The poet compares the tree to a flag as a the leafy branches of the tree, when fly in the freeze, resemble a flag. Just like a flag the branches and the leaves are placed on a high straight stem, resembling a flag’s shaft.

But this comparison can also be interpreted to have a symbolic meaning. A flag is generally a symbol of significance, pride and recognition for a nation, group or community. Here the poet holds trees in high esteem as they can save the Environment and the human race from the impending doom. Trees can lead a nation’s growth from sea to sea. That is why trees can be treated with similar respect that we show for a flag.