The poem, “Cherry Tree” is written by Ruskin Bond. It is about his ecstasy over a tree.
BrainStorming
(A1) (i) Find proof from the poem for the following.
(a) The poet has mentioned different seasons.
Summer, monsoon, spring,
(b) The poet’s minute observations of the steady growth of the cherry tree.
I found a tree had come to stay.
It was very small, five months child,
Lost in the tall grass running wild.
(c) The colour imagery in the poem.
Green growing pain, blossom small pink, blue blind sky,
(d) The struggle of the cherry tree for survival.
The young tree struggle, upward thrust
Its arms in a fresh fierce lust
For light and air and sun.
(ii) State whether the following statements are True or False. Correct the false
statements by finding evidence from the poem to support your remark.
(a) The cherry tree did not take long to grow. False
The cherry tree took eight years long to grow.
(b) Birds and insects were benefitted from the tree. True
(c) The poet was exalted at the sight of the cherry tree. True
(d) The poem has an underlying message about the importance of trees. True
(e) The poet repents planting the cherry tree. False The poet praised planting the cherry tree
(A2) (i) Discuss in groups, reasons/ consequences/ effects:
(a) The life of the cherry tree was threatened because of goats grazing, grass cutters and monsoon. The cherry tree has no leaves and stem. It gets dried. But as the spring arrives new shoots grow.The young tree struggles for light,air and sun.
(b) The cherry blossomed. : The cherry tree bore just one BERRY. It was unbelievable. But the next year the tree was blossomed. The poet, bees, moon moths and crickets were much excited.
(ii) A small thought, put in action, led to a great achievement. Pick out the
lines from the beginning and end of the poem and explain their significance.
Ans Lines from the beginning : Eight years have passed, Since I placed my cherry seed in the grass.
These lines signify that the poet had a strong desire to plant a tree so put a seed in the grassy ground. It also signifies that a cherry seed gets to long to get growing.
Concluding lines are :Yes, I praised Night and Stars and tree:That small, the cherry, grown by me. These lines are significant as these show the poet’s excitement at seeing the cherry tree grown by him.
(A3) The cherry tree has inspired the poet to compose the poem. Such poems,
describing Nature or aspects of Nature are called ‘Nature poems’. Find
out some expressions from the poem that bring out the elements of beauty
of Nature.
Ans Expressions from the poem that bring out the elements of beauty are as follows : running wild, slender stem, new shoots grow, arms in fresh fierce lust, bees in an ecstasy, the sun sank swiftly.
Poetic Devices
(A4) (i) Read the line.
Pink, fragile, quick to fall
Notice the arrangement of the words in the line:
They move from healthy to delicate
This figure of speech is called Climax where successive words, phrases,
sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance. Here, the cherry
blossom turns pink, ripens and is ready to be picked.
(ii) Find out examples from the poem.
Alliteration : 1. Its arms in a fresh fierce lust : A consonantal sound ‘f’ is repeated pleasingly.
2. Made a miracle from green growing pain. : A consonantal sound ‘g’ is repeated rhythmically.
Antithesis : 1.but cherries have a way of growing,
Though no one’s caring very much or knowing. : Opposite idea of growing without caring is seen in the line.
Personification :1. A Tree had come to stay : A tree has attributed human quality of coming and staying.
2. sleepiest breeze : Breeze is given human quality of being sleepy.
(A5) (i) Cherry tree is a narrative poem. Features that make it a narrative poem
are given below. Justify them with proper examples.
The poem has a beginning, a middle and an end. It begins with a planting of a cherry seed. It struggles to survive. Finally it blossoms. The poet’s residence and Kashmir are mentioned. The poet, grass cutters, bees , cricket and moon moths are the characters referred to in the poem. Incidents are arranged in sequence. It is a time-bound poem.
Poetic Appreciation
(iii) Write an appreciation of the poem Cherry Tree considering the following points :
The poem, “Cherry Tree” is written by Ruskin Bond. It is about his ecstasy over a tree. He is expressing his wonder at the ways of Nature and how the cherry blossoms are fragile and quick to fall. The tree gives him immense joy as he can see the stars and the blue sky through dappled green trees.
It is enriched with poetic devices. The use of alliteration and rhyming words adds musical effects. The use of personification makes the poem live. Color imagery renders pictorial quality. The focus of the poem is on nature and its elements. The poem advises the planting of trees. The poet underlines importance of trees in human life.
The poem is interesting to read. It is a story like. It keeps the reader engaged.
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