HEARTWOOD POEM

Learning outcomes
By the end of the poem, students will be able to:
• express the anguish of the tree.
• discuss the need to keep our world green.
• ĞdžƉůĂŝŶƚŚĞĂĚĚƌĞƐƐĞƌͲĂĚĚƌĞƐƐĞĞƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉ͘
• ŝŶĨĞƌƚŚĞĚĞĞƉĞƌŝŵƉůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ͘
• describe the world the trees embody.

Suggested Number of Sessions: 2

Session 1: Poem
Session 2: Comprehension exercises

Summary: The speaker is a tree asking a woodcutter why he is cutting it to the core, leaving it
vulnerable. It asks him to look at its leaves trembling, and to put his ear to its bark to hear its sap
muttering, perhaps in fear. It asks him why he wants to cut it down into logs for timber and brash to be
burnt as kindling. To let the cutter know what he is destroying, it tells him that it makes life, absorbs
rainwater, breaks down rocks, provides shade and keeps us cool by providing shade from the sun. It
keeps a record of time in terms of eons, it helps us to breathe and to know we are interdependent. It is
the whole world for creatures like butterflies and birds and takes much longer to grow than our cities
and countries. And yet, the woodcutter can cut it down in a few seconds. It asks the woodcutter if he
has heard it pleading its cause; if he or his employers have any feelings since they seem heartless in
cutting it down.

READING
Before You Read CT, COL, COM, AFL
A. Brainstorm:
• dŚŝƐƉŽĞŵŝƐĂďŽƵƚĂƚƌĞĞƚŚĂƚŝƐĂďŽƵƚƚŽďĞĐƵƚ͘ŽĞƐƚŚĞƟƚůĞŵĞĂŶ͕͚ĂǁŽŽĚĞŶŚĞĂƌƚ͛Žƌ͚ǁŽŽĚǁŝƚŚ
ŚĞĂƌƚ͍͛'ŝǀĞĂƌĞĂƐŽŶĨŽƌLJŽƵƌĐŚŽŝĐĞ͘
• tŚLJƐŚŽƵůĚǁĞƚŚŝŶŬƚŚĂƚƚƌĞĞƐŚĂǀĞĨĞĞůŝŶŐƐ͍
• tŚĂƚĚŽǁĞůŽƐĞŝŶůŽƐŝŶŐŽƵƌƚƌĞĞƐ͍
B. WĂŝƌtŽƌŬ
Guide students
• ƚŽůŽŽŬĂƚƚŚĞƉŝĐƚƵƌĞĐĂƌĞĨƵůůLJǁŝƚŚĂǀŝĞǁƚŽŝĚĞŶƟĨLJƚŚĞƐƉĞĐŝĮĐĂŶĚŵŝŶƵƚĞĚĞƚĂŝůƐ͘
• to focus on the other or peripheral details, given in the picture such as facial expressions, postures,
clothes and so on.
• to analyse the factors or causes which might have an impact on the details.
Note: You can aid students by asking questions. tŚĂƚĚŽLJŽƵƚŚŝŶŬƚŚĞƐĞǁŽŵĞŶĂƌĞĚŽŝŶŐ͍tŚĂƚĐŽƵůĚ
ƚŚĞƌĞĂƐŽŶďĞ͍ŽLJŽƵƚŚŝŶŬƚŚĞƌĞĂƐŽŶŝƐŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚƚŽƐŽĐŝĞƚLJ͍tŚLJ͍
Share your views with your partner.

21 C—CT:ƌŝƚŝĐĂůdŚŝŶŬŝŶŐ͖COL:ŽůůĂďŽƌĂƚŝŽŶ͖ COM: ŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ͖AFL: ƐƐĞƐƐŵĞŶƚ&Žƌ>ĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ

Understanding the Poem
Tell students that they are going to read a poem about trees. Ask students to do a silent reading of the
poem and underline words they do not know, vivid imagery, key themes, and any poetic devices they
notice. Elicit answers from students:
• ΎtŚŽĚŽLJŽƵƚŚŝŶŬŝƐďĞŝŶŐĂĚĚƌĞƐƐĞĚ͍LJǁŚŽŵ͍;ƚƌĞĞŝƐĂĚĚƌĞƐƐŝŶŐĂǁŽŽĚͲĐƵƩĞƌ͘Ϳ
• ,ŽǁĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞƚŚŝŶŬƚŚĞĐƵƩĞƌǁŽƵůĚĐƵƚŝƚ͍ (It thinks he would cut it crosswise across the base,
ĞdžƉŽƐŝŶŐŝƚƐǀĞƌLJĐŽƌĞͬĐĞŶƚƌĞ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞĂƐŬŝĨƚŚĞǁŽŽĚĐƵƩĞƌǁŝůůůĞĂǀĞŝƚŽƉĞŶͲŚĞĂƌƚĞĚ͍ (The tree wants him to know it
ĨĞĞůƐǀƵůŶĞƌĂďůĞǁŝƚŚŝƚƐŚĞĂƌƚĞdžƉŽƐĞĚ͖ũƵƐƚĂƐƚŚĞǁŽŽĚĐƵƩĞƌǁŽƵůĚĨĞĞůŝĨŚŝƐŚĞĂƌƚǁĂƐŽƉĞŶĂŶĚ
ĞdžƉŽƐĞĚ͘ͿtŚĂƚĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞǁĂŶƚƚŚĞĐƵƩĞƌƚŽĚŽďĞĨŽƌĞŚĞďĞŐŝŶƐƚŽĐƵƚŝƚ͍ (He wants him to listen
ƚŽŝƚƚŽŬŶŽǁŚŽǁŝƚĐŽƵůĚďĞĨĞĞůŝŶŐ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐŝƚƐƐĂƉŵƵƩĞƌ͕ŝƚƐŚĞĂƌƚďĞĂƚĂŶĚŝƚƐůĞĂǀĞƐƚƌĞŵďůĞ͍ (The tree could be responding in fear
ĂŶĚĂŶdžŝĞƚLJƚŽǁŚĂƚŝƐĂďŽƵƚƚŽŚĂƉƉĞŶ͘Ϳ
• ΎŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞŬŶŽǁǁŚĂƚŝƚǁŝůůďĞĐŽŵĞǁŚĞŶŝƚŝƐĐƵƚĚŽǁŶ͍;zĞƐ͕ŝƚŬŶŽǁƐŝƚǁŝůůďĞĐŽŵĞƟŵďĞƌĨŽƌ
ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐŚŽƵƐĞƐĂŶĚŬŝŶĚůŝŶŐĨŽƌǁŽŽĚͲĮƌĞƐ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐŝƚĂƐŬƚŚĞĐƵƩĞƌŝĨŚĞǁŝůůůĞĂǀĞŝƚĂƐŶŽƚŚŝŶŐ͍ (It wants him to know that he is destroying
ŝƚƐďĂƐŝĐďĞŝŶŐ͘ͿΎtŚŝĐŚǁŽƌůĚŝƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞƌĞĨĞƌƌŝŶŐƚŽ͍;dŚĞŶĂƚƵƌĂůǁŽƌůĚͿ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞĚĞƐĐƌŝďĞŝƚƐĞůĨĂƐĂŵĂŬĞƌŽĨůŝĨĞ͍;/ƚǁĂŶƚƐƚŽƐŚŽǁƚŚĞǁŽŽĚĐƵƩĞƌĂƐĂĚĞƐƚƌŽLJĞƌ
ŽĨůŝĨĞ͘ͿΎ,ŽǁŝƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞĂŐŝǀĞƌŽĨůŝĨĞ͍ (It absorbs the rain to grow branches and leaves that provide
ƵƐƐŚĂĚĞĨƌŽŵƚŚĞƐƵŶ͘/ƚďƌĞĂŬƐƌŽĐŬďLJƐƉƌĞĂĚŝŶŐŽƵƚŝƚƐƌŽŽƚƐ͘Ϳ
• Ύ,ŽǁŝƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞĂƟŵĞͲŬĞĞƉĞƌ͍ (The annual rings in the tree-trunk tell us how old it is and how the
ǁĞĂƚŚĞƌŚĂƐďĞĞŶĚƵƌŝŶŐĞĂĐŚLJĞĂƌŽĨŝƚƐůŝĨĞ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞƐĂLJŝƚŝƐƚŚĞďƌĞĂƚŚͲŐŝǀĞƌ͍ (It provides us with oxygen to live while absorbing
ĐĂƌďŽŶĚŝŽdžŝĚĞ͘Ϳ
• Ύ,ŽǁŝƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞĂĚĞĞƉͲƚŚŝŶŬĞƌ͍ (It thinks about the ecological balance. It enables us to think
ĂďŽƵƚŽƵƌĚĞƉĞŶĚĞŶĐĞŽŶEĂƚƵƌĞĨŽƌŽƵƌƐƵƌǀŝǀĂů͘ͿΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐŝƚĚĞƐĐƌŝďĞŝƚƐĞůĨĂƐĂĐŝƚLJ͕ĂĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͍
;&ŽƌĞƐƚƐĂƌĞŚŽŵĞƚŽŝŶƐĞĐƚƐĂŶĚĐƌĞĂƚƵƌĞƐďĞĐŽŵŝŶŐƚŚĞŝƌǁŽƌůĚĂŶĚŚĂďŝƚĂƚ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚĂƚŝƐƚŚĞĚŝīĞƌĞŶĐĞďĞƚǁĞĞŶŽƵƌĐŝƟĞƐĂŶĚĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐĂŶĚƚŚĞǁŽƌůĚŽĨEĂƚƵƌĞ͍ (The trees take
ĂŐĞƐƚŽŐƌŽǁǁŚĞŶĐŽŵƉĂƌĞĚƚŽƚŚĞŐƌŽǁƚŚŽĨĐŝƟĞƐĂŶĚĐŽƵŶƚƌŝĞƐĂŶĚůĂƐƚŵƵĐŚůŽŶŐĞƌ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞďƌŝŶŐŽƵƚƚŚĞĐŽŶƚƌĂƐƚďĞƚǁĞĞŶŝƚƐŐƌŽǁƚŚĂŶĚŝƚƐĚĞĂƚŚĂƚƚŚĞŚĂŶĚƐŽĨƚŚĞ
ĐƵƩĞƌ͍ (While it takes ages to grow, it can be destroyed within seconds with the modern tools for
ĐƵƫŶŐƚƌĞĞƐ͘/ƚǁĂŶƚƐƚŽƐŚŽǁƚŚĞĐƵƩĞƌƚŚĞǀĂŶĚĂůŝƐŵŝŶǀŽůǀĞĚŝŶŚŝƐĐƵƫŶŐ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚĂƚŝƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞƌĞĨĞƌƌŝŶŐƚŽĂƐƚŚĞĐƵƩĞƌ͛ƐŚĞĂƌƚǁŽŽĚ͍ (To the feelings of his heart; it wants to
ŬŶŽǁŝĨƚŚĞĐƵƩĞƌŚĂƐƚŚĞŚĞĂƌƚƚŽĐƵƚŝƚĂŌĞƌŚĞĂƌŝŶŐǁŚĂƚŝƚŚĂƐƐĂŝĚĂďŽƵƚŝƚƐĞůĨ͘Ϳ
• ΎtŚLJĚŽĞƐŝƚĂƐŬŚŝŵŝĨŚŝƐĞŵƉůŽLJĞƌƐŚĂǀĞĨĞĞůŝŶŐƐ͍ (It wonders how they could have sent him to cut
ŝƚĚŽǁŶŬŶŽǁŝŶŐƚŚĞLJĂƌĞŬŝůůŝŶŐƚƌĞĞƐƚŚĂƚƐƵƉƉŽƌƚŽƵƌĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͘Ϳ
Theme: Trees have life too!

Poetic devices
KƌŐĂŶŝƐĞƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐŝŶƚŽƐŵĂůůŐƌŽƵƉƐ;ϯʹϰůĞĂƌŶĞƌƐͿĂŶĚĂƐŬƚŚĞŵƚŽĨŝŶĚĞdžĂŵƉůĞƐƵŶĚĞƌŚĞĂĚŝŶŐƐ͗
Note: The information in the columns is only for the teacher’s reference.

Repetition Imagery Personification Metaphor

‘utter’: cutter-cutter-mutter- sŝƐƵĂů: The tree is shown as The tree is indirectly
flutter-cutter… utter - cutter city…country…world speaking like human compared to a world,
‘er: maker – breaker – keeper beings. cities and country.
^ŽƵŶĚ: cutter…
– giver mutter…flutter…crash
‘I am’
questions

* HOTS: ,ŝŐŚĞƌKƌĚĞƌdŚŝŶŬŝŶŐ^ŬŝůůƐ
Other poetic devices:
Apostrophe: The tree addresses the cutter directly as if speaking to him.
&ĂŵŝůŝĂƌǁŽƌĚƐǁŝƚŚŶĞǁůŝƚĞƌĂůŵĞĂŶŝŶŐƐ:
,ĞĂƌƚǁŽŽĚ — Wood with a heart in its core
KƉĞŶͲŚĞĂƌƚĞĚ — Heart open to abuse and hurt, vulnerable
EĞŽůŽŐŝƐŵƐ;hƐĞŽĨŶĞǁǁŽƌĚƐͬƉŚƌĂƐĞƐͿ͗ǀĞƌďнĞƌсŶŽƵŶĂƐŝŶĚƌŝŶŬĞƌ͕ĐĂƐƚĞƌ͕ĞĂƚĞƌ
hŶƵƐƵĂůĂĚĚƌĞƐƐĞƌʹĂĚĚƌĞƐƐĞĞƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐŚŝƉ: Addresser: Tree, Addressee : Cutter

Post-reading
ĐƚŝǀŝƚLJ
Work in groups.
• DĂŬĞƉŽƐƚĞƌƐĂŶĚĐŽůůĂŐĞƐǁŝƚŚƐƵŝƚĂďůĞĐĂƉƟŽŶƐĨŽƌ>Ğƚ͛Ɛ^ĂǀĞKƵƌdƌĞĞƐ͘
• ;KƉƟŽŶĂůͿ,ĂǀĞĂŶĞdžŚŝďŝƟŽŶ͘
• Tell the visitors why we should save our trees.
• Distribute seedlings, if possible.

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWER KEY

Heartwood
A. Answer the questions.
 tŚLJĚŽĞƐƚŚĞƚƌĞĞĂƐŬŝĨƚŚĞǁŽŽĚĐƵƚƚĞƌǁŝůůůĞĂǀĞŝƚŽƉĞŶͲŚĞĂƌƚĞĚ͍
Ans: The tree wants the woodcutter to know that it feels vulnerable with its heart exposed in the
same way as the woodcutter would feel if his heart was open and exposed.
B. Choose the correct option.
 ͚tŽƵůĚLJŽƵůĞĂǀĞŵĞŽƉĞŶͲŚĞĂƌƚĞĚ͍͛ What does the word ͚ŽƉĞŶоŚĞĂƌƚĞĚ͛ mean in context?
a. Kind, loving and honest
b. Wounded, damaged and open to pain
c. Kind, loving and generous
Ans: b
C. Think and answer.
1. Why does the tree’s sap mutter, its heart beat and its leaves tremble?
Ans: The tree could be responding in fear and anxiety to what is about to happen to it, namely the
felling of the tree.
2. How is the tree a giver of life?
Ans: It absorbs the rain to grow branches and leaves that provide us shade from the sun. It breaks
rock by spreading out its roots. It also provides oxygen to breathe.

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

Heartwood

Before You Read: &ƌĞĞƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ

Understanding the Poem

1. The speaker of this poem is a tree. The tree is addressing a woodcutter who has come to cut down
the tree.
2. In this context, the word ‘open-hearted’ means wounded: hurt and open to pain and damage.
3. a. The speaker asks the cutter to put his ear to the bark so that he can try to hear the soft sound of
the sap flowing inside the tree.
b. The speaker also requests the cutter to listen to the flutter of the tree’s leaves and try to imagine
the heartbeat of the tree.
c. In the third stanza, the speaker asks the cutter whether he would turn the living tree into
timber—if he would reduce the tree to a heap of logs and a pile of brash.
4. &ƌĞĞƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ
5. a. The speaker asks this question because she is not sure whether she has been able to
communicate her thoughts and worries to the cutter. It is a very important question—it is
important whether the cutter can or cannot hear the question—because only if he hears what
the tree has to say can he decide to not cut it down.
 ď͘ d ŽƌĞĂůůLJŚĞĂƌƚŚĞǁŽƌĚƐŽĨƚŚĞƐƉĞĂŬĞƌ;ƚŚĞƚƌĞĞͿ͕ƚŚĂƚŝƐ͕ƚŽƵŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚƚŚĞĐŽŶĐĞƌŶƐĂŶĚĨĞĂƌƐ
of the speaker, the cutter needs patience, kindness and imagination. He needs to stop and think
about how beneficial the tree is to different creatures; he needs to see and imagine how strong
and beautiful and important it is. Then only can he realise the things that the tree is saying and
decide to not cut the tree. He cannot actually hear the tree speak.

Appreciating the Poem

1. a. Yes, the poem suggests another meaning of the word ‘heartwood’—the very heart or life centre
of the tree. This meaning is similar to the usual meaning as both these meanings refer to the
inner part of the tree. It is different from the usual meaning as it suggests that the tree actually
has a beating heart and not just a hard, dense inside.
b. If the cutter has a kind and big heart, then he might have heartwood. If he is sensitive and
patient and soft-hearted, he might see the cruelty in cutting down the tree and decide to not fell
it, thus showing that he has heartwood, like the tree.
2.  ^ƵŐŐĞƐƚĞĚĂŶƐǁĞƌ;ĂĐĐĞƉƚĂŶLJůŽŐŝĐĂůĂŶƐǁĞƌͿ͗Apart from time-keeper, the other character
mentioned in stanza 5 that needs to be imagined rather than observed is deep-thinker. The
speaker calls herself a time-keeper because an old tree is witness to many changes over a long
period of time and thus keeps record of the time that has passed. She is a deep-thinker because
she can silently watch and think about and understand many things.
3. Two metaphors mentioned in the fifth stanza of the poem are ‘I am a city of butterflies’ and
͚;/ĂŵͿĂĐŽƵŶƚƌLJŽĨĐƌĞĂƚƵƌĞƐ͛͘
4. &ƌĞĞƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ
5. passionate; urgent

Going Further
1. &ƌĞĞƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ 2. &ƌĞĞƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ 3. &ƌĞĞƌĞƐƉŽŶƐĞ