Analysis of The Poem Entitled Trees by Joyce Kilmer using TPCASTT

Trees

Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.


The analysis by using TPCASTT:

1. Title: In this poem with the title "trees", I think that this poem will tell about trees that might be related to life.

2. Paraphrase:

I don't think I'll ever see
A poem as beautiful as a tree.

A tree whose mouth is always hungry, like a baby
Against the flowing breast of the beautiful soil;

A tree that spends the entire day staring at God,
and its leafy stems resemble the hands of a prayer;

In the summer, a tree can be a good place to live
for robins to place their nests in trees;

As well as the snow that falls on the tree's chest;
who has a close relationship with the rain.

Only poetry can be made by a fool like me,
and only God can create everything.

3. Connotation:

    Poetic devices used in this poem:

1. Simile

            A poem lovely as a tree. (line 2)

    There is a comparison that uses the word 'as' between "a poem" and "a tree". This implies that no poem can compare to the beauty of a tree.

2. Personification

            A tree whose hungry mouth is prest (line 3)

    In this line there is a phrase "hungry mouth" which indicates that this tree is acting like a human being.

3. Metaphor

            A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

            Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; (line 3-4)

    This stanza has two metaphors. In the first line, the word "a tree" refers to "a baby" because like a baby whose mouth is always hungry, and this statement is emphasized in the second line.

    In the second line, the expression "the sweet earth's flowing breast" implies that the earth here is like a mother who breastfeeds her baby.

4. Personification
            A tree that looks at God all day,
            And lifts her leafy arms to pray; (line 5-6)
    The statements "looks at God all day" in the first line and "leafy arms to pray" in the second line are personifications in this stanza. The sentence shows that the trees act like a human.

5. Metaphor
            A nest of robins in her hair; (line 8)
    "Hair" refers to lush leaves on the tree.

6. Simile
            Poems are made by fools like me, (line 11)
    The use of the word 'like' in this sentence shows the similarity between "fools" and "me".

    Rhyme scheme: This poem consists of six stanzas, where each stanza contains two rhyming lines (couplet rhymes).
AA BB CC DD EE AA

4. Attitude:

• At the beginning of the poem tone is light-hearted.
• Uses a lot of connotative meaning in it.
• "A tree whose hungry mouth is prest, Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; (line 3-4)" in this line "tree" is like "a baby", it is strengthened by the statement of the mouth that is always hungry for "the sweet earth's flowing breast" which here refers to "mother of earth".

5. Shift:
    Shift in setting:
        A tree that may in summer wear
        A nest of robins in her hair; (line 7-8)
    In the seventh line shows the setting during the summer, where robins live in the trees that season.

        Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
        Who intimately lives with rain. (line 9-10)
    Then in the next stanza there is a change of setting from the winter season, then in the tenth line is the rainy season.

6. Title (again):
        This poetry is almost exactly what I predicted. This poem is about the beauty of nature, especially trees, as well as God, the creator. One of the most beautiful creations of God are trees. "Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. (line 11-12)" this stanza emphasizes that God's creations are far more perfect than anything man can do.

7. Theme:

• God's existence and power over his creation.
• Trees are bigger and more beautiful than even the most beautiful poetry.
• No one can compare to God's creation.