The Mistake

This poem is about a tree that is unidentified in the personas garden, until it is declared by an expert very rare and special. Because of this the owners brag about this tree, only to find out that it was not so special but a common walnut tree. It contains the theme of the importance of names, things advertised wrongly, as well as nature and perspective changing over time. 

Stanza 1:

• 'come' 'pluck' 'smell' are all commands, suggesting that because he has a special tree he thinks he can control others. 
• 'confront' suggests there is a lie, as well as suggesting it is alive, linking to Larkin's high regard for nature. 
• 'no identity' shows from the personas perspective, things have to have labels to be something.
• 'green tree' hints at it being a normal tree and also shows the persona is not looking at its individual beauty, just cares about knowing if it's worth something. 
• 'an oriental dispensary?' is a rhetorical question, reinforcing the doubt as to whether this tree is anything special. 
• 'acrid' is an unpleasant word, suggesting they don't care how nice to tree is, just if it's rare, reinforcing the idea people don't look closely for beauty, but think if something has a name it is good. 

Stanza 2:

• 'Evodia Danieli' is the name of the tree, and it is farcical the way people respond to this impressed, when the words really mean nothing to nobody. Just using the name to boast, not appreciating the tree. 
• 'without doubt' introduces irony, and questions the way we trust 'experts' purely because of their title, when names and status don't really mean anything. 
• 'odd to find it here in wales' shows the way they don't think to question the expert and if something is unusual it is automatically impressive. 
• 'we thanked him' shows their need to know the answer, to label things.
• 'now we have something to boast about' shows the need to tell other people what you have, 'now' shows the tree was only worth something to them once it is named and deemed special, they don't appreciate it for what it is, just it's name. 

Stanza 3:

• 'a leaf proudly' shows people want stuff because of its name but in reality why would you want a leaf, pride in a leaf sounds ridic. 
• 'rare as welsh gold' shows rarity is value and their interest in this tree is materialistic. 
• 'olfactory gift' means it smells nice, contrasts with 'acrid' showing people have a better opinion of it knowing it is worth something. 
• 'pagan denediction' is irony as these people arent pagan, not appreciating nature just the idea of rarity and value. 
• 'swank' suggests he thinks the tree makes him better, as he has something of value but it's not about what you have. 
• 'from korea' reinforces obsession about what things are and where they come from. 
• 'it'll charm away your cold' shows how ideas escalate about something just because it is rarer. 

Stanza 4:

• 'who...possessed such treasure?' shows the obsession about who has what. 
• 'in all of great britain' is key, as elsewhere it wouldnt be impressive, the specialness of this tree is not that impressive looking at the big picture. 
• 'tired of lies' personification suggesting the tree has more morals than the people, love for nature like Larkin.
• 'parched tree' suggests it hasnt been treated properly because it is misunderstood.
• 'drought' shows it is only in times of need and suffering things show their true colours. 
• 'asserted itself' suggests it becomes confident, is being itself. 
• 'sprouted ordinary walnuts' shows it is just a normal tree.
• 'shamelessly free of disguise' suggests nature is the truth opposing humans lies. Humans try and make things something they are not, bring shame to simple things which is unnecessary. 

Links:

• 'essential beauty' things wrongly advertised.
• 'a study of reading habits', 'send no money' perspective changing over time.
• 'sunny prestatyn' humans ruining things. 
• Larkins views of humans ruining nature 'here' 'self's the man' 'large cool store' 'the witsun weddings'