You may read that poem ‘On Killing a Tree ‘by Gieve Patel (Beehive – Textbook in English for Class IX, NCERT). Compare and contrast it with the poem you have just read.

The poem ‘The Trees’ describes the internal feelings of trees and narrates their struggle of escaping the confines of man’s cages. However, the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ describes the ways of killing a tree completely, highlighting the cruelty of man towards the environment. The poet sarcastically explains how a tree should not just be cut with an axe but should be destroyed completely from its roots. In the poem ‘The Trees’ the poetess throws light on the freedom of plants and animals which are curbed by man’s reckless actions. Thus, both the poems in different ways show the deteriorating condition of nature and its elements and try to convey a hidden message to the audience.


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