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SAI International School
Class IX- English
Chapter – On Killing a Tree
Lesson Notes

About the Author

Gieve Patel (born 18 August 1940 is an
Indian poet, playwright, painter, as well
as a practicing physician. He belongs to a

group of writers who have subscribed
themselves to the 'Green Movement'
which is involved in an effort to protect

the environment. His poems speak of
deep concerns for nature and expose
man's cruelty to it. His works include
poems, How Do You

Withstand (1966), Body (1976) and Mirrored Mirroring (1991). He has
also written three plays, Titled Princess, Savaska and Mr. Behram.

Patel was born in 1940 in Mumbai. His parents were from a small
village called Nargol in southern Gujarat His father was a dentist and
his mother was the daughter of a doctor. He was educated at St.

Xavier's High School and Grant Medical College, Mumbai. He lives in
Mumbai where he is a general practitioner.

Theme

‘On Killing a Tree’ is a scathing criticism of human callousness and
cruelty in chopping down trees for agriculture, urbanization and

industrialization. Apparently the poem reads like a ‘how to do’ manual
of killing a tree but actually, it is a passionate appeal not to cut trees.
The poem also applauds the sturdiness and resilience of trees in that

they take all kinds of attacks and wounds in their stride but refuse to
die. They may be wounded, scarred or maimed, but they bounce back