The poem, “Cherry Tree” is written by Ruskin Bond. It is about his ecstasy over a tree.

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🌸 Short Summary (3–4 lines)

Ruskin Bond’s Cherry Tree tells the story of planting a seed and patiently waiting for it to grow. The tree struggles to survive against natural difficulties but finally blossoms after eight years. The poet feels proud, happy, and grateful for the beauty of nature.

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🌿 Stanza-wise Paraphrase

Stanza 1:
The poet plants a cherry seed and forgets about it. He doesn’t expect it to grow into a tree, but nature quietly does its work.

Stanza 2:
The small plant struggles for survival. It is eaten by a goat, trampled, and even scorched by summer heat. Yet, it continues to grow.

Stanza 3:
After a monsoon shower, the seedling revives and slowly turns into a small tree. It grows steadily through the years.

Stanza 4:
Eight years later, the tree finally blossoms. Pink flowers appear on it, and the poet feels overjoyed to see his patient effort rewarded.

Stanza 5:
Standing under the flowering tree, the poet reflects on the miracle of life. From a tiny seed has grown something beautiful, giving him both peace and happiness.

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Brain Storming

(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 :

Indian Weavers

Grammar Exercise

Here’s a Model Activity Sheet (10 Marks) based on the poem Cherry Tree by Ruskin Bond, prepared as per Maharashtra Board HSC pattern.

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🌸 Model Activity Sheet – Cherry Tree (Ruskin Bond)

Q.1. Read the extract and complete the activities. (10 Marks)

Extract:
“It was very small, five months child,
Lost in the tall grass running wild.
Goats ate the leaves, the grass cutter’s scythe
Split it apart and a monsoon blight.
It was a very small cherry plant
But it would survive if it had a chance.”

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A1. Complete the web. (2 Marks)

Difficulties faced by the cherry tree:

(Ans: eaten by goats, cut by grass cutter, blighted by insects, scorched by sun)

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A2. Pick out two pairs of rhyming words from the extract. (2 Marks)

(Ans: child–wild, scythe–blight)

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A3. Write the figure of speech in the line: “It was very small, five months child.” (2 Marks)

👉 Metaphor – The cherry sapling is compared to a five-month-old child.

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A4. The cherry tree survived in spite of difficulties. Write two values we learn from this. (2 Marks)

👉 Perseverance, patience, determination, hope.

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A5. Compose 2 lines of your own on ‘Nature’. (2 Marks)

👉 Example:

• “Nature is the book where life is written,
  Its beauty shines though often hidden.”

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