Class 10,The Poem: The Trees , line by line explanation and important question answers l

Stanza 1:

Line 1:

The trees inside are moving out into the forest,

Explanation:

The trees inside the house (likely potted plants) seem to be moving out into the natural environment—the forest. This metaphor shows that the trees long to be part of nature and are trying to escape their confinement inside the house.

Line 2:

the forest that was empty all these days

Explanation:

The forest is described as empty because it has not had trees, as the trees have been inside the house. It has been a barren, lifeless place without the trees.

Line 3:

where no bird could sit

Explanation:

Without trees, birds had no place to rest in the forest, making the environment seem incomplete.

Line 4:

no insect hide

Explanation:

Similarly, insects had no shelter in the empty forest.

Line 5:

no sun bury its feet in shadow

Explanation:

The sun’s rays cannot be blocked by the trees, and thus there is no shadow, adding to the emptiness of the forest.

Line 6:

the forest that was empty all these nights

Explanation:

This refers to the forest being empty not only during the day but also at night, emphasizing the lack of life.

Line 7:

will be full of trees by morning.

Explanation:

By morning, the forest will be full of trees, symbolizing that the trees are now free and will return to their natural habitat.

Stanza 2:

Line 1:

All night the roots work

Explanation:

The roots of the trees are working throughout the night, trying to break free from their confinement (in the house). This suggests a strong desire for freedom and growth.

Line 2:

to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor.

Explanation:

The roots are pulling away from the cracks in the veranda floor, symbolizing the trees' efforts to escape the artificial boundaries of the house.

Line 3:

The leaves strain toward the glass

Explanation:

The leaves of the trees are straining toward the glass windows, trying to break free from the house and move outside into the natural world.

Line 4:

small twigs stiff with exertion

Explanation:

The twigs are stiff because they are exerting a lot of effort to break free and escape the house.

Line 5:

long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof

Explanation:

The boughs of the trees, which have been cramped inside, are now shuffling under the roof. This movement indicates that the trees are trying to expand and grow freely.

Line 6:

like newly discharged patients half-dazed, moving to the clinic doors.

Explanation:

The trees are compared to patients who have just been discharged from the hospital—half-dazed but eager to leave. This comparison shows that the trees are struggling to adjust but are desperate to leave the house.

Stanza 3:

Line 1:

I sit inside, doors open to the veranda

Explanation:

The poet is sitting inside the house with the doors open to the veranda, which offers a view of the trees. This creates a sense of separation between the poet and the natural world.

Line 2:

writing long letters in which I scarcely mention the departure of the forest from the house.

Explanation:

The poet is writing long letters but does not talk much about the trees or the forest leaving the house. This reflects the poet's emotional detachment or perhaps a subconscious effort to ignore the change happening.

Stanza 4:

Line 1:

The night is fresh, the whole moon shines in a sky still open

Explanation:

The night is described as fresh, and the full moon shines brightly in an open sky. This creates an atmosphere of peace and beauty in contrast with the movement of the trees.

Line 2:

the smell of leaves and lichen still reaches like a voice into the rooms.

Explanation:

The smell of the trees and plants (leaves and lichen) reaches into the rooms, as if the natural world is calling out to the poet.

Line 3:

My head is full of whispers which tomorrow will be silent.

Explanation:

The poet feels that the sounds of nature (the whispers) are filling their head, but tomorrow these sounds will be silent. This could signify the end of an era or a significant change that is about to take place.

Stanza 5:

Line 1:

Listen. The glass is breaking.

Explanation:

This is a key moment—the glass is breaking, symbolizing that the boundary (the house) between the trees and their freedom is finally shattering. The trees are breaking free.

Line 2:

The trees are stumbling forward into the night.

Explanation:

The trees are moving clumsily out into the night, representing their long-awaited return to freedom.

Line 3:

Winds rush to meet them.

Explanation:

The wind greets the trees as they escape, symbolizing the natural forces that embrace the trees' freedom.

Line 4:

The moon is broken like a mirror, its pieces flash now in the crown of the tallest oak.

Explanation:

The moon is broken, symbolizing a shattered illusion or the end of something. Its pieces reflect in the oak tree, representing that the natural world is taking its place in the moon's absence.

Difficult Words and Their Meanings:

1. Disengage – to free or separate something from something else; to loosen or untangle.

2. Cracks – narrow openings or fractures, typically in surfaces or objects.

3. Veranda – a roofed platform along the outside of a house, often with open sides.

4. Strain – to stretch or exert force, often causing tension or effort.

5. Exertion – physical or mental effort.

6. Boughs – the main branches of a tree.

7. Cramped – restricted or confined in space or movement.

8. Half-dazed – confused or disoriented, as if in a stupor or state of daze.

9. Stumbling – walking or moving unsteadily, often due to difficulty or lack of coordination.

10. Lichen – a simple life form made up of a fungus and an alga living together in a mutual relationship, often found on trees and rocks.

11. Whispers – soft, quiet voices or sounds, usually associated with secrets or quiet conversation.

12. Stumbling – moving with difficulty or unsteadily, often due to fatigue or imbalance.

13. Exertion – the use of physical or mental effort.

14. Shuffling – walking without lifting the feet completely from the ground, often in a slow or awkward manner.

15. Clinic – a healthcare facility or a place where medical treatment is given, often for minor health issues or therapy.

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who is the poet of the poem "The Trees"?

a) William Wordsworth

b) Robert Frost

c) Ruskin Bond

d) John Keats

Answer: c) Ruskin Bond

2. What happens to the trees by morning?

a) They remain in the house

b) They are planted in the garden

c) They return to the forest

d) They wither and die

Answer: c) They return to the forest

3. What do the roots of the trees do during the night?

a) Grow deeper into the ground

b) Work to disengage themselves from the cracks

c) Spread into the soil outside

d) Shrink and weaken

Answer: b) Work to disengage themselves from the cracks

4. What is the moon compared to in the poem?

a) A mirror

b) A clock

c) A star

d) A flower

Answer: a) A mirror

5. How does the poet describe the trees as they move into the night?

a) Graceful and calm

b) Stumbling forward

c) Flying high

d) Quietly retreating

Answer: b) Stumbling forward

Very Short Answer Questions:

1. Who is the poet of the poem "The Trees"?

Answer: Ruskin Bond

2. What is the main desire of the trees in the poem?

Answer: The trees want to move out of the house and return to the forest.

3. What does the poet mean by "the forest that was empty"?

Answer: It refers to the forest that has no trees because the trees are inside the house.

4. What happens to the moon in the poem?

Answer: The moon is broken like a mirror.

5. What is the significance of the glass breaking in the poem?

Answer: The breaking glass symbolizes the trees breaking free from the house and moving into the forest.

Short Answer Questions:

1. How does the poet describe the movement of the trees?

Answer: The poet compares the trees' movement to newly discharged patients who are half-dazed and stumbling forward. The trees are struggling to escape their confinement and return to the forest.

2. Explain the significance of "the forest that was empty" in the poem.

Answer: "The forest that was empty" signifies that the forest lacked trees because they were inside the house. The poet conveys the idea of the forest being lifeless and incomplete without the presence of trees.

3. What does the poet mean by "roots work to disengage themselves from the cracks"?

Answer: The poet refers to the roots of the trees trying to free themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor, symbolizing the trees' yearning for freedom and their desire to return to nature.

4. What is the meaning of "the leaves strain toward the glass" in the poem?

Answer: The phrase "the leaves strain toward the glass" represents the leaves of the trees stretching towards the windows, trying to escape and be part of the natural world outside.

5. How does the poet convey a sense of change in the poem?

Answer: The poet conveys a sense of change through the actions of the trees, as they break free from the house and return to the forest. The breaking of the glass and the trees stumbling forward into the night symbolize the shift from confinement to freedom.