Neutral Tones

In folklore, the ash tree is connected with rebirth and healing. This is due to its mythic reputation as the “Tree of Life” that links the earth to both the heavenly and the underworld. The fact that the ash tree’s leaves in “Neutral Tones” have “fallen” (Line 4) and are “grayish” (Line 16) symbolically indicates, however, that there is little hope for any rejuvenation of the relationship in the “starving sod” (Line 3). This sense of destruction is further exacerbated by the symbolism of the word “ash,” which suggests the powdery remnants of cinders after a burning fire. This, in turn, suggests that the once passionate relationship between the couple is now no more, existing as mere ruins. This not only affects the relationship but also feels personal to the speaker, whose love is incinerated by the “smile on [the lover’s] mouth [that] was the deadest thing / Alive enough to have the strength to die” (Lines 9-10). The ash tree clearly helps solidify the specificity of the locale, but it serves to enhance the theme through its implications.