Trees / Joyce Kilmer

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I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Talking About Trees

An image that captures the essence of Joyce Kilmer's "Trees," emphasizing the majestic and almost spiritual connection between a tree and nature. The image will feature a grand, solitary tree with a full, leafy canopy reaching towards a bright, slightly cloudy sky. The roots will be visibly intertwined with the earth. The lighting will be soft and natural, highlighting the tree's form and texture, conveying a sense of reverence and the idea that its beauty and complexity surpass any human creation.

Study Guide: Joyce Kilmer's "Trees"

I. Summary of "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer

Joyce Kilmer's poem "Trees" expresses the profound reverence the speaker holds for trees, elevating them above human creations, specifically poetry. The poem personifies a tree, giving it human-like qualities such as a "hungry mouth" at the earth's "breast" and "leafy arms" lifted in prayer. It depicts the tree as deeply connected to nature's elements, enduring snow and living with rain, and providing a home for robins. The central theme is the idea that while humans can create beautiful things like poems, only God possesses the power to create something as magnificent and complex as a tree. The poem underscores the spiritual and majestic essence of trees, suggesting their beauty and complexity far surpass any human endeavor.

II. Quiz

Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences.

1. What is the speaker's main assertion about trees in the first two lines of the poem?
2. How does the poem personify the tree's connection to the earth?
3. In what ways does the poem suggest a spiritual connection between the tree and a higher power?
4. What imagery does the poem use to describe the tree's interaction with the weather?
5. What animal is mentioned as making a home in the tree?
6. What is the contrast drawn between poems and trees in the final couplet?
7. What does the phrase "hungry mouth is prest / Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast" imply about the tree's relationship with nature?
8. How does the poem portray the tree's arms?
9. What is the primary message conveyed by the poem's concluding lines?
10. Based on the poem, what quality of a tree is emphasized as superior to human artistic creation?

III. Answer Key

1. The speaker asserts that they believe they will never encounter a poem that is as lovely or beautiful as a tree. This immediately establishes the tree as the ultimate benchmark of beauty, surpassing even human artistic expression.
2. The poem personifies the tree's connection to the earth by describing its roots as a "hungry mouth" pressed "Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast." This imagery suggests a deep, nurturing, and almost maternal bond between the tree and the ground from which it draws sustenance.
3. The poem suggests a spiritual connection by stating that the tree "looks at God all day, / And lifts her leafy arms to pray." This portrays the tree as having an inherent reverence and direct communion with a divine entity, highlighting its natural sanctity.
4. The poem uses imagery of "snow has lain" upon its "bosom" and the tree "Who intimately lives with rain." This demonstrates the tree's resilience and its close, natural integration with various atmospheric conditions.
5. Robins are mentioned as making a home in the tree, specifically having a "nest of robins in her hair" during the summer. This detail adds to the tree's portrayal as a provider and a living part of the ecosystem.
6. The final couplet draws a stark contrast: "Poems are made by fools like me, / But only God can make a tree." This highlights the human capacity for creation (poetry) versus the divine, ultimate act of creation (a tree), diminishing human efforts in comparison.
7. This phrase implies a fundamental, almost primal, relationship where the tree is deeply rooted and nurtured by the earth. It suggests that the earth provides life and sustenance to the tree, much like a mother nurtures a child.
8. The tree's arms are portrayed as "leafy arms" that it "lifts... to pray." This personification emphasizes the tree's verticality and its reaching towards the sky, linking it to spiritual devotion and reverence.
9. The primary message conveyed by the concluding lines is the supremacy of divine creation over human creation. It humbly acknowledges that while humans can make art, the natural world, specifically a tree, is a testament to God's unique and unparalleled creative power.
10. The poem emphasizes the inherent and unmatchable beauty, complexity, and natural wonder of a tree as superior to human artistic creation. Unlike a poem, a tree is a living, growing entity deeply integrated with nature and attributed with a spiritual dimension.

IV. Essay Format Questions (No Answers)

1. Analyze how Joyce Kilmer uses personification throughout "Trees" to elevate the tree to a spiritual and majestic entity. Discuss specific examples and their impact on the poem's theme.
2. Discuss the central contrast drawn in "Trees" between human creation (poems) and divine creation (trees). How does this contrast serve to highlight the speaker's ultimate message about nature and divinity?
3. Explore the various ways the tree in Kilmer's poem is depicted as intimately connected to its natural environment. How do these connections contribute to the poem's overall sense of reverence for nature?
4. "Trees" is often considered a simple, yet profound, poem. Analyze the simplicity of its language and structure, and discuss how this simplicity effectively conveys its profound thematic depth.
5. Consider the spiritual implications of the poem. How does Kilmer's portrayal of the tree as looking at God and lifting its arms to pray contribute to a theological understanding of nature?

V. Glossary of Key Terms

• Personification: A literary device where human qualities or actions are attributed to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. In "Trees," the tree is given a "hungry mouth," "leafy arms," and is described as "praying."
• Imagery: The use of descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) to create vivid mental pictures. Examples in the poem include "earth’s sweet flowing breast" and "nest of robins in her hair."
• Metaphor: A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as." The "hungry mouth" of the tree can be seen as a metaphor for its roots absorbing nutrients.
• Couplet: Two consecutive lines of poetry that typically rhyme and have the same meter, forming a complete thought. The final two lines of "Trees" ("Poems are made by fools like me, / But only God can make a tree") form a significant couplet.
• Reverence: Deep respect or awe. The poem conveys a profound sense of reverence for trees and for the divine power that creates them.
• Divine Creation: The act of creation attributed to a god or supreme being. In the poem, "only God can make a tree" exemplifies divine creation.
• Human Creation: The act of creating by humans, such as art, literature, or inventions. The poem contrasts "poems" as human creations with the tree as a divine one.
• Theme: The central topic or underlying message of a piece of literature. A major theme in "Trees" is the superiority of nature and divine creation over human endeavors.
• Bosom: A person's chest (often used metaphorically for the front or central part of something). In the poem, "Upon whose bosom snow has lain" refers to the tree's trunk or main structure.

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