BigSlate Icon
Home
Study
New Mulberry Coursebook

New Mulberry Coursebook

Ashima Bath, Saswati Dasgupta, OXFORD

ICSEClass 7
English

Palm Tree

Rabindranath Tagore

About Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941) revered as Gurudev, was born in Kolkata,India. He started writing poetry from early childhood. Tagore was not only a writer, but also a philoshopher, musician, painter and educationist. He founded the Visva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan in West Bengal. In 1913, Tagore was awarded the Noble Prize for Literature.

The palm tree stands
       On one leg, sees
       Past other trees
              Into the sky.

 

He wants to peirce
       The cloud so grey
       And soar away;
              But can he fly?

 

At length his wish
       He starts to spread
       Around his head
              In big round fronds;

 

He thinks they're wings,
       To let him roam
       Away from home,
              Breaking all bonds.

 

The livelong day
       The branches quiver,
       Sigh and shiver--
              He thiniks he flies,

 

In his own mind
       Skirting the stars,
       Racing afar
              Across the skies.

 

But when the wind
       Is still at last
       And the leaves hushed,
              Back homeward then

 

He turns his thoughts,
       And mother Earth
       That gave him birth
              He loves again.

Summary
It is believed that a palm tree at Shantiniketan inspired Rabindranath Tagore to compose this poem of yearning and fulfillment Line by Line Explanation The palm tree stands tall in the night The poet imagines that the palm tree with its long trunk looks as though it is standing on one leg taller than the other trees gazing at the sky He imagines that the tree wants to pierce the grey clouds and fly into the sky In the second verse the speaker says that as leaves begin to grow and spread around the top or head of the tree the palm tree begins to believe that its wish is coming true According ...

Available Answers

  1. 1.

    The poem vividly describes the movement of a tree in the wind. Complete this sequence chart to trace the movement.

    The tree raises itself over other trees.  -> _____________________________ -> _______________________ -> _______________________

  2. 2.

    Read these lines and answer the questions that follow.

    The palm tree stands
    On one leg,sees
    Past other trees
    Into the sky.

    i. These lines tell us that the tree is

    • as tall as other trees in the area.
    • taller than other trees.
    • growing on top of a hill with other trees.

    ii. What does 'one leg' signify? What is the poetic device used here?

    iii. What is the action that the poet imagines the tree doing?

  3. 3.

    Read these lines and answer the questions that follow.

    At length his wish
    He starts to spread
    Around his head
    In big round fronds:

    1. What, according to the poet, does the tree 'wish'?
    2. In the poet's imagination, what does the tree think about its fronds?
    3. What does the port compare the palm tree to? How apt or suitable is this comparison?
  4. 4.

    What is the poem about? In two or three lines, summarize the subject of the poem.

  5. 5.

    What is the mood or atmosphere of the poem? Does it sound happy, sad, defiant, thoughtful, triumphant or unemotional?

  6. 6.

    Does the poet offer us a message through this poem? If so, what is it?

1 more answer(s) available.

Comments
The answers are not provided for the poem.
12 Apr 2020priya s.
The summary of the poem should be given for the student to under stand
29 Aug 2021Preeti M.
The summary of the poem should be given for the student to under stand
29 Aug 2021Preeti M.
Please login to post your comments.