5. What does the single-sentence stanza “A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars”

Question

help the reader understand? Support your answer with evidence from the poem.

A thousand Christmas trees!—at what apiece?”
He felt some need of softening that to me:
“A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars.”
Then I was certain I had never meant
To let him have them. Never show surprise!
But thirty dollars seemed so small beside
The extent of pasture I should strip, three cents
(For that was all they figured out apiece),
Three cents so small beside the dollar friends
I should be writing to within the hour
Would pay in cities for good trees like those,
Regular vestry-trees whole Sunday Schools
Could hang enough on to pick off enough.
A thousand Christmas trees I didn’t know I had!
Worth three cents more to give away than sell,
As may be shown by a simple calculation.
Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.
I can’t help wishing I could send you one,
In wishing you herewith a Merry Christmas.

Answer 1

The single-sentence stanza “A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars” highlights the profound disconnect between the speaker's perception of value and the monetary valuation placed upon the trees. It underscores the theme of material versus sentimental value, which runs throughout the poem.

The speaker reflects on the worth of the trees not just in financial terms, but in the emotional significance they hold during the Christmas season. While thirty dollars is a numerical figure that seems small in comparison to the large number of trees, it starkly contrasts with the deep appreciation and affection that the speaker feels toward these trees. The phrase emphasizes the idea that the trees, originally seen as a mere commodity, represent something much more valuable—namely, the spirit of giving and the joy of the holiday season.

Evidence from the poem shows the speaker grappling with this realization: “I should be writing to within the hour / Would pay in cities for good trees like those.” This highlights how, despite the low monetary value attached to the trees, their true worth to the speaker is in the happiness they could provide. The speaker even wishes they could send a tree as a simple gesture of goodwill: “Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.” This longing reflects the emotional depth that transcends the trees' financial worth.

Ultimately, the stanza helps the reader understand that the true value of the trees lies not in how much they could be sold for, but in the memories, connections, and happiness they symbolize during the festive season.