It is used to represent both literally the tree or trees, and figuratively, they represent a journey to peace, a climb to "heaven". ... They are shown as an opponent for a boy that, once beaten, though very resilient, will never rise again. ... He can see that he is no longer the young man that once he was, not able to climb the trees like he did nor able to play like that. ... Climbing "toward Heaven". ... Focusing on the trees and the cold. ...

• Word Count: 1234
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The speaker in the poem is presently looking at the trees while thinking about his childhood. ... As the speaker is looking at the drooping trees, he imagines what could have caused the trees to droop. Obviously from experience the speaker concludes that the droopiness of the trees was caused by an ice storm, because the speaker confirms to the audience that a boy's swinging on the birches could not be the cause of the permanent damage to the trees. ... The speaker discusses going to heaven by climbing a birch tree to the very top until he could go no further, and then gently being plac...

• Word Count: 1047
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School