Question

Explain the poem The Laburnum Top written by 'Ted Hughes'
Also explain the main message and theme of the poem

The Laburnum Top is silent, quite still
in the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.

Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup
A suddeness, a startlement,at a branch end.
Then sleek as a lizard, and alert and abrupt,
She enters the thickness,and a machine starts up
Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings,and trillings -
The whole tree trembles and thrills.
It is the engine of her family.
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end
Showing her barred face identity mask

Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings
She launches away, towards the infinite

And the laburnum subsides to empty.​

Answer 1

The Laburnum Top is a poem that describes a tree's reaction when it encounters movement. The movement, here, being referred to as the goldfinch and her family [the little ones.] As the poem starts, it tells of how the tree is silent and still, or rather, lifeless during Autumn. Out of nowhere, a goldfinch arrives and settles on one of its branches [... a suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end ... .] The goldfinch starts to move deeper into the tree, perhaps seeking more shade and shelter for her little ones [ ... of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings ... .] The tree seems to get excited and is filled with life and joy [... the whole tree trembles and thrills ... .] The bird then moves back to one of its branches, this time, revealing her face [ ... showing her barred face identity mask ... .] Spending enough time with the tree, she flies away and the tree is once again still and lifeless [ ... she launches away, towards the infinite and the laburnum subsides to empty.]

The poem conveys how trees seem to get excited knowing that they have company around them and how the trees are able to provide them with shelter and shade happily. Once alone, the trees lose their joy and excitement and have no one to shed for.

[From the lesson 'The Laburnum Top' - Ted Hughes]

Answer 2

Answer:

The Laburnum Top is silent, quite still

in the afternoon yellow September sunlight,

A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.

Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup

A suddeness, a startlement,at a branch end.

Then sleek as a lizard, and alert and abrupt,

She enters the thickness,and a machine starts up

Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings,and trillings -

The whole tree trembles and thrills.

It is the engine of her family.

She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end

Showing her barred face identity mask

Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings

She launches away, towards the infinite

And the laburnum subsides to empty