The Heart of the Tree

-Henry Cuyler Bunner

Heart
ofthe
abepg0)eb

tree
All about the Poem: that a tree proves to be
the need of planting trees. The poet believes
of the Tree' highlights
Thepoem 'The Heart all and sundry. It leaves a
rich legacy for the coming generation.
hearted as it benefits
large

THE POEM
POET
2. ABOUT
1. ABOUT THE The Heart of the Tree' by
Bunner focuses
born in Oswego, the value of planting a tree.
We
Henry Cuyler Bunner
was
our attention on
1851. He received his has led to
know that felling of
trees
New York, on August 3, He gained a lot of times. Divided into
environmental disaster in o u r
education in New York City. humour magazine tells us of the various
of the three stanzas, the poem
Popularity as the editor and Each stanza opens
wrote many
short stories benefits of planting a tree.
alled Puck. He
novels are A Woma What does he plant
famous with the same question
Vels. Among his (1884), In
who plants a tree ? The
a n s w e r is provided by

(1883), Airs from Arcady

tionor (1886). His who plants a tree, plants
and The Midge the poet himself. He
thership (1884) and Elsewhere the gentle sunlight, free breezes,
things
works Airs from A Ready many cool
uc are
Poems (1896).
His
beauty, music
and harmony. He ensures

(1884), ven (1892) and

as also
shade and tender rain. He
leaves a rich legacy
poetry reveals a light play of imagination a He who plants a
for the coming generations.
died on
structure.
He
nmand over poetic
May 11, 1896. 161
A
Collection of Poems
 of the
wth and development
growt Benefits of a Tree
tree is
conscious

words, trees are our best

In other Then the poet goes on to
of his count onment and growth. They are enumerate Sever
other benefits of
planting a tree. A tree ensveral
e n v i r o n

bet for better things

symbolic
of so
many
cool shade for us in summer. It
causes tend.ensures
3. THEME(S) rains. It gives seeds and buds to
bloom nder
Heart of the Tree highlights
the need flowers. A tree is a a into
symbol of forest's heritao
of p l a n t i n g trees.
The tree proves to be large-
It can serve us as a
living legacy for thetage
it b e n e f i t s
all and sundry. It has the generation. It is the
symbol of joy for our
next
sfit
hearted as born children. Thus, trees link
ability to form the congenia atmosphere, being our
present ana
an
and sky'. It creates
future.
riend of
sun beauty
'a
which Trees Ensure Growth
around. It shelters birds delight us with
in, tne evenin8. It creates music Then the poet says that he whoO
their croonings plants a tree
and harmony. One who plants a tree ensures does a civic good. All his neighbours feel
blessed
cool shade in summ and gentle rain. Moreover, andbenefitted. It is he who ensures
thegro
a plant leaves a rich forest heritage. It proves to of his country. In other words, a country's growth
be useful to the coming generation. It binds the and progress depends on the wealth of trees. Ha

present with the future. It stands for good values who plants a tree yearns for the welfare of his
like love and loyalty. One who plants a tree, in country. In fact, by planting a tree he plants a

fact, plants growth and development of his nation.

country. He plants a new nation which ensures
5. STANZA-WISE EXPLANATION
peace and prosperity in the whole world (from
Stanza 1
sea to sea). Thus, planting a tree, according to
the poet, has ecological, social and economic The poet underlines the value of
plantingg a
tree. When
benefits. a
plants
man tree he
plants many
a

4. SUMMARY
things. A tree is a
friend of congenial
atmosphere
It reduces air and
temperature even
purifñes air
Utilities of a Tree by trapping dust, pollen and smoke. It ensures
The poem The Heart of the Tree' deals with free gentle breezes. Thus, it is aptly described as
'a friend of sun and sky'. It turns a
the utilities and values of the trees. It comments place around
on the relevance and
it into heaven. The place where there are
importance of trees in the green
trees isnothing short
of heaven. He who plants
modern times. The
poem opens with a
question, a tree also ensures shelter for the birds whose
which is repeated thrice: "What does he plant
who plants a tree ? The poet himself sweetcroonings in silent and happy twilights
provides delight us. By planting a tree he ensures peace,
the answer in
metaphors. A tree is a friend of harmony and comfort for himself and others.
the and the
sky. In other words, it ensures
sun
Stanza 2
healthy environment. It ensures cool, free breezes.
The The
place where it stands is akin to heaven. As poet once again repeats the question
it shelters birds, one can hear their sweet songs What does he plant who plants a tree ? The
in answer provided is simple. By planting a tree we
twilights. So one who plants a tree creates a
ensure cool shade for us in summer and tenue
congenial atmosphere all around in which there
rains in all seasons, which are essential for our
is peace, comfort,
beauty, music and harmony. very existence. A tree gives us seeds whi
162 ICSE Self-Study-Lit. in English Paper
 ut, and buds which bloom in times to come, heritage e bghistory or traaio that
sprout

The poet describes a tree as 'the forest's heritage lasts for years
the harvest ot a coming age'. It can serve us reward
harvest
a living legacy for the next generation. It
as
unborn eyes unborn children
vides many enefits in the times to come. It
in fact, a link between us and our children. Stanza 3
S,
that
Stanza 3 liquid in a plant
sap all parts
food to
There are many other benefits of planting a Carries
Free, Good values like love and loyalty are planted welfare of the people
civicgood the town
living in
same

when plants
one and nurtures a tree. Planting a

does civic good. The tree benefits all the or city

tree also
fact
neighbours around. The poet emphasises the hollow
empty space

a country's growth and development all the world

that from sea to sea

depends upon its wealth

of trees. One who plants :arouses a feeling
stirs
a tree
is conscious of this fact
7 .CRITICAL APPRECIATION
Who in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all our land
Title
6. GLOSSARY The Heart of the Tree
The title of the poem values
on the
the poem focuses
Stanza 1 is appropriate as
tree. The poet
refers to the 'heare
Winds that move and utilities of a It is
breezes free gentle
kind of heart it possesses.
with full freedom of the tree what
-

does not
magnanimous. It
and
part of kind, generous
who
It blesses all those
narrow
a long discrimination.
shaft for show any Wherever
something (sunlight, who neglect it.
take care of it or e v e n
into heaven.
it turns the place
a tree is planted,
praises one
who plants a
: rising That is why, the poet
towering
:near, close to tree
anigh sun and sky;
gentle
sweet song, a
He plants a friend of
croon sleap mother
He plants the flag of
breezes free;
lullaby of a
high;
Silent The shaft of beauty, towering
hushed
of time at the home to heaven anigh.
:the period He plants a

twilight end of the day after the

Contemporary Relevance
down
s u n has just
gone
written many years
the poem was
b o e : high tone
Though about ecology
less c o n c e r n
treble when there was for
ago
a profound message
environment, it has
and are being
Stanza 2 times forests
generation. In
our
gentle, pleasant our
bridges.
roads and
tender future decimated for building houses, our
draws
times to come,
attract n o n e .
The poet
days to be then Trees seem to trees.
and when we plant
out w e do
fade attention to what
fade and flush
brighten uP 163

Poems
A Collection of
 He rightly says that one who plants trees plants
many things-beauty, peace, prosperity and good
Imagery
Visual Images
values. He says
.The shaft of
A nation's growth from sea to sea beauty, towering
The flag of high
Stirs in his heart who plants a tre. breezes free
Symbol of Peace Auditory Image:
For song and
It is important to note that the tree is used mother-croon of bird
as a symbol of whatever good there is in our life Symbol
It is a symbol of peace and prosperity. It ensures A tree is used as a
rewards of planting it even for unborn children. of Des symbol
growth, prosperity, beauty, goodness ce
se

Form
8. STYLE AND LITERARY DEVICES
C9.COMPREHENSION PASSAGES
1. Read the extract
given below and
ansu
The poem is a lyric. It is
relatively short,
consisting of only three stanzas. Each stanza of
the questions that follow nswet
What does he plant who
9 lines (called the Spenserian stanza) uses
the plants a tree ?
He plants a friend sun and
rhyme ababbccaa, which is quite intricate, though of sky;
it creates the required rhythm
and music. Like a He plants the flag breezes
of f
good lyric, it incorporates a single emotion. It The shaft of beauty,
appeals to our hearts at once towering high;
What does he
He plantsa home to heaven anigh;
plant who plants a tree ?
For song and mother-croon
He cool shade and tender rain,
plants of bird
In hushed and
And seed and bud of happy twilight heard-
days to be, The treble
And years that of heaven's harmony-
fade and flush again. These
Literary Devices things he plants who plants a tree.
(i) Who is described
Metaphor
as a
friend of sun and
sky'?
The poet describes the tree
as
metaphorically Ans. A tree is described as a 'friend of sun and
sky'.
' a friend of sun
and sky' (ii) Whom does a
tree give shelter ? How?
the flag of breezes free Ans. A tree gives shelter to birds
'the forest's heritage by allowing
them to build their nests.
.the harvest of a
coming age (iii) Which literary device has been
used in
Alliteration the line: In hushed and
happy twilight
H e plants a friend of and heard'?
(the sound 's')
sun
sky'
Ans. Theliterary device used here is alliteration
In hushed and
happy twilight heard' io) Explain: "He plants a home to heave
(the sound 'h)
anigh.
And years that fade arnd flush again' Ans. He who plants trees makes t the
(the sound f)
Surroundings green. The place where
'He plants a home to heaven there are green trees is nothing short o

(the sound 'h')

anigh
heaven.
164)-
ICSE Self-Study-Lit. in English Paper
 (a) Towards the end of the poem the poet (io) Explain the line
:

refers to the longing in the heart of the

And years that fade
and flush again.
one who plants a tree. What is this that a tree
wants to convey
Ans. The poet
longing? our present and
establishes a link between
longing is for the growth, the
Ans. This
future. It serves living legacy for
as a
development and prosperity qf his a link
between
next generation. It provides
country. He who plants a tree desires
us and our children.
peace, harmony and comfort for himself
tree become the forest's
and others. In fact, he yearns for the (o) How does a

ecological, social and economic benefits heritage' ?

because
for his country. forest's heritage'
Ans. It becomes 'the
that lasts for
2. Read the extract given below and answer it leaves behind a history
of the
the questions that follow: It reflects a tradition
many years.
for the
he plant who plants tree ? past. It serves us as a living legacy
What does a
the social
He plants cool shade and tender rain, next generation. It symbolises
fabric of the times.
And seed and bud of days to be,
and answer
3. Read the extract given below
And years that fade and flush again;
the questions that follow:
He plants the glory of the plain; ?
What does he plant who plants a tree
He plants the forest's heritage;
He plants, in sap and leaf and wood,
The harvest of a coming age;
In love of home and loyalty
The joy that unborn eyes shall see-
And far-cast thought of cioic good-
These things he plants who plants a tree.
His blessings on the neighborhood
(i) What does a tree ensure us in summer ?
days to Who in the hollow of His hand
What do buds become in the
land-
Come? Holds all the growth of all our

cool shade for us in

Ans. A tree ensures
A nation's growth from sea to sea

summer. Buds will bloom into flowers in

Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.
the days to come.
(i) Name some benefits of tree planting
(i7) How is a tree the glory of the plain ?
referred to by the poet earlier in the
Ans. A tree ensures growth and development
context.
of the country. It brings prosperity and
the Ans. A tree cool shade for us in
richness to the country. It saves
ensures

summer and tender rains in all seasons.

country from pollution.
A tree gives us seeds which sprout and
ii) Which literary device has been used in
buds which bloom into flowers in times
the line
? to come. It establishes a link between our
"And years that fade and flush again"
present and future.
Explain.
(ii) How does a tree planter do civie good ?
Ans. The literary device used in the line is
alliteration. The of the words
placement Ans. A tree planter does civic good by planting
fade and flush' close by makes it an
a tree. The tree benefits all the neighbours
alliteration. around. It saves the surroundings from

A Collection of Poems 165

 social and economic benetits. It saves .
pollution. It provides shade to the people us
the
from pollution. It gives us seeds which
n summer and protects them from
sprout and buds which bloom into flow
scorching heat of the sun. in the times to come. It provides several
the land' ? eral
(77) Who holds 'all the growth of general benefits to people.
mind ?
Which land has the poet in (o) In what way is the poen relevant in our
all the growth
Ans. He who plants a tree holds times ?
the
ot The poet emphasizes
his country, Ans. In our times forests are being decimated
growth and
fact that a country's for building houses, roads and bridges
wealth of
depend upon its
development Trees seem to attract none. The poem,
country is the land
trees. The planter's therefore, is relevant in our times because
mind.
which is in the poet's the poet draws our attention to what we
that a
with the poet
io) Do you agree do when we plant trees. He rightly says
wealth
upon the
nation's growth depends that one who plants trees plants many
Why/Why not ?
oftrees? things beauty, peace, prosperity and
nation's growth depends upon the
Ans. Yes, a good values.
tree has ecological,
wealth of trees. A

ASSIGNMENT

Read the extract given below and a n s w e r

the questions that follow:
What does he plant who plants a tree ?
He plants cool shade and tender rain,
And seed and bud of days to be,
And years that fade and flush again;
He plants the glory of the plain;
He plants the forest's heritage;
The harvest of a coming age;
The joy that unborn eyes shall see-
These things he plants who plants a tree.
(i) How has the poet described a tree earlier in the poem ?
(i) Which line has been repeated, and why ?
iii) What social and ecological benefits of planting a tree does the poet refer to ?

(io) In what sense is a tree 'the harvest of a coming age' ?

() Comment on the things a tree planter actually plants.