The Black Walnut Tree 2

Upon analyzing "the black walnut tree" written by Mary Oliver, I found it to be about a struggle between financial burden verses family heritage. It is a well written poem, and when you read between the lines you find a mother and a daughter trying to come to a decision about this tree, whether to keep it, and honor the father, or to rid the tree and their financial troubles. I feel the poem is well written, with a good use of imagery, and the use of line splitting to add emphasis throughout the poem.
     The author illustrates the beginning of the debate (oliver, line 1-5), the mortgage would be paid off if they had a lumberjack bring down the tree. The tone is serious, you can tell by the way the author begins the first line so directly and matter of fact, "my mother and I debated"(Oliver line 1). The end of the line creates the tone.
     The author uses imagery to give the reader a clear picture of the tree, and more reasons to rid of the tree. Such as, "it's roots growing into the cellar" and "it's heavy leaves"(Oliver, line12-14). I feel she painted a dark picture of the tree. This dark imagery shows the reader the one side of the struggle.
     The following line is the turning point in the poem, also where we find the conflict. "something brighter that money" (Oliver, line 18-line19) In my mind, when I read this line someone turned on the sun. The author goes on to talk about the father and blue fields and starts to incorporate color into the poem, lightening the mood. This is where their family heritage means more to them than money.
     For these reasons, the morgage and the spirit of the father, the family is struggling in their decision to keep the tree. The tree must have meant something more to the father, and in turn means more to them, than ridding their financial burden.