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My Own True Family

---Edward James Hughes

Source: Meet My Folks

Substance and Summary: Once the poet (Edward James Hughes) entered into an oak wood in quest of a stag (male deer). Suddenly an old woman appeared before him and told him that she had his secret in her bag.  She began to cackle and the poet started to quake. Then she opened her bag. The poet found himself to be surrounded by a staring tree-tribe and he was tied to a stake. They told the poet that they were oak trees, his true family. They were chopped down and torn up (cut into pieces) but the poet did not bother about that (didn’t blink an eye). They made the poet promise to plant two oak trees if one was cut down. Being an integral part of nature, they (Man and Trees) should struggle together for their survival. Standing under the shade of the oak tree, the poet has this dream which brings a radical change in the poet’s mind. He comes again in the human locality with a childish faith and companionship for the green trees.

§  What is the theme of the poem?

The theme of the poem is that we have an intimate relationship with nature and that is why they should be protected for the sake of the environment.

§  Describe the appearance of the old woman./ How did the old woman appear?

The old woman appears in ragged attire with a lumpy stick in hand.

§  Why did the poet shiver?

When the old woman laughed queerly & uttered something in a high-pitched voice, the poet started to shiver in fear.

§  How was the poet treated in the oak wood?

The poet was encircled and tied to a post by the tree-tribe. He was made to promise by them with a life-threat.

§  What, according to the poet, is the reaction when a tree is cut down?

According to the trees, the poet is not bothered, when a tree is cut down.

§  What will happen if the poet does not swear to plant trees?

If the poet does not swear to plant trees, the black bark of oak will wrinkle over him and he will be rooted among the oak trees.       

§  What was the effect of the dream on the poet?

The dream, the poet had, brought a radical change in the poet’s mind.

§  What happened to the poet’s heart when he came out of the oak wood?

When the poet came out of the wood, his heart became the heart of a tree.

§  Where did the poet enter?

§  In what manner/How did the poet enter into the oak wood?

§  Why did the poet enter into the oak wood?

§  What was the poet doing in the wood?

§  Whom did the poet meet in the oak wood?

§  What did the old woman tell the poet?

§  What was the tribe of?

§  How is the poet related to the tree-tribe, according to the oak trees?

§  What did the tree tribe ask the poet to swear?

§  Where according to the tree-tribe, was the poet born?

§  Where did the poet have a dream?

§  When did the poet get again the company of the human being?

Word-meanings:

Crept: হামাগুড়ি দেওয়া।

Stag:হরিন।      

Wrinkle(v): ভাঁজ করে ফেলা।

Knobby: টোলতে টোলতে।

Rag: ছিন্ন্য কম্বল।

Cackle: হাঁস, মুরগির আওয়াজ করা।        

Root(v): বদ্ধমূল করে ফেলা।

Quake:কাঁপা।lumpy:টুকরো

Surrounded: পরিবেষ্ঠিত থাকা।

Tribe: জাতি, এখানে ওক গাছ।

Stake: খুঁটি বা গোঁজ।

Torn up: ছিড়ে যাওয়া, এখানে টুকরো হয়া।

Blink: ছোখ পিট পিট করা।

Swear সপথকরা

Bark: গাছের বাকল