NCERT Solutions Class 9 English (Beehive (Poem))
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 9 English (Beehive (Poem)) Poem – 8 On Killing a Tree has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Poem – 8 (On Killing a Tree)
On Killing a Tree
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.
So hack and chop
But this alone wont 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.
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.
Then the matter
Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.
– GIEVE PATEL
Thinking about the Poem
1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?
Answer – No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree because the tree grows with a lot of nutrients and resources. Even if one cuts it, it will sprout again.
2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
Answer – The tree has grown to its full size by consuming the earth, feeding upon its crust, absorbing years of sunlight, air and water. The words suggestive of its life and activity are: absorbing, feeding, rising, consuming and sprouting.
3. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?
Answer – No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree. It is firmly held by the earth for so many years and . its roots are safe. The tree is too strong to be killed by a simple jab of the knife.
4. The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
Answer – The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. It emphasizes that only cutting or chopping the tree will not cease its existence.
5. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?
Answer – The “anchoring earth” means that the earth works as an anchor to protect the tree and saves it from getting uprooted.
“Earth cave” implies the depth of the mother earth where the tree spreads its roots and gets nurtured.
6. What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?
Answer – He means to say that when one tries to pull out the tree along with its roots which are spread deep inside the earth, one will understand the strength of the tree.
7. What finally kills the tree?
Answer – When the tree is pulled out along with its roots and separated from mother earth, one has to subject it to the scorching sun and let it wither. This will finally kill the tree.
