The narrator and her mother are going to sell a black walnut tree in order to pay off their debts. They believe that the hurricane will still break the tree and it will destroy their house, so it makes no sense growing the tree any further.
They think about it, trying to find a wise decision. The roots of the tree have grown into the cellar and the harvest is getting smaller and smaller every year. However, something more important than money tells the heroines not to get rid of the walnut tree and grow it further.
One day, the narrator has a dream in which she sees her ancestors along with fields, vines and orchards. Then women begin to burn up with shame. They understand that if they sell the tree, they will get rid of the family heirloom and the memories of their family and ancestors.
At the end of the poem, the reader sees that mother and daughter decide to keep the black walnut tree, despite their debts.
