Summary
"The Tree of Man" depicts the overwhelming and often alienating experience of urban existence, contrasting it with a longing for the natural world. The book's central argument lies in the idea that densely populated cities, with their "fierce human surge" and incessant noise, can drive individuals to a state of mental disorientation, where everyday sounds become "hellish" and the sheer volume of people leads to profound solitude. This overwhelming urban environment is presented as a stark contrast to the simple joys and peace found in nature, represented by "green hedgerow" and open fields.
The work explores the psychological impact of industrialization and mass living, where individual value ("man's flesh was cheap") is diminished compared to the cost of land, and the air is "foul and stale." It conveys a sense of disillusionment with modern life, where even advancements like city lights can be perceived as "sweet wiles of an enchantress" luring individuals away from genuine connection and peace. The reader is left with a strong sense of the destructive potential of unchecked urban growth on the human spirit.
Key concepts
- The Wolf of Hunger — A personification of extreme deprivation and suffering, particularly evident in the context of poverty and its impact on families.
- Joy Supreme Foliage — A poetic metaphor for a state of ultimate natural beauty and fulfillment, contrasted with the artificiality of urban life.
- Iceberg with long arms unseen — A metaphor for the deceptive and dangerous allure of the city, which appears attractive on the surface but possesses hidden, destructive forces.
- Greater milky way — The city's lights at night, presented as a mesmerizing but ultimately artificial and overwhelming celestial phenomenon.
From the book
H. DAVIES FOLIAGE By the Same Writer The Soul's Destroyer and Other Poems Wrappers , 1 s . nett; postage, 1 d . New Poems Cloth , 1 s . 6 d . nett; postage, 1½ d . Nature Poems, and Others Grey Boards , 1 s . nett; postage, 1½ d . Farewell to Poesy Grey Boards , 1 s . nett; postage, 1½ d . Songs of Joy 2 s. 6 d. FOLIAGE VARIOUS POEMS BY WILLIAM H. DAVIES LONDON ELKIN MATHEWS, CORK STREET 1913 The Author thanks the editors of the following magazines for permission to reprint these poems: The English Review , Nation , Westminster Gazette , New Statesman , Nash's , Vineyard and the Odd Volume . CONTENTS This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1931. The longest-living author of this work died in 1940, so this work is in the…
Popular questions readers ask
- If you had to explain the core philosophy or perspective of the speaker in "A Greeting" and "A May Morning" to someone who finds poetry confusing, how would you simplify it into one or two clear ideas, and what specific lines from the poems would you use as your primary evidence?
- "A May Morning" explicitly contrasts its joy with traditional religious concepts of sin and sadness. How does this particular stanza ("I see no Christ... No thoughts for gladness.") deepen or complicate the seemingly simple celebration of nature presented in "A Greeting," and what might Davies be subtly advocating for through this contrast?
- Considering the publication details (W.H. Davies, 1913) and the themes presented, how might these poems have been received by contemporary readers of the early 20th century, and what unique perspective or challenge might they have offered to the literary landscape of that time?
- Davies's poetic style in these excerpts is characterized by direct observations and simple language. If you were teaching a new writer how to achieve a similar sense of immediate, unadorned appreciation for life and nature, what specific stylistic choices from these poems would you advise them to emulate, and why?
- Imagine you are explaining to a friend why "Foliage" is an appropriate title for this collection of "various poems." What metaphorical connections can you draw between the literal meaning of foliage and the overarching themes, tones, or specific images found in "A Greeting" and "A May Morning"?