Loveliest of Trees the Cherry Now Explanation

 

STANZA -1

 

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now

Is hung with bloom along the bough,

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide

 

 

Explanation:-

 

In these verses, the poet shows his deep and unbounded love and fascination for the cherry tree. He holds that cherry is the loveliest tree, which is in full bloom and splendor, and its branches are laden with the attractive flowers. To poet, it appears that the cherry tree is standing along the way to forest /woods, wearing the white shining overcoat of snow to welcome the eve of Easter. The poet‟s praise for cherry garden and its fascinating surroundings reflects his love for nature. The cherry tree here also symbolizes the tree of life with its own spring and autumn i.e. life and death, mirth and dirge (Funeral song). The poet keeps up his hope of life through the inspiration of cherry tree, as it is said by Abignale:- “Every endless night… has a shinning day Every darkest sky…. Has a shinning rain” (Abignale) It is universal truth that every withered plant or thing has its hope preserved which comes to life through tragedy, but bringing life and a brand new day with the blossoming cherry in the wood world, creates a new sense and scene of cheerful life. In the winter season all the vegetation seems to be dead the tree are bare, the grass is brown, and all the flowers have disappeared. In March the climate changes often suddenly. The warm, moisture laden west wind prevails and the air becomes warm and mild. The flowers come out, the tree put forth new leaves and the grass becomes green.

 

STANZA- 2.

 

Now, of my three score years and ten, Twenty will not come again, And take from seventy springs a score, It only leaves me fifty more. Explanation: In these verses, the poet laments about his past life and its golden moments, and associates it with the spring season. The white glory of the cherry tree in bloom, reminds him of the springs of his lovely life, which has now become a history (past) for him. At the same moment, the cherry tree also symbolizes the shortness and uncertainty of human life in the form of spring and autumn season. Human life is as limited as that of a flower. The more it is beautiful and sweet smelling the sooner it is withered. Here in these verses, the poet also grieves that the early twenty years of his life will not bounce back. These early twenty years of poet‟s life were the years of youthful and tension free life and only fifty years of expected life are left behind, which are too short to enjoy the beauty of nature.

 

STANZA -3.

 

In this stanza, the poet reflects the shortness and uncertainty of human life, which is not long enough to enjoy the beauties of nature. That‟s why he says in brooding pessimism that fifty years are a little time to enjoy life in the recesses of nature. Like Wordsworth, the poet desires to take refuge in the beautiful and charming world of cherry and wants to escape from the gloomy and short world. He longs for an everlasting tour to woodland to enjoy the splendor of the blooming cherry trees.

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