“No, The root is to be pulled out.” – Why has the word ‘No’ been used? How is the pulling out of the root related to the killing of the tree?

Through the word ‘No’ the poet tries to convey that a simple jab of the knife or hacking and chopping are not enough to kill a tree. That is so because despite being subjected to so much pain the tree refuses to die. The injured bark heals itself and small green leaves sprout again. A tree should be uprooted from the earth which provides support and strength to it. This process will expose the root of the tree which according to the poet is the most sensitive part of a tree. If the source of the tree gets exposed and is separated from the earth which acts like an anchor for the tree, only then the entire process of killing a tree will be completed.

“And the strength of the tree exposed.”—Where does this line occur? What is described as the strength of the tree’? How is it exposed?

The line mentioned above occurs in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ by Gieve Patel.

The root of a tree is described as the strength of the tree’.

When the root of a tree is pulled out of the soil, it gets exposed to the sun and air. The tree feels no pain then as it is already dead. Therefore, the root becomes brown in colour and the cell sap becomes dry. The root becomes hard, twisted in shape and withered. In this way, the strength of the tree is exposed.