Trees by Shirley Bauer
Summary
The poem “Trees” by Shirley Bauer is about all the great things that can be done with trees. It says that trees give birds places to live and kids places to play. They’re great for making treehouses, swinging on swings and playing games like ‘Hide and Seek’. In the summer, trees provide shade, and they can also be used to catch kites. Apples and pears are among the foods they grow. People shout “TIMBER-R-R!” when they see trees being cut down. At the end of the poem, it says that trees can be the subject of beautiful art. In a funny way, the poem says that trees can be cut down, which makes fathers think about all the leaves they’ll have to rake.
Theme
The theme of this poem is to show how important and useful trees are in our lives. It shows all the different ways we use trees, from playing and hiding behind them to getting warmth from them and eating their fruit. The poem also shows in a playful way how mothers and dads see trees differently. Mothers see their beauty, while fathers see the work of raking leaves. Overall, the song praises the many things trees do for us and how they make our lives happier and more useful.
Questions and Answers of Trees
Question 1:
What are the games or human activities which use trees, or in which trees also “participate” ?
Answer:
Some games or human activities that use trees or in which trees also “participate” include building tree houses, swinging on swings, playing “Hide and Seek” behind trees, having tea parties under trees, and getting kites caught in trees.
Question 2.
(i) “Trees are to make no shade in winter.” What does this mean ? (Contrast this line with the line immediately before it.)
(ii) “Trees are for apples to grow on, or pears.” Do you agree that one purpose of a tree is to have fruit on it ? Or do you think this line is humorous ?
Answer:
(i) “Trees are to make no shade in winter.” This line means that during winter, when the leaves have fallen off, trees do not provide shade as they do in summer. This contrasts with the line immediately before it, which mentions trees being for making cool shade in summer.
(ii) The line “Trees are for apples to grow on, or pears” suggests that one purpose of a tree is to bear fruit. It’s possible that this line carries a humorous tone, as it simplifies the complex roles that trees play in ecosystems.
Question 3.
With the help of your partner, try to rewrite some lines in the poem, or add new ones of your own as in the following examples.
Trees are for birds to build nests in.
Trees are for people to sit under.
Now try to compose a similar poem about water, or air.
