What Do We Plant: English-6th - Poem 6 - Tulip Series

Poem 6: What Do We Plant (Henry Abbey)

What do we plant when we plant the tree?

We plant the ship which will cross the sea.

We plant the mast to carry the sail.

We plant the planks to withstand the gales,

The keel, the keelson, the beam, the knee;

We plant the ship when we plant the tree.

What do we plant when we plant the tree?

We plant the houses for you and me.

We plant rafters, the shingles, the floors.

We plant the studding; the lath, the doors,

The beams and siding, all parts that be;

We plant the house when we plant the tree.

What do we plant when we plant the tree?

A thousand things that we daily see;

We plant the spire that out-towers the crag,

We plant the staff for our country’s flag,

We plant the shade, from the hot sun free;

We plant all these when we plant the tree.

THINKING ABOUT THE POEM

Answer these questions:

Q1. Would you agree with the poet that trees are mainly planted for the uses that he mentions? Are there other uses?

Ans. Whenever a tree is planted, it is planted for the domestic use. Although we cut naturally grown trees for this purpose we should plant a new tree in place of the tree that is cut. There are many other uses of trees. It purifies air for us. It keeps the environment clean. It gives a charming look to our surroundings. It can be used to make many kinds of medicines, papers, etc.

Q2. Many uses can easily be met with other materials. Identify those uses where we can use other materials (iron, for instance) and thus save the trees.

Ans. Now a day’s steel and silver is used for making window panes and doors. Plastic material can be used instead of wood for making tables and other useful furniture. In this way, we can save many trees.

Q3. What does the poet means when he says, “We plant the house when we plant the tree.”?

Ans. The poet means to say that we get all the material for building a house form the trees, therefore when we plant a tree, we plant the material for the house.

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Q4. ‘We plant the shade, from the hot sun free.’ What does this line suggest about the importance of trees?

Ans. Trees give us shade and protects us from hot rays of the sun. This is an important use of trees. We should always think positive and constructive use of trees whenever we plant a tree.

Q5. How many times is the question, ‘What do plant when plant the tree?’ repeated in the poem? Why do you think the poet does this?

Ans. The question line, ‘What do we plant, when we plant a tree’, is repeated three times in the poem. The poet wants to explain the importance of planting a tree.

Q6. What will happen if we keep on only ‘using’ the trees?

Ans. If we keep on using the trees, the earth will become a barren land, there will be no rain. When there will no rain, there will be droughts and famines. People will kill each other for food.

Q7. Add three more words of your own to each row that rhyme with the words given:

i. tree, three, we

ii. the ship, tip, lip

iii. you, sue, chew,

iv. shade, made, fade,

v. parts, carts, charts,

Ans.

i. tree, three, we, me, knee, sea, tea

ii. ship, tip, lip, sip, grip, hip

iii. you, sue, chew, few, new, dew

iv. shade, made, fade, raid, grade, laid, paid

v. parts, carts, charts, tarts, marts, watts