"Suddenly the Tree" by Keki Daruwalla is a reflective and symbolic poem about nature, destruction, and renewal. It portrays the transformation of a peaceful beehive into a scene of chaos due to human intervention. The poem touches upon deeper themes of displacement, transience, and the complex interplay between humans and the natural world.
The hive slept like Argus
its thousand eyes covered with bees.
The light as it fell through the neem tree
was a marine light, in which
yellow moths set sail
from one perforated shadow to another.
The hive was mystic,
a drugged mantra
with its dark syllables asleep.
As the afternoon wore on
the honey-thieves came
and smoked the bees out
and carved out a honey-laden
crescent for themselves
and left a lump of pocked wax behind.
The bees roamed the house,
too bewildered to sting the children.
At night they slept, clinging
to the tree fork, now scarred with burns.
Sparrows and squirrels, a bird
with a black crest and a red half-moon
for an eyelid bickered over
the waxed remains the next day.
Then with a drone of straining engines
the bees rose like a swarm of passions
from a dying heart, and left.
Quick Facts about "Suddenly the Tree"
| Poet | Keki Daruwalla |
| Published In | The Glass-Blower: Selected Poems |
| Subject | Nature, Change, Human Impact |
| Rhyming Scheme | None (Free Verse) |
| Meter | Irregular, free-flowing lines |
| Tone | Reflective, Somber, Observational |
| Point of View | Third-person |
| Type of Poem | Free Verse, Nature Poem |
| Mood | Melancholic, Restless |
| Imagery | Vivid natural imagery, bees, light, and destruction |
| Symbolism | Beehive as life, bees as passions, displacement |
| Allusions | Reference to Argus, Greek mythology |
Summary of "Suddenly the Tree"
In the poem, the beehive is initially depicted as resting in a tranquil state, with the bees cloaked in peace under the light that filters through the neem tree. This peace, however, is disrupted by honey-thieves, who forcibly smoke the bees out of their hive to steal the honey. What remains is a broken and scarred environment: the hive is now a shell of its former self, with only leftover wax and charred burns.
The bees, now displaced, move around the house in a dazed and confused state. At night, they cling to the tree fork that has been burnt by the thieves. The following day, smaller creatures like sparrows and squirrels squabble over the remaining wax, symbolizing how quickly nature adapts to new situations. By the end, the bees, overwhelmed by their loss, rise into the sky like "passions from a dying heart," leaving behind their home forever.
Themes in "Suddenly the Tree"
- 1. Human Intervention and Nature: The poem explores the consequences of human actions on natural environments. The honey-thieves represent humanity's greed, disrupting the harmony of the beehive.
- 2. Displacement and Loss: The bees' confusion after being forced from their hive reflects the theme of displacement, showing the effects of destruction on both individuals and ecosystems.
- 3. Transience and Change: The impermanence of life is a central theme, as the beehive goes from a place of peace to a scene of chaos. The bees' departure signifies the inevitable change in all things.
- 4. Survival and Adaptation: Despite the destruction, other animals quickly take advantage of the remains, demonstrating nature’s ability to adapt and survive in new circumstances.
Critical Analysis of "Suddenly the Tree"
"Suddenly the Tree" by Keki Daruwalla delves into the transient nature of life and the irreversible consequences of human impact on nature. The beehive, which starts as a symbol of natural harmony and balance, is disrupted by the honey-thieves, a metaphor for human greed. This destruction leaves the bees confused and powerless, highlighting how even the smallest acts of interference can have large-scale effects.
The bees' bewilderment and inability to sting the children symbolize their loss of power in the face of this destruction. Nature, which once thrived peacefully, becomes a battleground for survival as smaller creatures begin to squabble over the remains of the hive. This scene illustrates the ongoing cycle of life and death within nature, where survival often comes at the cost of others.
The final image of the bees leaving their hive suggests an emotional depth, likened to the "passions of a dying heart." This metaphor emphasizes that the loss is not just physical but emotional, as the bees lose not only their home but their sense of purpose and direction. The poem, therefore, speaks to the fragility of both nature and human emotions, revealing the deep connections between the two.
Literary Devices in "Suddenly the Tree"
- Metaphor: The beehive is compared to Argus, symbolizing vigilance and the multifaceted nature of life. The bees’ departure is likened to the emotional release of a dying heart.
- Imagery: Vivid descriptions such as the light falling through the neem tree and the bees clinging to the burnt tree fork help create a strong visual image of both harmony and destruction.
- Personification: The bees are given human-like qualities of confusion and sorrow, adding depth to their portrayal and emphasizing their vulnerability.
- Allusion: The reference to Argus, a figure from Greek mythology, adds layers of meaning to the poem’s depiction of the hive, suggesting vigilance and omniscience before the fall.
Sound Devices in "Suddenly the Tree"
- Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds, such as "smoked the bees out," adds to the rhythm and pace of the poem, emphasizing the tension and activity.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds, like in "honey-laden" and "scarred with burns," creates a melodic quality and helps evoke the sensations described in the poem.
- Consonance: Repeated consonant sounds, particularly in "drone of straining engines," mirror the buzzing and humming of the bees, adding an auditory element to the scene.
- Onomatopoeia: The word "drone" imitates the sound of the bees, further enhancing the auditory imagery of the poem.
Stylistic Analysis of "Suddenly the Tree"
Daruwalla’s style in "Suddenly the Tree" is characterized by free verse and a focus on visual and auditory imagery. The poem does not follow a fixed rhyme scheme or meter, which mirrors the natural flow of events. The use of enjambment creates a fluid, uninterrupted progression of ideas, much like the unbroken flow of time and change in the natural world.
Through his minimalist and precise language, Daruwalla evokes deep emotional responses without resorting to overt sentimentality. The hive, bees, and other elements of nature are described with a kind of reverence that gradually gives way to sorrow and loss. The poem’s structure, moving from calmness to destruction and finally to departure, reflects the inevitable cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
The balance between destruction and renewal is a key stylistic element. While the bees experience loss, the world around them quickly adapts and moves forward,