WILLIAM COWPER

William is a romantic poet. Like his other literary works, this is also a romantic poem
representing nature. He describes the difference in the environment and natural beauty before
and after the poplar trees are fallen down. With example of poplar trees, the poet wants to
show the real phase of human life according to rule of nature.

The poem The Poplar Field is about natural conservation. It shows the poet’s affiliation
towards nature in rural life, which is remarkable for his celebration of the rural and nostalgic
tone. The poet strongly rejects the sinful deeds to the natural resources especially the poplar
trees in this poem. The poet is in favor of forestation to maintain ecological balance.
Deforestation is really a great challenge to the world and it has affected the poet emotionally.
Through this poem, he wants to give message that it is not good to chop down trees. The poet
also compares the chopping down of trees to a man’s life and death. From this point of view,
this poem is philosophical.

This poem starts with the description of a forest and the changes that have come after the
trees are cut down. With the trees, all the attractions of the place have gone. The poet has
visited the bank of the Ouse River after twelve years where he used to play under the cool
shadow of the beautiful poplar trees. This poem is a satire to the present human civilization
that has become selfish in terms of protecting nature and natural resources. The poem talks
about the deforestation and destruction of the poplar fields in the bank of the Ouse River
which has resulted in the disappearances of the shade and the whispering sound of the trees.
It has also lost the shelter for blackbirds which used to make the environment melodious by
their songs. The poet has missed everything in the past twelve year time. He neither sees the
reflection of the trees on the bosom of river, nor the wind playing with the leaves of the trees.
The poet recalls that it was his favorite place to stay which provided him shade, but now he
regrets that they are laid down on the ground. As the trees are cut down, the blackbird has
gone to another place in search of trees. Likewise their melodious chirping and sweet
booming songs that charmed the poet most has also gone. Finally, the poet laments and
regrets about the temporary pleasures and ecstasies of human being like of the poplar trees in
the bank of Ouse River. The poet’s point is to highlight the short human life which cultivates
the pleasure seeking tendency of becoming selfish towards nature. He says that the pleasures
of man are not permanent or not long lasting. Rather, they are shorter than the short human
life itself. They finish/expire before a man dies. To sum up, the poet means to say that he
used to get maximum amount of pleasure from the poplar trees, but his pleasure has been
snatched away from him.

The poem compares the life cycle of poplar trees and the human life. Poplar grows up, it
produces branches, leaves, etc. it makes shades and pillars; and finally it is laid down on the
ground. Our lives also grow and perish (die). Human life is also similar to the natural life.
Our enjoyment goes away from our life as we grow older. As human life is not certain, we
should live our life enjoying every moment of it with great happiness. We cannot take these
enjoyable moments with us after our death. Our pleasures and enjoyments all die before our
death. The poet is also trying to give indirect suggestion to the readers to protect the natural
vegetation. He warns us that if we do not protect the green forests now, we will die before
age. We should understand that we are living in this world just because of nature. We are the
products of nature, and one day we have to surrender ourselves in the lap of nature. The poet
has compared the tree with human life and said our lives are more perishable than the trees.
So we should defend the nature.

Important Questions

1. Summarize the poem “The Poplar Field” in one paragraph.

Ans: The poem `The Popular Field’ was composed by William Cowper. The poet compares
the condition of the popular field before 12 years and after 12 years. Before twelve years,
when he visited the popular field, at that time there were many trees and the shade of these
tree could be seen in the Ouse river. The black bird used to sing. The wind used to blow in
the leaves. He sat under the trees. But after twelve years he found nothing, only cut down
trees were lying on the ground. Finally, the poet compares his life with the condition of those
popular trees. The trees were once strong and straight but now they are lying on the ground,
similarly, the poet was also handsome and young but now he has become old and he thinks
he will lie on the ground soon. It means he will die soon.

2. What changes did the poet see in the poplar field when he came back after 12 years?
Ans: After twelve years, he saw the many changes in the popular field. The trees were cut
down. They were lying down on the ground there was no reflection of trees in the Ouse
River. The black birds had left the popular field. The poet couldn't hear bird’s song. The
wind wasn't blowing in the leaves of the trees as in the past. He sat on cut down trees.

3. Discuss how the poet links up the idea of the cut down poplars with the end of human
life and pleasures.
Ans: After twelve years, he saw many changes in the popular field. The trees were cut down.
They were lying down on the ground there was no reflection of trees in the Ouse River. The
black birds had left the popular field. The poet couldn't hear bird’s song. The wind wasn't
blowing in the leaves of trees as in the past. He sat on cut down trees. The popular field has
changed to a desert. The sight of the fallen poplars makes the poet feel sad. He realizes that
he will die soon in the future and lie in the grave like the fallen poplars lying on the grass.
The poet also says that our pleasures are shorter than our life.

4. Write essay on “Living in the country.” Or, write an essay on rural life”.
Ans: Country Life means spending our life in village. Most people in our country live in
village. There is peaceful environment in the village. There is no noise of vehicles and there
isn't much crowd. Village people have fresh air, water, and they have leisure life. They are
not as busy as town people. Village people are cooperative and they help each other in need.
But there are not many schools and there is illiteracy. Most of them are uneducated. There
are less opportunities of job. Everywhere there is poverty. There aren't many facilities of
schools, hospital, transport, and so on. Therefore, they can’t get good education, treatment
well.
Question. Consider this poem as a defence of nature conservation.

Answer. Presenting the adverse effect of deforestation on human life and pleasure, the poet
William Cowper defends for the conservation of nature in the poem The Poplar Field. When
the trees are cut down the sources of the rivers like the great Ouse dry up leading to
desertification of the earth. When the trees are cut down the wild animals and birds, like the
black bird become homeless, they either embrace death or migrate to new places. It breaks
the chain of the ecosystem which has adverse effect on human life. When trees are cut down
the sources of human life pleasure gets destroyed. Human being find nothing without those
trees. The creatures who directly depend upon the forest for lively hood will start to starve
for death; once the trees are cut down. Thus, the source of human life is also destroyed with
the destruction of trees.

In the poem, the poplar field the poet indirectly suggests that destroying the forest means
destroying the source of human life and pleasures. He means to say that our act of destroying
the forest endangers the life of ourselves, our future generations and all the birds and animals
which are sharing this planet with us. Therefore, the poet makes a sincere request for the
preservation of nature before it’s too late.