English - Lesson 4: (TMA) "Tall Trees" - a poem written by Eileen Mathias

Read the poem to find out what the poet thinks of when he looks at tall trees. He imagines them to be watching, sheltering and peeping like human beings.

Tall Trees

With their feet in the earth

And their heads in the sky

The tall trees watch

The clouds go by

By saying that the trees have their feet standing in the earth like human beings and their heads in the sky watching the clouds as they pass, the poet conveys to the reader that the trees are very, very tall.

When the dusk sends quickly

The birds to rest

The tall trees shelter them

Safe in a nest

The poet gives an integrated picture of Nature in this stanza. In the evening the darkening sky drives the birds to the safety of their homes in the trees. In this way the different elements in Nature complement each other to provide comfort and shelter to the birds.

And then in the night

With the tall trees peeping,

The moon shines down

On a world that’s sleeping

The evening changes into the night, and by the light of the moon, the trees stay awake to keep a watch over the world as it sleeps. The poet sees the tall trees as our protectors and guardians, in whose care we can sleep safely and soundly without any worries.

– Eileen Mathias

Answer the following questions.

Stanza 1

1. Which parts of the tree does the poet describe as its head and feet? Why?

The poet visualises the top of a tree as its head and compares its roots to human feet.

The poet has personified tall trees as tall human beings. The trees are so tall that their heads seem to be close to the clouds, but their feet (roots) are firm and steady in the earth.

2. What does the phrase ‘feet in the earth’ mean in the context of trees?

In the context of tall trees, the phrase ‘feet in the earth’ means that the roots of trees are going under the ground to give them a strong hold.

3. a. What do you think the phrase ‘feet in the earth’ might mean in the context of a person who is tall (empowered) like the tall trees?

The phrase ‘feet in the earth’ conveys a different meaning in the context of a person. A tall person (a person with power, position, influence, wealth) who does not lose his/her head over his success, or his position of power could be referred to as having his/her ‘feet in the earth’. His head may be high, but his feet are on the ground – he/she never forgets that he/she is an ordinary person like anyone else.

b. Have you met, or do you know such a person? Why do you think that this person is like a ‘tall tree’?

4. In what ways do the trees behave like human beings in the poem?

The poet thinks of tall trees as human beings. He finds them behaving like human beings. The tall trees watch the clouds and the things around them, as humans do. They offer shelter to birds and keep a watch over the sleeping world like night watchmen.

Stanza 2

1. What time of the day does the poet refer to in this stanza? Pick out the word that indicates the time.

Evening time. Dusk

2. Describe the two images that the poet has created through personification in this stanza.

-1. dusk as a person sending away the birds to shelter/

-2. trees provide nests for birds to rest.

Stanza 3

1. a. Pick out words from the poem which rhyme with each other.

sky-by, rest-nest, peeping-sleeping

b. Write five more pairs of rhyming words of your choice.

Some examples of pairs of rhyming words are beam-gleam, sky-dry, feel-deal, ring-sing, bell-tell, call-tall, try-cry.

2. Who else, besides the tall trees is taking loving care of the world? How?

The moon - She is spreading her light over the sleeping world at night.

Terminal Questions

I

1. a. Write a paragraph of 20-25 words about the three activities of the tall trees as described in the poem.

a. The tall trees are watching the clouds in the first stanza. In the second stanza they provide shelter to birds at night. In the third stanza the trees are watching/ peeping over the sleeping world.

b. Which activity do you appreciate the most and why?

2. Describe in a few words the picture of nature as presented in the poem.

Nature is presented as an integrated whole. The trees lovingly watch the clouds. The dusk sends birds to their homes in the trees. The trees make the birds comfortable in their nests. At night the moon spreads her soft moonlight over the world and the trees silently keep a watch. It is a picture of harmonious co-existence and working together for others’ welfare.

II

1. Personification adds richness to the meaning, makes a thought vivid and clear, and relates an object/idea to the world of humans.

Think of some commonly used personifications associated with the words given below.

The first one is done for you as an example.

Books are our best friends

a. Love __________Love is blind/divine.

b. Opportunity____Opportunity knocks only once.

c. Earth _________ Earth is our mother, Mother Earth

d. Time _________ Time waits for none, Time marches on, Time does not stop, Time stands/stood still

2. Have you ever tried to write a poem? Why not try now? Write four lines on any object of Nature. You may create your own rhyme scheme. Read out your poem to a friend and notice how the rhyming words lend an easy flow to your reading.

You may write on any of the following ideas, or you may think of some other topic for a poem.

sun, moon, stars, night, river, stream, mountain.

Here is an example of a simple poem with rhyming words at the end of every pair of lines:

The Sun rises every day

It brightens every bay.

Stars come up every night

They are such a wonderful sight!

III

1. Imagine that as an MLA of your area or as Sarpanch of your village panchayat, you are a ‘tall’ man like a tall tree. You have both power and position. Write a short paragraph about how you used your power to help others.