Sample Poetry Close Analysis Rubric and Graphic Organizer
Sample Poetry Close Analysis Rubric and Graphic Organizer
Sample Poetry Close Analysis Rubric and Graphic Organizer
Trees
Antonio Carpio
Trees by Judge Antonio Carpio talks about a man questioning the law of planting a
tree. In this essay, I applied close reading to unlock the significance of this poem in
today’s issues of the country. The form of this lyric poem is notable. It follows a rhyme
scheme of AABBCC DDEEAA FFGGAA in a structure of three stanzas with six equal
lines. The entire poem is designed as if it forms a tree. Notice how the lines on top form
the branches while those at the middle form the trunk, and the bottom lines form the
roots of a tree. In the first stanza, the speaker is asking why should he plant a tree. He
feels like he is enslaved by that law, as a result, he doesn’t want to do it anymore
because just like any other individual, he was made by God with freedom which he
believes should have a choice of not doing it. The trees may symbolize his freedom that
is being cut down by the illegal loggers.
In the second stanza, the speaker goes back to his childhood when he wanted to
grow various trees such as pili, mango, or a rose. He states that there is someone who
forces him to grow these trees and accuse them of robing of his joy. By this time, he is
introducing what happened in the next stanza.
In the third stanza, the speaker accuses loggers cutting down trees in virgin hills
which means they target forests that were not touched before. He cites that this is unfair
because as these loggers chunk down trees, an individual like him is burdened by a
following law that requires him to plant trees. He then ends by telling that this poem is
made by foolish people like him but those that made this law are more foolish that he
seems to be.
More than the issue of illegal logging which is still a global prevalent issue to date,
what this poem really talks about is injustice. The speaker questions the inequality of
citizens planting a tree while illegal loggers still get away with their unlawful acts. To
him, the illegal loggers are the laws while the trees symbolize our freedom. This poem
further opens up timely issues in the country since laws in our country slowly cuts down
our freedom as citizens. Soon, there will be a time when like losing trees, we also lose
our own rights and we are exploited by these illegal loggers.
Criteria 5 4 3 2 1
Advanced Proficient Approaching Developing Beginning
Proficiency Proficiency Proficiency Proficiency
Ideas about the The poem was The poem was The poem wasn’t The poem wasn’t
poem was made literally analyzed explained using interpreted. explained and
Interpretation
and was supported and was supporting details but interpreted.
by evidence and supported by wasn’t able to identify
details. details. the literal meaning.
All necessary Necessary Necessary Information were Information weren’t
information were information were information were presented logically logically presented.
presented logically presented presented logically in in few parts of the
Organization
and flow of logically in most some parts of the text
thoughts made it parts of the text. text.
easy to
understand.
Punctuations and Punctuations Punctuations and Punctuations and Punctuations and
spelling were and spelling spelling were correct spelling were spelling were
correct in all parts were correct in in some parts of the correct in few parts correct in few parts
Grammar and
of the text. No most parts of the text. At least ten (10) of the text. At least of the text. More
Mechanics
grammatical errors text. At least five grammatical errors fifteen (15) than 15
present. (5) grammatical were present. grammatical errors grammatical errors
errors were were present. were present.
present.