Poet introduction-Joyce Kilmer
The poem ‘Trees’ was written by Alfred Joyce Kilmer an American writer and poet in February of 1913. It was first published in 1914 in Poetry: A Magazine of Verse and later published in his collection Trees and Other Poems.
This poem is one of the most well-known among Kilmer’s poems and was even set to music many times due to its lyrical nature. His eldest son Kenton Kilmer says that ‘Trees’ was written in their upstairs bedroom that overlooked a wooded hill, at Mahwah, New Jersey.
Trees poem by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Stanza-wise summary of the poem Trees
In the first stanza of the poem Trees, the speaker says that he thinks he shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.
In the next stanza the speaker says that since the tree is deeply rooted to the soil, it looks as if its hungry mouth is pressed (prest) against the earth’s sweet flowing breast.
In the next stanza, he describes the nature of the tree that looks at God all day, lifting her leafy arms to Him in prayer.
In the fourth stanza he says that in summer, the tree usually has robins nesting in her branches (a nest of robins in her hair).
In the following stanza, the speaker refers to the change in the seasons since during winter the tree is covered with snow, and during the rains, the tree seems to be living in harmony with the downpour (intimately lives with rain).
In the last stanza of the poem, the speaker concludes that ‘poems’ are written by fools like him but only God can make something as poetic as a tree.
Themes in the poem Trees
Central Theme of the poem Trees
The main theme of the poem Trees is the poet’s love and respect for nature. The poet has chosen ‘trees’, one of the most important creatures in mother nature to explain very beautifully how all other man-made creations pale in comparison to God’s. The poem is like an ode to a tree since the poet glorifies the beauty and generous nature of the tree.
Another theme in the poem Trees is spirituality. The poet clearly shows his inclination to divine/higher power. The last two lines of the poem are significant since the speaker belittles his own ability as a poet and gives all the credit to God. He says “Poems are made by fools like me”.
This implies that poets, writers, or other artists who are proud of their creations, should be ashamed because their work can never match God’s marvelous creations, in this case, it is a tree. Thus, the poem could also be a hymn of praise to God.
The poem also portrays the loving and caring nature of mothers. In the poet’s eyes, the tree has a motherly nature. The tree is deeply attached to mother earth, is pious because she lifts up her branches in prayer to God all day, loves to decorate herself with the robins nesting in her leaves (her hair), and lives along with rain, presumably her spouse. By giving shelter to birds and animals she is like a mother looking after her children.
Line-by-line interpretation of the poem Trees
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
At the beginning of the poem Trees, the poet makes it clear that he is fascinated with nature. He is quite sure that he will never see a poem as lovely as a tree. He says ‘I think’ which means that in his opinion a tree is the loveliest poem.
The poet uses a simile to compare a ‘poem’ to a tree because a tree represents one of the finest forms of natural art as opposed to man-made art. He is so wonderstruck by the tree’s beauty and grace that a tree shall always be a classic example of the perfect poem in his mind. Here the poet is talking about trees in general and not a specific tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
The poet personifies the tree in these two lines by comparing the tree to an infant being nursed by its mother. He uses the words ‘hungry mouth’ to imply that the tree is deeply rooted to the ground, thus always needing nourishment.
The line ‘Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast’ refers to the water stored under the earth’s surface which plants and necessary for their growth absorb. Hence, he gives the image of a tree that is attached to the earth as firmly as a baby is attached to its mother while being breastfed. From the fourth line onwards, the poet seems to be referring to a particular tree.
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
The poet reveals his devotion to God by saying that the tree also prays to Him. He personifies the tree as a pious woman who is lifting up her arms in prayer.
Since the tree is always growing taller and stretching towards the sky, the poet says it ‘looks at God all day’ and calls the tree’s branches ‘leafy arms’. The poet conveys that even other living beings are aware of God’s presence and want to connect with Him.
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
During the summer season, the tree provides shelter, especially to birds and animals. It is also the time when robins build a nest on the tree’s branches and hatch their young.
The poet refers to this instance when he says ‘A nest of robins in her hair’. He gives the tree a feminine quality because women usually love to decorate their hair with accessories. Here, ‘hair’ refers to the tree’s leaves.
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
The poet says that during winter, the tree is fully covered with snow. He probably uses the word ‘bosom’ to refer to the tree’s warmth and security. He also says the tree lives ‘intimately’ with rain.
The rains provide plants and trees with plenty of water, which not only nurtures them but is also essential for their survival. Thus, the poet shows how various elements of nature are interdependent and live harmoniously with each other.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
At the end of the poem Trees, the poet comes to a conclusion. He is captivated by nature to such an extent that he is convinced poems are made by ‘fools’ like him since only God can make a tree.
‘Fool’ is a harsh word to describe a poet as talented as himself. By degrading his own abilities and giving God credit that is His due, the poet is acknowledging that God is the ultimate creator.
At the beginning of the poem, the poet referred to the tree as the loveliest poem. Hence, by the end, he is convinced that his poems are unworthy of praise compared to the beautiful poems (creations) of God.
Analysis of the poem Trees
The poem Trees by Joyce Kilmer is rich in imagery. The poet also uses personification to give a vivid description of the tree. He uses this method to emphasize his opinion on spirituality. It is a simple poem with simple ideas.
Two of the main ideas that are clear from this poem are the poet’s love for mother nature and God. He gives the tree a feminine form by alluding to her beauty and selfless nature. He also seems to be very devout and appeals to his readers’ religious sentiments.
The poet thinks a tree is the loveliest ‘poem’ because a ‘poem’ is a work of art that appeals to the senses and emotions of its readers. From the first two lines, the poet makes it apparent that he is in awe of nature.
He regards all living beings and their maker with reverence. Towards the poem’s end, he calls himself a ‘fool’. By doing so he admits that man-made poems are not as praiseworthy as God’s creations. He insists that no matter how hard human beings try, they can never bring life to their work as God does.
He also conveys that as much as the tree is connected to the earth, she still keeps her connection with God, always reaching out her ‘arms’ in prayer. She brings perfect balance to the natural ecosystem along with the change in the seasons.
Though the poet looks down upon man-made works of art, including his own poems, he still writes a poem praising and marveling at God’s creations. This suggests that through his poem he wants his readers to appreciate and reflect on the natural wonders of the world and connect with their creator.
His simple choice of words makes it easy for people to understand his message and apply it to their lives. By writing in a traditional poetic style, he has captured his reader’s attention as well as their sentiments.
Poetic Structure and Devices in the poem Trees
The poem is written in six stanzas of two lines each, called couplets. Each couplet contains a rhyming pair of lines. It has a rhyme scheme of AA BB CC DD EE AA.
The entire poem except the eleventh line is written in iambic tetrameter since it has four sets of two beats each. Thus, the poem conforms to the rules of traditional poetry.
Personification:
This is evident in the second, third, fourth, and fifth couplets. E.g. “A tree whose hungry mouth is prest…”
“…And lifts her leafy arms to pray”
Alliteration:
“A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;”
Enjambment:
“I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.”
Simile:
“A poem lovely as a tree.”
Anaphora:
It means the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple lines, usually in succession. In this poem, it is “A tree…” at the beginning of lines three, five, and seven.
