The Laburnum Top 11
“The Laburnum Top”
by Ted Hughes,
Poem: The Laburnum Top – Ted Hughes
Word Meanings
| Word / Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Laburnum | A small tree with yellow flowers and poisonous seeds |
| Silent, quite still | Very quiet and unmoving |
| Yellow September sunlight | Golden light of the autumn afternoon |
| Yellowing | Turning yellow (leaves) |
| Goldfinch | A small bird with yellow feathers |
| Twitching chirrup | Quick, soft bird sounds |
| Startlement | Sudden surprise |
| Sleek as a lizard | Smooth and quick like a lizard |
| Abrupt | Sudden and unexpected |
| Thickness | Dense part of the tree |
| Machine starts up | Tree becomes lively like a machine |
| Chitterings | Rapid, repetitive bird sounds |
| Tremor of wings | Shaking or fluttering of wings |
| Trillings | High-pitched musical bird sounds |
| Stokes it full | Feeds her babies (like stoking a fire) |
| Flirts out | Moves out lightly and quickly |
| Barred face identity mask | Facial markings of the bird (like a mask) |
| Eerie | Strange and mysterious |
| Whistle-chirrup whisperings | Soft whistling and chirping sounds |
| Infinite | Endless sky or space |
| Subsides | Becomes calm and quiet again |
Line-by-Line Explanation (in Simple English)
-
"The Laburnum top is silent, quite still"
– The tree is completely quiet and motionless. -
"In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,"
– It is a peaceful afternoon in September, with soft yellow sunlight. -
"A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen."
– Some of the tree’s leaves are turning yellow, and all the seeds have dropped. -
"Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup"
– Suddenly, a small goldfinch bird arrives, making a soft chirping sound. -
"A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end."
– Her arrival surprises the tree, as she lands suddenly on a branch. -
"Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,"
– She moves smoothly and quickly like a lizard, very alert and fast. -
"She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up"
– She goes into the thick part of the tree, and suddenly the tree becomes full of activity, like a machine starting. -
"Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings —"
– Sounds of baby birds chirping, wings flapping, and musical noises fill the tree. -
"The whole tree trembles and thrills."
– The tree shakes with life and excitement. -
"It is the engine of her family."
– The tree becomes the center (engine) where her family (baby birds) live and grow. -
"She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end"
– She feeds the baby birds, then quickly moves to the end of a branch. -
"Showing her barred face identity mask"
– Her face has distinct markings, like a mask, showing who she is. -
"Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings"
– She makes soft, mysterious whistling and chirping sounds. -
"She launches away, towards the infinite"
– Then she flies away into the endless sky. -
"And the laburnum subsides to empty."
– The tree becomes quiet and still again.
Summary
The poem describes a quiet laburnum tree in September. The tree looks lifeless with yellowing leaves and fallen seeds. Then a goldfinch bird arrives and suddenly brings life to the tree. She enters the tree quickly and feeds her young ones. The tree becomes noisy and active, full of chirps and fluttering wings.
The poet compares the lively tree to a machine starting up. Once the bird finishes feeding and flies away, the tree becomes silent again. The poem shows how a small creature like a bird can fill the whole tree with life and energy.
Central Idea (Main Theme)
The poem highlights the interconnectedness of nature. The laburnum tree is lifeless until the goldfinch arrives. Her presence brings energy, movement, and sound to the tree. Once she leaves, the tree becomes silent again. It shows how even a small act of nature (a bird’s visit) can change the atmosphere entirely.
Figures of Speech
| Figure of Speech | Example | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Alliteration | "September sunlight", "tree trembles and thrills" | Repetition of consonant sounds |
| Simile | "Sleek as a lizard" | Comparing bird’s movement to a lizard |
| Personification | "The whole tree trembles and thrills" | The tree is given human-like qualities |
| Metaphor | "It is the engine of her family" | The tree is compared to a machine |
| Imagery | "Yellow September sunlight", "eerie delicate whistle" | Creates a vivid picture in the reader’s mind |
| Onomatopoeia | "Chirrup", "chitterings", "trillings" | Words that imitate actual bird sounds |
Questions and Answers
1. What does the poem describe at the beginning?
Ans: The poem begins by describing a quiet and still laburnum tree in September, with yellowing leaves and fallen seeds.
2. How does the goldfinch bring the tree to life?
Ans: The goldfinch enters the tree suddenly, makes chirping sounds, and feeds her babies. This fills the tree with movement, sound, and life.
3. What is meant by "It is the engine of her family"?
Ans: This metaphor means that the tree acts like a machine, providing shelter and energy (life) for the goldfinch’s family.
4. What happens after the goldfinch flies away?
Ans: After the bird flies away, the tree becomes silent and still again.
5. What does the poem tell us about nature?
Ans: The poem shows that nature is full of life and energy, and even small creatures like birds can bring great liveliness to it.
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