Palm Tree
1. Read these lines and answer the questions that follow.
a. The palm tree stands
On one leg, sees
Past other trees
Into the sky.
i. Name the poem and the poet.
Ans: The poem is ‘Palm Tree’ and poet is ‘Rabindranath
Tagore’.
ii. These lines tell us that the tree is
Taller than other trees.
iii. What does ‘one leg’ signify? What is the poetic device used
here?
Ans: One leg signifies the trunk of the tree.
The poetic device used here is personification. The palm tree
has been compared to an animal or living object who has a
leg.
iv. What is the action that the poet imagines the tree doing?
Ans: The poet imagines the tree to be a bird. He imagines
that the tree is flying like a bird with the help of its fronds.
b. At length his wish
He starts to spread
Around his head
In big round fronds:
i. Name the poem and the poet.
Ans: The poem is ‘Palm Tree’ and poet is ‘Rabindranath
Tagore’.
ii. What, according to the poet, does the tree ‘wish’?
Ans: The tree wishes to be free, to fly like a bird. It does not
want to be confined at a place.
iii. In the poet’s imagination, what does the tree think about its
fronds?
Ans: In the poet’s imagination, the tree thinks about its
fronds to be its wings.
iv. What does the poet compare the palm tree to? How apt or
suitable is this comparison?
Ans: He compares the palm tree to a human being. Thus,
personification is used. Then, he compares it to a bird. This
comparison is quite apt as similarity between the palm tree
and human beings can be seen. Both feel that they are
superior and they wish of that which they don’t have. Both
feel unsatisfied very often.
c. But when the wind
Is still at last
And the leaves hushed.
Back homeward then
He turns his thoughts
i. Name the poem and the poet.
Ans: The poem is ‘Palm Tree’ and poet is ‘Rabindranath
Tagore’.
ii. Where do the thoughts of the tree turn?
Ans: In the last stanza, the thoughts of the tree turn towards
the mother earth.
iii. What does the poet mean by ‘when the wind/Is still’?
Ans: It means when the winds stop blowing.
iv. Where was the mind of the tree before this?
Ans: Before this, the mind of the tree was surrounded by
stars, skies and things of the space. It was thinking of its
flight.
2. What is the poem about? In two or three lines, summarize the
subject of the poem.
Ans: Trees grow towards the sky. They spread their branches and
yet they are rooted in one place. They are reared up and nurtured
by the mother Earth. They can not deny the significance of the
mother Earth how much big or long they grow up. They are bound
by the safety, security, shelter and love of the mother Earth.
3. What is the mood or atmosphere of the poem? Does it sound
happy, sad, defiant, thoughtful, triumphant or unemotional?
Ans: In the first stanza, the tree is in a joyous mood. It is happy
and have encouragement to pass all the other trees. It is
determined to soar away piercing the grey clouds. He wishes to fly
spreading his round leaves as his wings.
In the second stanza, the tree has triumphant mood to leave his
home and roam around the sky breaking all his bonds.
In the third stanza, the tree is having the most extreme mood of
playfulness challenging a race to the stars across the sky.
In the last stanza has its emotional and thoughtful mood. The
wind stops and his leaves hushed. This ceases his imagination of
flying in the sky. He starts thinking about the mother earth who
ahs given him birth and shelter.
4. Does the poet offer us a message through this poem? If so, what is
it?
Ans: Yes, the poet offers us a message through this poem. He
reminds us of our root. We are the children of mother Earth. We
are reared and nurtured in the love of our country and our
motherland. We should never forget about our native place how
much big or famous we become in the future.
