Explain how a tree is the 'forest's heritage'. [3]
What is meant by 'mother-croon of bird'? How do birds sing? When do they sing? [3]
What is the 'treble of heaven's harmony'? [3]
How far is a tree 'the harvest of a coming age'? [3]
What stirs the heart of a man who plants a tree? How does a tree planter do civic
good? [4]
Answers
1) Explain how a tree is the 'forest's heritage'.
= The new sapling planted will grow into a big tree which will be part of a forest and thus the legacy of the forest will continue.
2) What is meant by 'mother-croon of bird'? How do birds sing? When do they sing?
= “Mother-croon of bird” is the gentle humming voice of a mother-bird to its baby.
The song is not sung in a hushed voice, but it is heard in the hushed moments of twilight, as then the noises in the surroundings gets reduced.
To explain the lines —
For song and mother-croon of bird,
In hushed and happy twilight heard —
The poet says that the song and mother-croon of the birds living on the tree are heard in the quiet evening hours. That makes the twilight hours happy for the man who hears the song.
3) What is the 'treble of heaven's harmony'?
= Treble’ means the pitch range of the highest female voice. Here it refers to the chirping of birds. The poet wants to say that the song of the birds that live on a tree is harmonious (well matched) to heaven’s own tunes.
The person who plants a tree, actually plants a home for birds near the heaven. Those birds sing in hushed and happy hours of twilight. When we hear that song, it sounds like a heavenly note. So this comparison between the birds’ song and heaven’s own tunes is fitting and beautiful.
4) How far is a tree 'the harvest of a coming age'?
= " The harvest of a coming age " is basically being referred to the forthcoming generation which would be using the various resources given by the trees and will be taking all the advantages of planting trees.
5) What stirs the heart of a man who plants a tree? How does a tree planter do civic good?
= A man who plants a tree helps the entire community and he can feel better after the deed as trees provide shade, fresh air and also looks pleasing
and a man who plants a tree directly or indirectly helps many people in the neighbourhood in many ways to live a better life on earth including helping them with oxygen, cool shade, rain and a greener and cleaner surrounding. He also helps the future generations by planting a “forest’s heritage” and “harvest of a coming age”. Thus he performs his duty towards society by planting a tree. Moreover, plantation is a symbolic act of goodness which alone can generate many other acts of goodness. So, the attitude of the entire society would change to a positive and helpful one. It leads to the nation’s growth in the long term. That is why the poet opines that a tree planter does it “from far-cast thought of civic good”.