In D. H. Lawrence’s poem “Bare Almond-Trees,” he depicts the unusual resemblance of the almond tree to iron and critiques the exposed impact of industrialism on the green of nature. In the first four lines, Lawrence describes, “Wet almond-trees, in the rain / Like iron sticking grimly out of earth; / Black almond trunks, in the rain, / Like iron implements twisted, hideous, out of the earth”(1-4). He uses a simile to compare the almond tree to iron, which incorporates the identities of iron—dark, rigid, and cold—into the tree. At the beginning of both lines, Lawrence uses an anaphora and repeats this simile, “like iron.” He emphasizes the combining of the traits of iron with the tree, highlighting the penetration of industrialization into this environment. Similarly, Lawrence uses an epistrophe in which “in the rain” repeatedly appears at the end of the lines. It emphasizes the speaker’s dark, cold mood and develops a depressed tone in the critique. Continuing with the iron-and-tree simile, Lawrence shifts focus to the precious green beneath the tree: “Out of the deep, soft fledge of Sicilian winter-green, / Earth-grass uneatable”(4-6). He uses a metaphor that describes the feather-soft, green grass beneath the tree by comparing it to soft fledge. Lawrence forms a juxtaposition that highlights the contrast between soft, fledge-like grass and the cold, hideous almond trunk. It emphasizes the preciousness of the grass, implying that this dark area was once abundant in vitality before industrialization has invaded. The “uneatable” grass implies that the last hope of green might soon turn metallic like the tree; the environment is losing its last bit of green because of the surrounding metal machines. Further into the poem, Lawrence’s language makes us wonder whether this is an iron-like tree or a tree-like iron. He speaks to the tree, “You have welded your thin stems finer, / Like steel, like sensitive steel in the air”(11-12). Lawrence uses metal diction and intentionally chooses words that have metallic traits to apply to the tree. “Welded” suggests that the almond branches are made of steel and can be reshaped using mechanical techniques. This special word choice blurs the line between the tree and iron, implying that the tree is virtually transitioning into metal and reminding us once again of the harmfulness of factories in the natural environment. Lawrence uses apostrophe as he is in desperate need of expressing enormous sadness to the tree for it becoming “finer” and gradually losing its natural self; he speaks to the tree as if it were a piece of metal. He conveys that the wood and metal have merged into an indistinguishable entirety, further developing the message of the tree’s absorption of metallic elements from industrialization. Lawrence’s language greatly expresses his melancholy for the lost green and his opposition to industrialization. While we seek developments in technology, we must take care of nature green because we share our home with them.

Work Cited

Lawrence, D. H. “Bare Almond-Trees.” Selected Poems, edited by James Fenton, Penguin Books, 

2008, pp. 105.