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They Have Cut Down The Pines

Poem explanation

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Saleh hayat
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3K views5 pages

They Have Cut Down The Pines

Poem explanation

Uploaded by

Saleh hayat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Here is a line-by-line explanation of "They Have Cut Down the Pines" by Mary Lisle with key insights and

literary devices.

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Stanza 1

“They have cut down the pines where they stood;

The wind will miss them — the rain,

When its silver blind is down.

They have stripped the bark from the wood —”

Explanation: The speaker opens with sorrow over the destruction of the pines. The wind and rain are
personified to express the loss felt in nature, suggesting that the trees played an important role in the
ecosystem. The "silver blind" refers to rain falling like a curtain, emphasizing the natural beauty now
gone.

Figures of Speech:

Personification: Wind and rain are given human emotions.

Imagery: Visual of the bark being stripped creates a sense of cruelty.

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Stanza 2
“The needy boughs, and the brown

Knobby nuts trod into the ground.

The kind and friendly trees,

Where all day small winds sound,”

Explanation: The trees are described as "needy" and "friendly," implying that they provided shelter and
support for creatures. The nuts crushed underfoot symbolize thoughtless destruction. The gentle winds
that once stirred the branches reflect the tranquility now lost.

Figures of Speech:

Personification: Trees are described as "kind and friendly."

Alliteration: The phrase "needy boughs" emphasizes the sad state of the branches after the trees were
cut.

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Stanza 3

“And all day long the sun

Plays hide and seek with shadows

Till the multiplying shadows turn to one

And the night is here.”


Explanation: This stanza portrays the passing of the day through a playful metaphor of the sun and
shadows engaging in hide-and-seek. As night falls, the shadows merge, symbolizing the encroachment of
darkness and loss after the trees are gone.

Figures of Speech:

Metaphor: The sun "playing hide and seek" conveys the fleeting nature of daylight.

Symbolism: Shadows represent the increasing presence of loss and darkness.

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Stanza 4

“They have cut down the trees and ended now

The gentle colloquy of bough and bough.

They are making a fence by the creek,

And have cut down the pines for the posts.”

Explanation: The speaker mourns the loss of the "conversation" between the tree branches, using
personification to suggest the natural harmony that is now disrupted. The trees are reduced to mere
fence posts, underscoring human disregard for nature's beauty.

Figures of Speech:

Personification: "Colloquy of bough and bough" depicts the branches as engaging in a conversation.
Irony: The majestic trees are destroyed to make something as mundane as a fence.

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Stanza 5

“Wan in the sunlight for ghost

The naked trunks lie.

A bird nested there — it will seek

In vain: they have cut down the pines.”

Explanation: The remaining tree trunks are compared to ghosts, symbolizing the death of nature. A bird,
which once nested in the pines, is now displaced, representing the far-reaching consequences of
deforestation.

Figures of Speech:

Metaphor: Comparing the trunks to ghosts emphasizes the lifelessness left behind.

Tone: The tone here is melancholic, reflecting the irreparable damage caused by human actions.

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This poem captures both emotional and ecological themes, using vivid imagery and personification to
convey the impact of deforestation. For more details, you can refer to these sources: and .

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