11th Eng Poem-2 The Laburnum top by Ted Hughes ( HORNBILL) Introduction, Summary, Message, Theme POETRY SECTION

. The Laburnum Top -Ted Hughes

I. Introduction to the Poem

This short poem just depicts a scene in the wilderness. Labernum tree stands there, silent and still. It has a nest built on it. The little mother bird goidfinch arrives to meet and feed her young ones. Sitting at one end of a branch, it gives a signal sound. The young ones recognise their mother's voice and start chirping together like some engine. The bird, alert and swift. makes her way to the nest. When the purpose of her visit to meet and feed the little ones is accomplished, she flies away. This is how the cycle of life and multiplication goes on in nature. It is all instinctive. The mother bird makes her nest amongst the thick leaves of a tree. It brings up her chicks until they are strong enough to fly and find their food on their own.

II. Complete Summary

The laburnum tree top is silent and motionless. On a September afternoon, the golden sunlight is spread on it. The few leaves left on the tree are turning yellow in autumn. All the seeds have already fallen to the ground.

But the silence is broken with this arrival of a small singing mother bird goldfinch. She has returned to meet and feed her young chicks. It makes a jerky chirping sound from the branch end. The mother's arrival creates a sudden stir and noise that startles the silence spread all around. The little young ones are there in a nest.

The little bird has a smooth and shiny body as that of a lizard. She is extremely watchful and swift. The nest is built securely. The bird enters thick bunch of leaves and twigs. And at once the tree comes alive like a noisy machine or engine. It is the engine of her little ones. They too start chirruping in excitement. They flap their little wings and put up a confusing noise.

It is the mother bird who creates all such noise to high pitch. Then having fed her chicks, she flies out of the nest to a branch. Her face bears strips which are its identity marks, a sort of mask on her face.

The purpose of her visit is fulfilled. The bird once again flies away towards some unknown place, far away. Silence as usual returns to the little tree again.

Message -The poem conveys an important message that children should never be restricted from their free thoughts and wishes. It becomes the responsibility of the parents to bring up their children in that their decisions are respected and must not hold their grudge from childhood.

Theme The Laburnum tree and the goldfinches depict the symbol of life and fluctuations. The poet wants to convey the importance of living with each other. The tree's life was seemingly dull and inanimate, but the goldfinch's arrival makes it meaningful and worth living. It is a kind of mutualism that exists between the two.

Poem -1

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