Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Marge Piercy’s “For She Is a Tree of Life” richly explores the metaphor of the tree of life as a symbol of continuity, sustenance, and the complex interplay between human existence and the natural world. The poem opens with a vivid description of the speaker's childhood living room, marked by a “sagging rough-skinned sofa” and a “swaybacked chair surrounded by ashtrays,” where her father sits reading and coughing “rusty phlegm.” This setting, framed by the imagery of a worn and smoky domestic space, introduces the “factory oriental” rug with its pattern called the tree of life, suggesting a glimpse of beauty and transcendence within a mundane environment.

The speaker’s mother, while engaged in the ordinary task of plucking a chicken, explains the tree of life, sparking the speaker's fascination. This moment is enriched by the presence of her grandmother, Hannah, who hums a phrase from liturgy: “Eytz khayim hee l’makhazikim bo v’kol nitee-voteh-ho shalom,” translating to “for she is a tree of life to all who hold her fast, and the fruit of her branches is peace.” This connection to Jewish tradition and the liturgical phrase elevates the tree of life from a decorative motif to a profound symbol of spiritual and physical nourishment.

The poem transitions to a more personal and imaginative depiction of the tree of life, personified as a woman “big bosomed and tall as a maple.” The tree becomes a living entity with “the beige sugar of desire” running through her veins, representing the vital and dynamic essence of life. Piercy’s imagery oscillates between the visible and the hidden, with the tree’s energy sometimes “surging skyward” and at other times sinking “down into the roots” that “burrow and wriggle deep and far among the rocks and clay and the bones of rabbits and foxes.” This duality captures the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.

The tree’s blossoms attract bees, symbolizing fertility and the interconnectedness of life. The branches, heavy with “crimson, the yellow and russet globes” of fruit, depict abundance and the cyclical harvest, where fallen apples feed deer and yellow jackets. The imagery of bees and fruit emphasizes the tree’s role in providing sustenance and maintaining the ecological balance.

Piercy further explores humanity’s relationship with the tree, acknowledging both our reliance on and our destructive tendencies towards it. “We all flit through her branches or creep through her bark, skitter over her leaves,” she writes, illustrating our intimate and dependent interaction with nature. Yet, we are also “the mice that gnaw at her root,” laboring ceaselessly to bring her down. This dual role as both beneficiaries and destroyers underscores the poem’s critical reflection on human behavior.

The poem concludes with a stark warning about the consequences of our actions: “When the tree falls, we will not rise as plastic butterfly spaceships, but will starve as the skies weep hot acid and the earth chafes into dust.” This apocalyptic vision highlights the fragility of our existence and the catastrophic impact of environmental degradation. The imagery of “hot acid” skies and an earth turning to “dust” serves as a powerful reminder of the potential devastation that could result from our failure to protect the natural world.

“For She Is a Tree of Life” by Marge Piercy is a poignant meditation on the interconnectedness of life, the reverence for nature embedded in cultural traditions, and the urgent need for environmental stewardship. Through vivid imagery and a blend of personal, cultural, and ecological themes, Piercy’s poem invites readers to reflect on their relationship with the natural world and the imperative to nurture and protect it for future generations.

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