Blog Post 3: Poetic Prompt

Draft 1: The Black Walnut Tree  Blog Post 3

     In Mary Oliver's poem, "The Black Walnut Tree," we see a family that is struggling to make ends meat, held down by their heavy mortgage.  Throughout the poem the mother and daughter debate, coming up with reasons why to sell a tree.  And although their reasons are wise and make sense, the audience knows they will never sell this tree.  Through Mary Oliver's use of figurative language and poetic devices we see that to this family the tree means more than money- it means a connection with Bohemia and their ancestors.
     In the first few lines of poem, the mother and daughter state, "Likely some storm anyway will churn down its dark boughs, smashing the house" (III. 6-8).  This personification makes the storm feel alive and suggests that the tree must be protected from this future storm- a tangible threat to the tree.  Oliver's use of figurative language here gives the impression that if the family doesn't take down the tree, a storm will do it for them anyway.
     In the first focus shift which moves into further reasons the tree should be removed we see the quote, "roots in the cellar drains...leaves are getting heavier every year, and the fruit harder to gather away" (V. 11-15).  This poetic technique of a list Oliver uses conveys to the reader that there are multiple reasons why the tree should be removed -- making the concept of selling it even more likeable to both the audience, and mother and daughter.
     Next, we see a tone shift, to a more sentimental and sincere mood which changes the audience's perception of how these two family members feel about the tree.  Oliver writes, "But something brighter than money moves in our blood -- an edge sharp as a trowel that wants us to dig and sow.  So, we talk, but we don't do anything" (VI. 16-21).  This reveals that the mother and daughter are all talk and never could sell this tree.  This simile in this line exemplifies that a greater part of them wants to care for this tree and it is needed in their life.
      We see this illustrated further when the daughtet narrates, "I dream of my father's out of Bohemia filling the blue fields of fresh and generous Ohio" (IV. 21-24) which shows that this greater part of wanting to care for this tree stems from family roots of Bohemia, wanting to salvage some part of her family tree.  The connection of family is too strong for this walnut tree to be given up for economic benefits.
     Another powerful quote describing the two's true feelings is, "We'd crawl with shame in the emptiness we'd made in our own father's backyard" (III. 27-29).  This hyperbole exaggerates the mother and daughter's theoretical regret by imposing that they would literally crawl with shame, but also has a sumbolistic meaning.  Cutting down this tree would create a literal emptiness in their backyard, which represents the hole in their hearts they would feel if they ever made that decision.  The tree will never be cut down because the benefit of money will only lead to the family's sorrow and regret.
     The poem ends with a resolution of the tree staying put.  "So the black walnut tree swings through another year... and month after month, the whipcrack of the mortgage" (VI. 30-35).  This section allows the audience to know that the decision was made to keep the tree, but money problems are still very much present in their lives.  And although these problems are difficult, the connection of family to this pair are worth the sacrifices.