NOTE ON THE POEM “THE HEART OF THE TREE”.

Trees make the environment clean and provide us with oxygen. They are
necessary for the elixir of life. It has been so rightly said that “today someone is
sitting in the shade because someone planted a tree a long time ago. A person who
plants a tree loves others besides himself.” Henry Cuyler Bunner’s poem titled as
“The Heart of the Tree”, describes the innumerable benefits of trees and the shade
and shelter they bring to all life. He appreciates trees not only for their aesthetic
value but also for their role in human welfare. According to the poet, a tree proves
to be a friend of the sun and the sky and contributes positively for the growth of
the nation. He claims that people who plant trees plan for a future, and for people
they do not know. On another level, planting a tree is a symbolic act of goodness-
one from which many other acts of goodness will sprout.

In the very opening stanza of the poem, the poet raises a general question to the
readers: “What does he plant who plants a tree?” Then the poet goes onto explain
the value of planting a tree. According to him, planting a tree means more than
what we mean by plantation as an activity. When a man plants a tree, he plants
many things. A tree is a friend of congenial atmosphere. It reduces air
temperature and even purifies air by trapping dust, pollen and smoke. It ensures
free gentle breezes. Thus, it is aptly described as ‘a friend of sun and sky’. The
tree is suggested as a friend of sun and sky because one day it will grow tall and
appear to reach the sky. The tree is a friend of the sun as the tree is dependent on
sunlight to carry out the process of photosynthesis to make its food. Similarly, the
tree is a friend of the sky. It takes in carbon dioxide from the air and releases
oxygen in the air and thus purifies the air. Also the transpiration from trees is
responsible for cloud formation in the sky and thus causes rain. The tree is again
compared to a flag of free breeze. Like a flag flutters freely in the breeze, the
leaves of the tree flutter and provide soothing, cool breeze to us. The tree grows
high with its long narrow stem and looks like a beautiful tower. It turns a place
around it into heaven. The place where there are green trees is nothing short of
heaven. It appears that the trees have made a home closer to heaven. He who
plants a tree also ensures shelter for the birds whose sweet crooning/singing in
silent and happy twilight delight us. In other words, one who plants a tree creates
a shelter place for the mother bird who sings to her young ones happily, with a
soft and gentle voice in the twilight. The bird’s high-pitched tone adds to the
pleasant harmony of the universe. By planting a tree he ensures peace, harmony
and comfort for himself and others.

The poet further mentions that by planting a tree we ensure cool shade for us in
summer and tender rains in all seasons, which are essential for our very
existence. The plant in course of time will grow and provide cool shade and cause
tender rain. It will bear seeds and buds for the future generation. A tree gives us
seeds which sprout, and buds which bloom in times to come. The poet describes
a tree as ‘the forest’s heritage’ and ‘the harvest of a coming age’. After many years
the old trees will wither away and these trees will grow into new trees creating a
dense forest. Since forests are our natural heritage, the one who plants trees
helps in conserving natural heritage. This is symbolic of the process of birth,
death and regeneration. In this way, trees make the plains beautiful. It can serve
us as a living legacy for the next generation. It will provide many benefits in the
times to come. It is, in fact, a link between us and our children.

However, in the final stanza of the poem, the poet becomes more philosophical.
According to him, the man who plants a tree, plants it with a sense of loyalty.
Good values like love and loyalty are planted when one plants and nurtures a
tree. Planting a tree also does civic good because a man, who plants a tree, does
so for the benefit of the society, so that human beings can get food from the
plants ‘sap and leaves’. Besides, he can get wood for his use like for building
purposes, making furniture, fuel, slippers etc. The trees benefit all the
neighbours around. Therefore, the man who plants a tree has been rightly
described as God-like, as is indicated by the use of capital “H” in ‘His hand’. By
planting trees, he showers his blessings on the neighbourhood. He holds the
future progress of mankind in his hands. Our land will become barren without
trees. The poet becomes more anxious and could see that the growth of the
universe is possible only by planting trees. The poet emphasizes the fact that a
country’s growth and development depends upon its wealth of trees. One who
plants a tree is conscious of this fact:

Who in the hollow of His hand

Holds all the growth of all our land—

Though the poem was written many years ago when there was less concern
about ecology and environment, it has a profound message for our generation. In
our times forests are being decimated for building houses, roads and bridges.
Trees seem to attract none. The poet draws our attention to what we do when we
plant trees. He rightly says that one who plants trees plants many things –
beauty, peace, prosperity and good values. He says :

A nation’s growth from sea to sea

Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.

It is important to note that the tree is used as a symbol of whatever good there is
in our life. It is a symbol of peace and prosperity. It ensures rewards of planting it
even for unborn children.