ON KILLING A TREE- GIEVE PATEL

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• 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/ leperous/ 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.
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What does the poet explain? the process of 

killing a tree.

what is to be done in order to kill it? a lot of work.Can it be accomplished by merely cutting it with a knife? NO.

With whose help has the tree grown strong?

 the earth.

and for how many years? for countless years

Which of the trees gives rise to what?

What sprouts new twigs and leaves?

When does it grow into a new tree?

How to kill it completely?

To which they should be exposed to be completely killed?

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• The poem is about killing a tree.

• We must grow trees and protect them. We must not kill the trees. We must be eco-friendly.
• Soil, Water, Oxygen, and Sunlight. needed for the tree to grow.
• The poet means that the bark bleeds when it is cut with a knife.
• He wants to emphasize that it is not so easy to kill a tree.(NO)
• The root should be pulled out of the anchoring earth.A simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree.
• Life and legacy are hidden inside the earth.It means “a poke or thrust with a sharp tool”.
• The tree is totally exposed to the sunlight and air. Thus it is killed completely.The tree is very strong and its roots are deep in the earth.

1. The tree has grown slowly.
2. The tree feeds water from the crust.
3. Crust :the brown,hard outer portion or surface.
4. ‘Leprous hide’ means the bark of the tree. It has rough skin with scales.
5. Tiny leaves come out of the leprous hide.
6. The bleeding bark will heal.
7. The curled green twigs will rise from close to the ground.
8. The root should be pulled out to dry it and kill the tree.
9. ‘Anchoring earth’ means fixing the tree firmly inside the earth (like a ship in the sea)
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