Maya Angelou’s poem “When Great Trees Fall” is a powerful and poignant examination of death and grief. The poem meditates on the passing of a beloved loved one, pointing out the insignificance of humanity in the larger scheme of things. Angelou uses striking imagery, religious metaphors, and simple language to express the pain of losing a loved one while also reminding of the ever-unavoidable nature of death.
The poem begins with a powerful metaphor of an old, great tree falling in the forest. Angelou uses the metaphor to compare the loss of her friend to the passing of a giant, a powerhouse. This metaphor is further expanded upon in the second stanza, in which Angelou stands in awe and reflects on the fact that despite all the greatness of a giant tree, it can still fall and be gone in the blink of an eye.
The poem continues by looking at death in a universal sense, noting that the same event – the death of this beloved tree – could occur in a variety of places and any of the “sons” and “daughters” (i.e. human beings) would mourn the passing equally. In this way, Angelou speaks to the universality of death and the importance of remembering and honoring those we’ve lost.
The next stanza brings the poem back to a much more personal level. Here, Angelou speaks directly to the reader and encourages them to also remember that even though death is inevitable and some might feel as if they’ve been forsaken or abandoned, one must still push forward and carry on.
Finally, the poem wraps up by expressing the overwhelming sadness that comes from losing a beloved loved one, something Angelou understands and acknowledges. She closes the poem with a reminder of the power of life, of not letting the death of a beloved take away from the beauty of life.
The Life-Death Cycle
In her poem “When Great Trees Fall”, Maya Angelou effectively uses imagery and juxtaposition to express a powerful idea: that life and death are a seamless cycle and mourning should be balanced by appreciating life. To illustrate this theme, Angelou juxtaposes the falling of an old, great tree with her own personal grief over the passing of a loved one. By presenting death as an unfortunate but natural part of life, Angelou is able to communicate the magnitude of her grief while simultaneously emphasizing the importance of appreciating the beauty of life.
This dichotomy is further explained when Angelou reflects on the fact that death can occur anywhere, reminding the reader of the power of life and the importance of resilience. Even in the face of tragedy, life must carry on. Her hope is that we never forget those who have died, but understand that their lives and death add meaning and beauty to our own.
The poem also reinforces the concept that those we have lost are never truly gone and will always remain a part of us in some way. Angelou speaks of the memories of one’s lost loved ones, suggesting that these memories and the time spent with them should be cherished, for a life well-lived adds meaning and purpose to our own.
Angelou’s poem “When Great Trees Fall” is a powerful and emotional examination of death and its place in life. By balancing her own grief with a reminder of the importance of life and resilience, Angelou effectively promotes the idea that death is, in a way, a celebration of life and should be honored as such.
Falling as a Metaphor
Maya Angelou effectively employs the metaphor of a great tree falling to represent the passing of a beloved loved one in her poem, “When Great Trees Fall”. By comparing the death of a loved one to the passing of a giant tree, Angelou encourages the reader to contemplate life, its fragility, and acceptance of death as a natural and inevitable part of life.
Through this metaphor, Angelou speaks to the power of life, a power that can easily be forgotten in times of mourning and grief. The metaphor serves to remind the reader that even a great tree, seemingly indestructible, can bring people together in shared grief and mourning.
Angelou further expands this metaphor by showing the reader that death is not exclusive to one particular place or time, but is a universal experience that can occur in any place and any time to any person. Through this portrayal of death as a universal experience, Angelou encourages the reader to recognize and accept the fragility of life and find solace in their shared sense of grief.
Finally, Angelou utilizes the metaphor of a great tree falling to remind the reader that death does not have to mean the end. She speaks of a “gleam of laughter” and the “breath of morn” that remains long after the great tree has fallen. In this way, Angelou suggests that the warmth of life and love continues despite the inevitable passing of a beloved loved one.
Connecting with the Past
In her poem “When Great Trees Fall”, Maya Angelou speaks of the past and present, connecting the two timelines to show the continuity of life, death, and grief. Through her poem, Angelou encourages the reader to reflect on the memories of past loved ones, while honoring the life and death of those who have passed.
This type of reflection is reinforced when Angelou speaks of the memories of past generations, from fathers to sons and daughters. Here, she shows that life, despite its fragility, contains a sense of shared understanding and mourning. The fact that grief has endured for generations and transcended time is a powerful reminder of the inevitability of death, yet also a source of solace in the shared experience of mourning and loss.
Angelou also uses imagery such as the “gleam of laughter” and “the breath of morn” to remind the reader that even after the great tree has fallen, the memories and love of those we lost remain and still hold meaning, albeit in a different form. In this way, Angelou speaks to the connectivity of memories, suggesting that even after a loved one is gone, they are still with us in spirit and, in a way, live on through shared memories and stories.
By reflecting on the past, “When Great Trees Fall” serves as a reminder of the power of love and the profoundness of death. Angelou encourages the reader to remember their beloved and cherish the memories, while also honoring the life of those who have passed on, however brief it may have been.
The Inevitability of Death
In her poignant poem “When Great Trees Fall”, Maya Angelou speaks to the universality of death, emphasizing its power and inevitability. By addressing both her own sense of grief and the broader implications of mortality, Angelou encourages the reader to reflect on life and death, while doing their best to withstand sorrow and appreciate the beauty of life.
Angelou begins by drawing a comparison between the passing of a beloved and the falling of a great tree. This comparison serves as an effective metaphor for death, showing the reader that even a giant, seemingly indestructible, can still decompose and be gone in the blink of an eye.
In the next stanza, Angelou speaks of the universality of death, noting that anyone and everyone – “sons” and “daughters” – can experience the same sorrow from the passing of a loved one. By doing so, Angelou highlights the power of death and reminds the reader that its effect on human life is unavoidable and universal.
In the final stanza, Angelou expresses her grief and urges the reader to continue on despite the passing of a beloved. Here, Angelou speaks to the power of life and encourages the reader to never forget those they’ve lost, while simultaneously reminding them of the beauty of life that still remains.
Maya Angelou’s poem “When Great Trees Fall” speaks to the universality of death, pain, and grief while also emphasizing the importance of resilience and appreciating the beauty of life. By encouraging the reader to withstand sorrow and reflect on the memories of their loved ones, Angelou effectively expresses the power of death and reveals its hidden truth – that life and death are inexorably linked.
