Trees - Short Answers

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1.Why was the forest empty?

The forest was empty because there were no trees, birds, insects, or shadows from the sun.

2. What happens to the forest by morning? How do the roots and leaves of the trees react during the night?

By morning, the forest will be full of trees. The roots work to free themselves from the veranda floor, and the leaves strain toward the glass.

3. How does the poet describe the forest before the trees return?

The poet describes the forest as empty, with no birds, insects, or shadows from the sun, making it lifeless and barren.

4. What does the line "like newly discharged patients" suggest about the trees' movement?

The line "like newly discharged patients" suggests that the trees are weak and dazed, moving slowly and with difficulty, similar to people just released from a hospital.

5. Why do you think the poet chose to write about trees leaving a house?

The poet likely chose this topic to symbolise freedom and escape from confinement, highlighting the importance of natural habitats and perhaps reflecting on the human desire for liberation.

6. Write a short stanza imagining what happens after the trees fully return to the forest.

In the dawn's gentle light, the forest breathes anew, birds sing sweet songs, leaves glisten with dew. Shadows dance underfoot, roots dig deep and strong, the forest, now alive, hums nature's timeless song.

7.  Identify one metaphor used in the poem and explain its meaning.

One metaphor is "The moon is broken like a mirror." This suggests that the moonlight is shattered and scattered among the trees, creating a fragmented and beautiful effect.

8. How does the poet use imagery to convey the theme of liberation?

The poet uses vivid imagery of roots disengaging, leaves straining toward the glass, and boughs shuffling like patients to convey the trees' struggle and eventual liberation from confinement to their natural environment.