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Name of the learner: ……………………………………………

Sub: English Topic: Grade: V
Meanings:

Line by line explanation

Stanza 1:
The poet calls the cherry tree as the most beautiful tree he has ever seen. The cherry tree
looks splendid with white blossoms hanging from the branches of the tree. The cherry tree
is in full bloom in the days of Easter. The tree is covered with white flowers and appears to
wear a white dress. The tree is on a woodland ride, a path meant for a horse.

Stanza 2: The poet calculates the average life of an individual, which is seventy years. The
poet is a twenty year old man, and has only fifty springs in hand. He regrets that fifty springs
are not enough for him to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful cherry blossom. This stanza
also highlights the fleeting nature of time. We are mortals and therefore he feels that we
have limited time to appreciate the most beautiful cherry tree. Time on earth is limited and
therefore it is wise to live your life to the fullest because death will come sooner or later.

Stanza 3: In this stanza, the poet says that he has only fifty more springs to appreciate the
beauty of the cherry tree. Fifty springs refers to fifty years which he has in hand, because he
predicts that he will live around 70 years approximately. He decides to go to the forest to
see the cherry tree covered in white blossoms.

Theme:
The theme of the poem is the brevity(shortness) of human life. It also has themes of nature,
death, and life. The cherry tree is a metaphor. It stands for human life which is temporary.

Meanings:

Hung with- full of

Bloom- blossom
Woodland ride-The path supposed for horse riding
Bough- branch
Easter- a religious festival of the Christians
Threescore- sixty (Threescore +ten=70 years)

Nilanjana sarkar | NELISCREATION
Copyright: All the materials on these pages are free for you to download and copy for educational use only. You may not
redistribute, sell or place these materials on any other platform without written permission from Neliscreation.
 Neliscreation-The Heart Of Perfect Learning
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1. Why does the poet call it ‘loveliest of trees’?
The title of the poem, 'Loveliest of Trees' refers to the cherry trees that appear to the
speaker as the most pleasant to look at.

2. What does the cherry tree symbolize in the poem?

The cherry tree stands for the impermanence of human life. It highlights that nothing is
permanent in this world and everything will eventually be destroyed or disappear with time.

3. When does the cherry tree bloom and how does it look?
The cherry tree blooms in the spring season and it looks white as it is covered with white
flowers.

4. How does the cherry tree add to the glory of the Easter?
Cherry is in full bloom in the Easter season. It looks to be dressed up for Easter. In Easter
people wear white clothes that symbolises purity. The cherry tree is covered with white
flowers.

5. What does the poet mean by ‘threescore years and ten’?

According to the Bible, a man lives about seventy years in this world. The poet is referring to
this age. Three score and ten is equal to seventy years.

“And since to look at things in bloom

Fifty……cherry hung”

a. Describe the beauty of the cherry tree as described.

b. What does the poet wish from the given stanza?
c. Which is your favourite tree and why?
d. Identify the figure of speech “Wearing white for Easter tide.”

But Solemn and sad in his square face

….foreign language below”
a. Where is the statue sitting?
b. How were the hands of the statue carved?
c. What do you think is the age of the narrator?
d. Identify the figure of speech “Sits a stone gentleman with a stone face.”

The narrator is a child with a strong sense of imagination. He imagines the statue pointing
towards him. The narrator is in awe of the statue, which perhaps is not possible with an
adult. Being a child he doesn’t know the identity of the statue , and is sure that he is a great
personality.

Nilanjana sarkar | NELISCREATION
Copyright: All the materials on these pages are free for you to download and copy for educational use only. You may not
redistribute, sell or place these materials on any other platform without written permission from Neliscreation.
 Neliscreation-The Heart Of Perfect Learning
Online Educational Hub

Nilanjana sarkar | NELISCREATION
Copyright: All the materials on these pages are free for you to download and copy for educational use only. You may not
redistribute, sell or place these materials on any other platform without written permission from Neliscreation.