The Heart of a Tree Summary

The Heart of a Tree Summary

In this article, you will be reading The Heart of a Tree Summary, a beautiful composition by an American poet and novelist Henry Cuyler Bunner. It is a fine piece of poetry having a simple theme and structure. The poem was originally published in 1912. The poem focusses on the importance of trees. Furthermore, it tells how the trees help in maintaining the ecological balance. Moreover, it focusses on the significance of trees in sustainable development.

The Heart of a Tree Summary in English

This article, The Heart of Tree Summary, is a brief explanation of the poem.  It consists of three stanzas. Although planting of trees has always been great work for mankind, the poet has found out new ways of looking at the plants. In all the three stanzas, the poet begins with a question. The question says as to what a man actually plants who plants a tree. However, he replies on his own. He says that a man plants a friend of the sun and the sky. A plant grows upwards to reach the sun and the sky.  Moreover, it needs heat and air for its growth. It absorbs heat from the sun and saves the earth from its rays. Thus, the sun becomes friendly in the presence of trees.

The poet adds that the man plants a flag which flies freely in the mild breeze. Here the poet is comparing the leafy branches of the tree to a flag. Also, he compares the stem with the beautiful shaft (pole) of the flag that stands tall. Furthermore, he says that the man plants the sweet home for the singing birds in the sky, near heaven. Thus, the poet here means that trees are significant in maintaining life on earth and a balanced ecosystem.

In the second stanza, the poet tells the importance of the tree that will produce seed and bud in the future. Also, it adds to the beauty of the plain. Furthermore, a single plant could turn into a forest. Thus, the man who plants plant plants a forest’s heritage.

In the third stanza, the poet says that the man shows his loyalty and love for his earth by planting trees. Moreover, he fulfils his duty towards society and seeks blessings from the neighbourhood. Also, he adds that one who plants a tree contributes to the nation’s growth. Planting trees helps in the progress of the nation from sea to sea. Hence, a person planting a tree has progressive thinking, is the all-powerful and all-powerful, destiny maker of the nation.

The last lines are of core importance. It speaks about the man’s heart, his feelings, his visions and hopes behind the planting of a tree. This also leads to the title of the poem ‘ The Heart of the Tree’.

Conclusion of The Heart of a Tree

The article, The Heart of a Tree Summary, thus, focusses on the importance of trees in the life of human beings. It tells us how and in what many ways, the tree plays a significant role in maintaining the ecosystem, eco-friendly development, adding beauty to the plains, becoming a home for sweet singing birds and making the earth a wonderful place to live in with fresh air and healthy atmosphere. The poet composes an extraordinary piece of poetry out of a common and simple topic about the usefulness of trees in human life.