Don’t Cut Down the Trees Brother Woodcutter

1. Literal Comprehension

           In the poem ‘Don’t Cut Down the Trees Brother Woodcutter’, the poet asks the brother woodcutter not to out the trees because those are our dead mother. They protect us from the sun, rain, and let us sit on their lap. They make us take one step at a time, carrying us in their bending arms to lift us onto the shoulders. Letting us suckle from breasts filled with fruits and flowers. They kiss our brows with the leafy lips, sigh for us and ooze sap as they weep. But they cannot speak to us so do not cut the trees.

          During wintertime when all people are gathered inside the house, sitting around the fires, singing and talking, then we go and lie under our warm quilts and sleep soundly. Outside the house, trees have their heads covered in a veil of white frost. The heads are bowing from dozing off. They spend their life dreaming about our sunshine childhoods. Hear us singing the songs they taught us to bless our laughter all the time and always love us. But they cannot pour their inner thoughts to us so they wait for winter to end. As soon as spring comes, they spread their arms; do not cut down the trees.

2. Interpretation

         Through this poem ‘Don’t Cut Down the Trees Brother Woodcutter’, the poet is putting emphasis on deforestation. These days’ people are cutting down trees and the environment is degrading so rapidly. That through this poem the poet is pleading others to conserve nature and trees.

         On the other hand, the poet also might be satirical to the materialistic people who only think since humans are the superior being only their needs and want need to be catered and these people do anything to fulfill that.

         Through the use of words like brothers and mothers in the poem, the poet might be trying to connect emotionally with his readers to make them realize the real importance of the trees.

         The poem is also trying to tell us to enjoy nature, the things that it provides is only for us, so enjoy it freely.

3. Critical thinking

        The poem written by Sama raises the amazing topic to stop cutting down the trees but I have some question, they are:

• How wise is it asking the woodcutter not to cut down the stress without showing any other alternative since it’s his only job?
• The poet himself says that the trees cannot speak then how can he hear and understand all those feelings about the trees?
• If the poet wants to connect to his readers emotionally, why not just say mother? Doesn’t say dead mother makes the idea go to another direction?  

4. Assimilation

The poem is a message to make today’s generation realize the importance of trees. They need to know that what we are using the trees for isn’t its proper use. And there can be more than that. It made me realize how much less I have been taking care of the natural things around me. And especially when everything I need I take from nature.