Summary
Summary
Summary
BY Pablo Neruda
In this poem, the poet asks us to keep quiet for a while and
better world.
The poem has been divided into five stanzas. The lines
everything clear.
Poem
Stanza 1
In the first stanza, the poet says asks the audience to hold on,
stop doing anything and count to twelve and then keep still
i.e. silent. The phrase “count to twelve” is symbolic. I may
unite at 12).
factor.
In the next line, the poet again says that let us stop for a
second and not move our arms i.e. let us leave our work and
The first stanza, depicts that the poet is not in the favour
Stanza 2
in a sudden strangeness.
which will be the uniting factor (as we all will be silent which
is a universal language).
The poet further says that during the moment of stillness, no
fisherman would harm any whales in the cold sea i.e. there
stop doing his work and instead look at his hands which are
our thinking.
Stanza 3
In this stanza, the poet talks about war,. According to him, all
fire (destroy and kill others with weapons) and those who
instead of doing that, walk with their brothers in the shade (of
and battles. According to him all these people should stop for
love.
In the next line, the poet makes us understand that he does not
to anybody.
he is saying this because he does not want any truck with dead
bodies.
hence he does not want to see the mass deaths and destruction.
Stanza 4
our lives moving (i.e. for growing ourselves), this keep silence
Stanza 5
that they may look dead. But with time, they grow huge.
In the end, the poet again repeats the first lines. After saying
mentality).
Questions
(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.
Answers:
these horns.
2. For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in any
Questions
Answers:
Neruda.
quiet and not speak in any language. This will ensure peace
and prosperity.
(c)We should cease all activities for a second. Man has used
his arms only to kill and destroy others. Therefore, let them
in a sudden strangeness.
Questions
engines?
Answers:
Neruda.
4. Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales and the
Questions
Answers:
cold seas.
the seas.
(c)The man gathering salt has injured his hands.
brothers
Questions
Answers:
(b)Green wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with the
(d) They should put on clean clothes and walk with their
Questions
confused with?
Answers:
Questions
Answers:
us achieve?
observed that most of the ills and troubles of the world are
ensure peace.
death?
Q4. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say
40 words)
hearts. So far men have moved their arms only to harm others.
Therefore, the poet wants that they should not move their
arms so much. Let these arms rest for once. Let a feeling of
sudden strangeness.”
an exotic moment?
Ans: Non-stop activity, unnecessary rush and noise have
well as mentally.
Q4. What does the poet ask the fisherman and the man
by this?
any kind of self torturing. The man who is gathering salt has
hint his hands. He asks this man to look after himself and take
towards war?
(stopped) at once.
of indulging in wars?
for a walk under the shady trees and enjoy themselves doing
them.
Q7. How does the poet distinguish ‘stillness’ from ‘total
death?
remain still and quiet for sometime. On the other hand, total
Q8. Why does the poet fee! that we should not be so single-
minded’?
on only one thing. They want to keep their lives going. They
are ever busy in their pursuit. The poet wishes that they would
silence.
overcome?
Fear of death also makes them sad. Only a huge silence’ can
men?
Quiet’.
learn it from the earth. When everything seems dead, the earth
still remains alive. The earth is never dead. The life on the
quiet will do them a lot of good. It will save them from many
‘Keeping Quiet’
moment together.