When Great Tree Fall: Line by Line Explanation ICSE Class 10 English Poem. The Line by line explanation of any poem provides a clear view about theme as well as Summary. It also help the answering in extract question and MCQs in more easily way. Visit official website CISCE for detail information about ICSE Board Class- 10 English.
When Great Tree Fall: Line by Line Explanation ICSE Class 10 English Poem
| Board | ICSE |
| Class | 10th |
| Subject | English |
| Book Name | Treasure Chest (Poem) |
| Ch-2 | When Great Tree Fall |
| Writer | Maya Angelou |
| Topic | Line by Line Explanation |
| Session | 2024-25 |
Line by Line Explanation of the Poem – When Great Tree Fall
For better grasping the poem “When Great Tree Fall” The hint of lines taken from poem is given before explanation. The word meaning of tough word is also given before each line of poem to understand clearly.
When great tree …. … .. distant hills shudder
Explanation: The speaker comparing the effect of a great person’s death with the huge shaking of the earth when an ancient trees come crashing down in a forest. It suggests the death sends sudden disturbance that echoes through the natural world routine.as solid bedrock on distant hills trembling in response.
lions hunker down in tall grasses
Explanation: In this line speaker clearly imagine that powerful lions simply hide himself in tall grasses with fear, reacting to the great tree falling.
and even elephants lumber after safety.
Explanation: poet compare more effect on falling that elephants, which is greater in size and stability are imagined lumbering urgently to safety. This showing just how tremendous impactful the death of a great soul across the natural world.
When great tree fall in forest
Explanation: Again comparing when a great soul / person die in our society
small things recoil into silence,
Explanation: As per poet the small creatures become silent and still in fear due to such sudden loss of falling great tree in the forest showing that all are shocked and sad.
their senses eroded beyond fear.
Explanation: poet describe here severe effect in all around. He tells that their senses stop the working or slow down for a while with great fear
When great souls die,
Explanation: Now poet directly tells (not compare with great tree) that when a great person / our beloved die.
the air around us …. … , rare, sterile
Explanation: the speaker describes the feeling that the very air around us suddenly seems lighter, but in a negative way – no vibrant but rare and sterile (dim), drained of spirit. This line express the sense of grief in isolation.
We breathe, briefly …. …. hurtful clarity.
Explanation: Here “briefly” suggests the difficulty getting through each moment in the immediate loss. Breathing feels unrest and vision blurred and darkened expressing the feeling of function unusual.
Our memory, suddenly …. … never taken
Explanation: Now poet describe that grief and sorrow disappearing and happiness again appearing by passage of time. kind words never uttered or walks never taken together. The pain of “what-ifs” and regrets memory at us.
Great souls die ….. …. leave of us
Explanation: In these line poet describe whenever a great person die, our very sense of reality that was connected to them disappears, unmooring us and leaving us without bond in their absence.
Our souls, dependent …. .. shrink, wizened
Explanation: Here poet describes the feeling of our very souls becoming shrink , diminished and dried without the eye and care of the great beloved which we’ve lost.
Our minds, formed … …. radiance, fall away
Explanation: The poet describe that our thinking became diminished and contract without suggestion and guidance of our great soul .
We are not so much … ….. , cold caves
Explanation: In these line poet describe although we did not become totally mad but attain a darkness in our bright life due to sudden death.
And when great souls die, after a period …. …… …. always irregularly
Explanation: speaker indicates that in passing of time, peace and healing can gradually fill up again after the initial loss and damage. But the process is always slow and irregular.
Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration
Explanation: poet clearly tells that sorrow and grief minimize while happy and energy maximize with comfort like a patient feels better after electric shock induced.
Our senses, restored, never to be the same, whisper to us
Explanation: Speaker describe that senses and body function again attain in harmony with more perceiving capacity as they whisper to us.
They existed. ….. …… ….. be better. For they existed
Explanation: pressurize and repeating word ” they existed” that we can again be feel as earlier even better
: End of When Great Tree Fall: Line by Line Explanation :–
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