The Problem of Describing Trees by Robert Hass
What is the argument of the poem?
In his poem, "The Problem of Describing Trees," Robert Hass argues that it is extremely difficult to describe trees because they are constantly moving, constantly changing, and never the same. All trees are different, and even one particular tree constantly shifts. Perhaps the reason trees are so difficult to describe is because they are better illustrated visually. Maybe, this is an instance in which the visual argument would be more effective than one that is linguistic. After struggling to fully explain and explore the tree, he even says, "There are limits to saying in language, what the tree did." It is possible, that Hass argues that trees would be best described in images, movement, and color - not in words.
"Dance with me, dancer. Oh, I will." Hass says to his reader. Just after launching the idea of a far more powerful visual representation, he asks his audience to go with the idea and to let it ruminate in their minds. He wants them to try to accept his seemingly unconventional argument. After all, he is a poet trying to argue that maybe words are less powerful than images.
"Dance with me, dancer. Oh, I will." Hass says to his reader. Just after launching the idea of a far more powerful visual representation, he asks his audience to go with the idea and to let it ruminate in their minds. He wants them to try to accept his seemingly unconventional argument. After all, he is a poet trying to argue that maybe words are less powerful than images.
Thank you for the intelligent, thoughtful post. HEY, have you thought about the possibility that Hass is talking mabye not to the reader but to visual images. I feel like your whole first paragraph is about how Hass is saying that sometimes visual images work where words don't, and then the second paragraph makes a large jump into talking to the reader not about writing. Mabye dance with me dancer is Hass talking to images and saying how he needs to use them. This might better explain his last two lines because the mountain sky and the aspen is very much to me sounding like a visual image made through his words.
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