Complete Text of the Poem
The trees inside are moving out into the forest,
the forest that was empty all these days
where no bird could sit
no insect hide
no sun bury its feet in shadow
the forest that was empty all these nights
will be full of trees by morning.
All night the roots work
to disengage themselves from the cracks
in the veranda floor.
The leaves strain toward the glass
small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof
like newly discharged patients
half-dazed, moving
to the clinic doors.
I sit inside, doors open to the veranda
writing long letters
in which I scarcely mention the departure
of the forest from the house.
The night is fresh, the whole moon shines
in a sky still open
the smell of leaves and lichen
still reaches like a voice into the rooms.
My head is full of whispers
which tomorrow will be silent.
Listen. The glass is breaking.
The trees are stumbling forward
into the night. Winds rush to meet them.
The moon is broken like a mirror,
its pieces flash now in the crown
of the tallest oak.
Explanation
The poem "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich is a metaphorical description of a forest's reclamation of its natural space from human civilization.
The first stanza sets the scene of a forest that has been devoid of life, where no birds or insects live, and the sun cannot penetrate. However, the second stanza describes how the trees within a house are breaking free from their confines, with their roots working tirelessly to disengage from the floorboards, and their leaves and branches stretching toward the glass of the windows to escape.
The speaker, who is inside the house, writes letters while observing the trees' movements but barely mentions the significance of the event. Meanwhile, the night is peaceful, and the moon is shining brightly, and the smell of the forest is still present in the room.
In the final stanza, the glass shatters as the trees finally break free, stumbling out into the night. The winds rush to meet them, and the moon is broken into pieces that shine on the tallest oak tree. This imagery represents the forest's natural reclamation of its space, and the broken moon represents the disintegration of humanity's control over nature.
The poem's central theme is the relationship between humans and nature, and how nature always reclaims its space, no matter how much we try to control it. The trees' movement represents the constant struggle between humans and nature, and the breaking glass symbolizes the shattering of our illusions of control over the natural world.
The theme of the Poem 'The Trees' by Adrienne Rich
The central theme of the poem "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich is the relationship between humans and nature, specifically how nature always reclaims its space and how humanity's efforts to control it are ultimately futile. The poem uses the metaphor of trees breaking free from a house to represent the natural world's struggle to reassert itself and break free from human civilization's constraints. The breaking glass in the final stanza symbolizes the shattering of humanity's illusions of control over the natural world. The poem suggests that humans must learn to live in harmony with nature rather than trying to dominate and control it.
Stanza Explanation
Stanza 1:
The first stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich sets the scene for the rest of the poem. The speaker describes how the trees inside a house are "moving out into the forest," suggesting that they are breaking free from their confinement within the man-made structure. The poem goes on to describe how the forest outside has been "empty all these days," with no birds, insects, or even sunlight able to penetrate its dense cover. The phrase "no bird could sit, no insect hide, no sun bury its feet in shadow" emphasizes the lifelessness of the forest and the extent to which it has been cut off from the natural world.
The first stanza is significant because it sets up the contrast between the lifeless, stagnant forest outside and the vibrant, growing trees inside the house. It suggests that the trees within the house represent a force of life and growth that is struggling to break free from the constraints of human civilization and restore balance to the natural world. By describing the forest as "empty," the poem implies that there is a sense of absence or loss in the natural world, which the trees' movement and growth may help to address.
Stanza 2:
In the second stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the focus shifts to the movement of the trees themselves as they work to free themselves from the house. The speaker describes how "all night the roots work / to disengage themselves from the cracks / in the veranda floor." This description emphasizes the tenacity of the trees and their determination to break free from their confinement.
The next lines describe how the leaves and branches of the trees are straining towards the glass of the windows, with small twigs "stiff with exertion" and "long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof." These descriptions suggest that the trees are struggling to break through the barriers that separate them from the natural world outside, and that their movement is a powerful, unstoppable force.
The comparison of the trees to "newly discharged patients / half-dazed, moving / to the clinic doors" is a metaphor that emphasizes their vulnerability and their need for care and attention. This metaphor suggests that the trees, like patients leaving a hospital, are weak and disoriented but also that they are determined to regain their health and strength.
Stanza 3:
In the third stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the speaker shifts focus to their own experience of the scene described in the previous stanzas. They describe themselves sitting inside the house with the doors open to the veranda, writing long letters. The speaker mentions that they scarcely mention the departure of the trees from the house in their letters, suggesting that they are either unaware of or unconcerned about the significance of the trees' movement.
The description of the night as fresh and the moon as shining in a sky still open creates a sense of beauty and tranquility. The speaker describes the smell of leaves and lichen reaching into the rooms like a voice, suggesting that nature is communicating with them in a language that they can barely perceive.
The final lines of the stanza are particularly significant: "My head is full of whispers / which tomorrow will be silent." This line suggests that the speaker is aware of a deeper, more significant truth that is hidden beneath the surface of their experience, but that they are unable or unwilling to articulate it. The idea that the whispers will be "silent" tomorrow suggests that the speaker is aware that something important is happening but is unable to fully grasp its significance.
Stanza 4:
In the fourth and final stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the movement of the trees and the natural world around them reaches a climax. The first line, "Listen. The glass is breaking," creates a sense of urgency and excitement, as if the speaker is urging the reader to pay close attention to what is happening.
The next lines describe how the trees are "stumbling forward / into the night," with winds rushing to meet them. This description emphasizes the power and energy of the natural world, with the trees and the wind combining to create a sense of chaos and unpredictability.
The image of the moon being "broken like a mirror" suggests that the movement of the trees and the natural world has shattered the fragile order of the human world, and that something new and unpredictable is emerging in its place. The fact that the pieces of the moon are now "flashing" in the crown of the tallest oak emphasizes the power and energy of the natural world and suggests that the trees are now taking their rightful place as the dominant force in the landscape.
THINKING ABOUT THE POEM
Q1. (i)Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest?
ANSWER:
In the first stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the speaker describes a forest that has been empty of trees for an unspecified period of time. Three things that cannot happen in such a forest are:
- No bird could sit.
- No insect could hide.
- No sun could bury its feet in shadow.
(ii) The words "sun bury its feet in shadow" create a vivid and striking image in the reader's mind, suggesting a sense of playfulness and whimsy in the way that the poet is describing the natural world. The image suggests that the sun is a living being with feet that it can use to move around and interact with the world around it.
In reality, of course, the sun is a massive, burning ball of gas that is located millions of miles away from Earth. The use of the metaphor of the sun's "feet" is a way for the poet to anthropomorphize the natural world and to suggest that the sun is a living, breathing entity that is intimately connected to the world around it.
The phrase "sun bury its feet in shadow" suggests that the sun is playing a game of hide-and-seek with the natural world, seeking out places where it can hide and obscure its presence. The use of the word "bury" suggests a sense of fun and playfulness, as if the sun is engaging in a childlike game with the world around it. Overall, the use of this image helps to create a sense of wonder and enchantment in the reader, as if the natural world is a magical and mysterious place full of unexpected surprises and hidden treasures.
Q2. (i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do?
ANSWER:
In the poem "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the trees are initially located inside a house or building, as the speaker describes how they are "moving out into the forest." The trees are described as having been trapped or confined inside the house for some time, and are now breaking free and returning to their natural habitat.
The roots of the trees are described as working "all night" to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor, suggesting a sense of determination and perseverance as the trees struggle to break free from their captivity. The leaves of the trees are said to be "straining toward the glass," suggesting a sense of longing or desire to return to the outside world.
The small twigs of the trees are described as "stiff with exertion," while the long-cramped boughs are said to be "shuffling under the roof like newly discharged patients," suggesting a sense of physical effort and strain as the trees work to break free from their confinement.
(ii) What does the poet compare their branches to?
ANSWER:
In the third stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the poet compares the branches of the trees to "newly discharged patients." This metaphor suggests that the branches have been confined or constrained in some way, much like patients in a hospital, and are now finally free to move and stretch after a period of being restricted.
The metaphor of the branches as patients also suggests a sense of vulnerability and fragility, as if the branches are weakened or damaged after their confinement. The use of the metaphor helps to create a sense of empathy and connection between the natural world and the human world, suggesting that the struggles and hardships faced by one are mirrored in the other.
Q3. (i) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change?
ANSWER:
In the third stanza of "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the poet initially describes the moon as "whole" and shining "in a sky still open." This description creates a sense of calm and tranquility, suggesting a moment of peace and reflection in the midst of the trees' movement and exertion.
However, by the end of the stanza, the moon is described as "broken like a mirror," with its pieces flashing in the crown of the tallest oak. This sudden change in the moon's description is caused by the movement of the trees, as they stumble forward into the night and cause the glass to break. The shattered pieces of the moon in the crown of the tallest oak suggest a sense of chaos and disruption, underscoring the sense of movement and energy in the poem.
(ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
ANSWER:
The poem "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich suggests that when the trees move out of the house, there is a sense of emptiness and absence that permeates the space. While the poem doesn't explicitly state what happens to the house itself, it implies that the trees are an integral part of the environment and that their departure has a profound impact on the landscape.
In the first stanza, the poem describes the forest as empty, with no birds or insects hiding and no sun burying its feet in shadow. This suggests a sense of lifelessness and stagnation, as if the forest has been drained of its vitality and energy.
Later in the poem, the trees themselves are described as working to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor, suggesting a sense of confinement or restriction that has been lifted. The leaves strain toward the glass, and the branches shuffle under the roof like newly discharged patients, suggesting a sense of movement and freedom that has been gained.
(iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.) ?
ANSWER:
In the poem "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich, the speaker mentions that they are writing long letters but do not mention the departure of the forest from the house. There are different possible interpretations as to why the speaker omits this significant event from their letters.
One possible explanation is that the speaker might feel embarrassed or overwhelmed by the unexpected and extraordinary nature of the event. It is not every day that trees uproot themselves and move out of a house, and the speaker might not know how to process this information or how to explain it to others. In this sense, the omission could be seen as an example of how we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us, as you suggested.
Another possible interpretation is that the speaker is deliberately choosing to focus on other things in their letters, perhaps as a way of processing the event or maintaining a sense of normalcy in the face of it. The speaker might feel that their letters are not the appropriate place to discuss such a strange and momentous event, or they might feel that their recipients would not believe or understand what had happened.
Q4. Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?
- Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ’imprisoned’ and need to ‘break out’?
ANSWER:
The poem "The Trees Inside" by Adrienne Rich does not present a direct conflict between man and nature, but it does explore the relationship between the natural world and human beings in a complex and nuanced way. The poem suggests that nature is not a passive backdrop to human life, but rather an active and dynamic force that can transform the human environment and disrupt human expectations.
In contrast, "A Tiger in the Zoo" by Leslie Norris presents a more explicit conflict between man and nature, in which the tiger is trapped and imprisoned by human beings. The poem highlights the cruelty and violence of human domination over the natural world, and suggests that this domination ultimately leads to a sense of alienation and despair.
While the two poems have different themes and tones, they share a concern for the ways in which human beings interact with the natural world. In "The Trees Inside," the poet suggests that plants and trees can be "imprisoned" by their human surroundings, and that they need to "break out" in order to thrive and fulfill their natural potential. This idea can be seen as a critique of the way that plants and trees are often used for "interior decoration" in cities, while forests are cut down to make way for human development.
- On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning?
ANSWER:
Interpreting the trees in "The Trees Inside" as a metaphor for human beings can yield several new meanings in the poem. The poem could then be read as a meditation on the relationship between the individual and society, and the tension between personal growth and social conformity.
In this interpretation, the trees that are "moving out into the forest" could represent individuals who are breaking free from the constraints of societal norms and expectations, and seeking to find their own path in the world. The night-time setting of the poem could symbolize the darkness and uncertainty that often accompany this process of self-discovery and change.
The roots of the trees, which "work to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor," could represent the deep-seated psychological and emotional processes that drive individuals to seek personal growth and self-realization. The leaves and twigs, which "strain toward the glass" and shuffle under the roof, could symbolize the visible signs of this growth and change, as individuals begin to express their true selves more fully.
Seen in this light, the poet's decision not to mention "the departure of the forest from the house" in her letters could be interpreted as a reluctance to fully disclose her own inner journey and transformation to others.
