Return To The Trees Flashcards
(15 cards)
Q1: What central themes are explored in the poem?
A: Aging, decline, time, mortality, resilience, acceptance, and the enduring power of nature and language.
Q2: What does the oak tree in “Senex, an oak” symbolize?
A: The oak represents strength, longevity, and the process of aging with dignity.
Q3: How does the sea-almond tree function as a metaphor?
A: It symbolizes resilience and endurance in old age, standing firm against natural forces—much like the aging poet himself.
Q4: What is the significance of the line “to decline like this tree”?
A: It reflects the poet’s desire to age naturally and with grace, returning to the rhythm of nature.
Q5: What literary figure is referenced in “the burly oak / of Boanerges Ben Jonson”?
A: Ben Jonson, the English poet and playwright, symbolizing poetic strength and a legacy of literary endurance.
Q6: What does the “felled almond” represent in the poem?
A: Vulnerability, physical decline, and the poet’s uncertainty about embracing old age fully.
Q7: What is the meaning of the phrase “metres like thunder”?
A: It suggests the poet’s wish to retain poetic power and authority even in old age.
Q8: How does “Mome Coco Mountain” function symbolically?
A: It symbolizes the constancy of nature amid daily change, mirroring the progression from youth to old age.
Q9: How does the poem reinterpret the color grey?
A: Grey evolves from a symbol of decline to one of clarity, peace, and inner strength—“a dull diamond” or “the heart at peace.”
Q10: What does the image of “the pillars of the temple resting on Samson’s palms” suggest?
A: It represents the effort and dignity in enduring life’s burdens, referencing Samson’s final act of strength.
Q11: Why does Walcott refer to Seneca as a “fabled bore”?
A: He finds Seneca’s Latin dense and difficult, paralleling the complex nature of aging and philosophical reflection.
Q12: What does “broken bark” symbolize when describing reading Seneca?
A: Fragmented understanding and the challenge of interpreting ancient wisdom—similar to making sense of old age.
Q13: What message is conveyed in the image of the almond tree going “under the sand… by centuries”?
A: The slow, inevitable burial of the self over time, and the gradual erosion—but endurance—of language and legacy.
Q14: How does the poem balance strength and vulnerability?
A: By showing that aging involves physical decline but also brings emotional and spiritual resilience.
Q15: What is the overall tone of the poem?
A: Reflective, dignified, and meditative, with a quiet acceptance of the natural cycle of life and aging.
