it wants to go back. His natural instinct tells him that the black snakes ate harmless, and the golden snakes Poisonous. His education tells him that he should take a stick and kill it but he is fascinated by it. He welcomes it as a guest. He wants it to return to the place from where it has come. The poet does not understand why the snake is disappearing from the sight of the so called civilized man. Thus the poet is divided in his attitude towards the snake. It shows his ambivalence. He does not know whether he will let it go because of his cowardice. He does not know if his desire to talk to the snake is unnatural. He does not know if he feels honored because he is humbled by its presence. Fully satisfied, the snake turns around slowly to return to its horrid black hole. At this point, the poet describe the snake as a God who comes from the deep earth to remind man of his own dark buried instinctive life. Uncertain though he is, pick up a stick, and throws it at the snake. Instantly the part of the snake which is left behind recoils in an undignified haste like lightning. The next moment the poet repents his action in disturbing it. He regrets that his education has made him insensitive to the Godly presence of the snake. The poet wants the snake to come back. He despises himself, and is reminded of the albatross in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem. "The Ancient Mariner". A sailor had killed a bird which brought him bad luck. The poet feels that he also would suffer bad luck like the Ancient Mariner for having attempted to kill an innocent snake. Thus in 'snake' the winding beauty and fearsomeness of reptiles are described along with the poet's ambivalent feelings of admiration, anxiety and shame. THE END
THE END