Summaries

The Poplar Field - W.
COWPER
Summary
William Cowper gave up his public career for a life of retirement in rural area and
exclusively, devoted his later life in writing poetry. His love towards nature in rural life is
also visible in the poem “The Poplar Field”, which is remarkable for his celebration for
the rural and nostalgic tone.
The poem is a result of the poet’s second visit to the same landscape, which he had
visited 12 years ago. It was the bank of river Ouse, which was filled with tall poplar trees.
It provided shade to the poet. There used to blow cool breeze and the melodious song of
black birds which had entertained the poet. But now the trees are cut and are fallen on the
ground. It cannot provide shade to anyone nor there is cool breeze blowing. The black
birds have flown away in search of new shelter and therefore, the poet cannot listen to
their sweet songs anymore. By looking this degraded situation of the same landscape, the
poet becomes very sad.
The poet strongly protests the sinful deeds against the natural resources in the poem.
Basically, deforestation is really the great challenge in the world to sustain ecological
balance. The poet sentimentally recalls that the cutting down poplar trees cause the
adverse impact in human life.
The poem is all about deforestation and destruction of the poplar fields in the bank of the
Ouse River in England. That shows that human civilization is the curse for the protection
of natural resources. The result of cutting down of the poplar trees, as poet recalls, the
shade and the whispering sound of the row of trees are disappeared. The winds no longer
play with the leaves of the trees and no reflection of the trees in the river water is seen.
He says that he has missed everything in his twelve years of running life. He recalls that
it was his favorite place to stay which gave him shade; but regrets that they are laid.
The poet has deep-rooted sympathy upon other creatures in the trees such as blackbird
that gets relieve from the hazel in the heat. As the trees are cut, the blackbird has fled to
another shelter. Likewise their melodious chirping tone and sweet booming (echoing)
song that charmed the poet most has also be gone.
The poet again laments (regrets) that his fleeing (running) years are all in hurry that he
couldn’t understand the value of trees and environment in his life. Now he is more
conscious about the value of trees and says that he’ll soon die like the trees and the grass
will grow on his chest and stone at his head in his grave and says that other trees will
arise in that place.
The poet thinks that limited years of his life are passing away very quickly. Very soon he
will be dead and buried in a grave. But he regrets that he will not be able to see such
poplar trees on the bank of the river Ouse again in his life. He not only regrets for himself
but the pathetic one of nature also draws his attention towards the “Perishing Pleasure” of
human. Life is very short and one must try to fill with joy and pleasure. But their bad luck
is their joy and pleasure last for shorter time and for this they themselves are
responsible.The poet finally says that the trees in the bank is the sight to engage him and
considers that human pleasures and ecstasies are decaying. He states that we’re short-
lived like the poplar trees but our enjoyments and happiness are less durable than our
own lives.
Summary
This poem is composed by William Cowper. In this poem, the poet has raised his voices
against the destruction of the forests and the favour of nature conservation. According to
this poem, poplars are cut down and there are no shades. The leaves can't sing melodious
songs. So the poet is very sad. The shade and the song of the wind have missed from his
sight and the poet doesn't get the image of Ouse River. The black bird has fled away to
find the shelter in next trees. Twelve years before, the poet used to enjoy the beautiful
scene of the poplar tree heard the melodious song of the black bird. But now, there is no
melodious music of birds and wind as it was before. The poet thinks that he will die one
day. He says that all the pleasures of man are destroyed. Even our life is short but our
enjoyment will die before our death. He says that he is lying on the earth like the tree. He
feels that cutting down the trees is serious as the death of human beings. The poet thinks
that she pleasures of man are perishable and momentary. So, he appeals to the people for
conserving the nature. He says that deforestation should be stopped. This poem is
remarkable for its celebration of the rural and its nostalgic tone. In the past, he had
recollected the beauty of nature. But now he has no any pleasures in the world's trees.
Thus, he gives the idea of the cut down poplars trees with end of human life and
pleasures.
Summary
This poem is composed by William Cowper. The poem compares the chopping of the
tree to a man’s life and death. The poplars are cut down now there is neither any shed nor
the wind that play and sing in the leaves. There is no longer the whispering sound of the
trees. Before twelve years. The poet had enjoyed beautiful view of the poplar field. He
had seen the reflection of trees on the river. He used to sit in the shed on the trees but the
trees are cut down now. Now the poet sits on the fall down trees. The blackbird is also
not singing and has flown trees. The blackbird is also not singing and has flown away.
The poet says he will die soon and that he will die before new trees grow to replace
chopped once. The poet says that the pleasure of man is temporary and they finished
before man dies.

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The Poplar Field - W.

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