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MIND MAP

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

Originally written in Spanish, ‘Keeping Quiet’ by Pablo Neruda is based on introspection and retrospection. It is a deceptively
simple poem about the need for a little bit of soul-searching which tells us how a moment of silent introspection will make us
realise the utter futility of our aggressive endeavours.
The poem opens in an arresting and dramatic way. By asking the reader to count to twelve, the poet calls for a time to be tranquil
and unmoving. His use of the number twelve could be associated to the clock hours or possibly, even the number of months
in a year. Both attributions however, effectively depict how our hours and months pass by before us, as we continue to chase
after them.
He requests everyone not to speak because languages create barriers between people. The moment when everyone stops moving
and speaking would bring everyone together and lead us to introspection. In this view, symbolism may also be seen in the use of
the phrase, “move our arms so much” which in this context, if taken lightly can be considered as merely brisk walking, but could
also be signifying violence or our selfish pursuits. It is to be noted as well how the poet mentions “once” and “one second” in
this stanza. The appeal is set on the premise that humans are constantly speaking and constantly moving- again, a reinforcement
of his earlier idea about on the lack of time to be still and introspective.
In stanza 3, the poet introduces the impact of such behavior. The poet then proceeds to ask the reader to ponder, consider and
bask on the glory of this rare occurrence where the usual flurry of diverse human activity is now silenced to a standstill and in
surprising unity. As humans are perceived to be unique in their own ways and possess free will, a complied deliberate silence
of all shall create this mysterious yet wonderfully unusual unanimity.
The poem develops by providing what ensues through this quietness. The poet shows how because of this, humans would now
have more time to think about their actions and how they would have the time to notice the details that surround their daily lives.
The poet says that everyone is working continuously, to achieve one’s goals. People are threatened by death and the fear forces
them to work endlessly so that they can achieve everything quickly. In this mad rush, they do not realize the repercussions of
their acts. He wants us to pause and come out of the mad rush. He wants us to be happy about our achievements and celebrate
them. He wants us to overcome the fear of death and to relax for a while. We should know the results of our deeds and celebrate
our achievements. Also, the poet asks us to learn from earth which seems to be still when seen from far away but is bustling
with life with all the flora and fauna within.
Having presented the dilemma, the poet effectively passes the baton to the reader and gives him the power and the choice to be
still and begin his own introspection and retrospection. As with the central idea of his poem, the call to pause and be mindful of
one’s own self and ways, resonates to the very conclusion of the poem.

3. KEEPING QUIET
ABOUT THE POET
Pablo Neruda, the pseudonym of Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, was a Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet. He was a
famous poet and politician and regarded as one of the prominent writers of the 20th century. Neruda wrote in a variety
of styles such as love poems as in his collection Twenty Poems of Love and a Song of Despair, surrealist poems,
historical epics, and overtly political manifestoes. His poetry bears an impact on his political activities and expresses
his experiences in repression during his exile. He wrote in green ink which was his personal symbol for desire and
hope. His writings are simple, wherein lies their beauty. The Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez once called
Neruda “the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language.”

POETIC DEVICES/FIGURES OF SPEECH IN THE POEM

1. Alliteration
Example:
• sudden strangeness • hurt hands • clean clothes
• we will • we would • wars with
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Reference to Context
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
I. Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth
Let’s not speak in any language,
Let’s stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
(c) Why does the poet ask everyone to stop using any language?
(d) What does the poet mean by ‘not move our arms’?
II. Fisherman in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
(a) What does ‘fisherman’ symbolize?
(b) What does the poet ask fishermen not to do?
(c) What do the ‘hurt hands’ imply?
(d) What message does the poet seem to give in these lines?
III. Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
(a) What does the poet mean by ‘Green Wars’?
(b) Who are ‘those’ who prepare green wars?
(c) What does ‘put on clean clothes’ signify?
(d) What poetic device is used in the third line of the extract?
IV. What I want should not be
confused with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
If we were not single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing, perhaps
a huge silence might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves and
of threatening ourselves with death.
(a) What does Neruda imply by ‘total inactivity’?
(b) What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
(c) What is man ‘single-minded’ about?
(d) What does “truck with death” mean? Why does the poet not want a truck with death?
V. Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count upto twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
(a) What and how can the Earth teach us?
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(b) What is the significance of ‘keeping quiet’?

(c) Why does the poet count upto twelve?
(d) Explain, ‘you keep quiet and I will go.’
ANSWER KEY
I. (a) The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet and the poet is Pablo Neruda.
(b) The poet wants us to keep quiet in the hope that the moment of tranquility might help us in finding the answers to our
problems.
(c) Language helps us to communicate with other people. The poet wants us to be silent and motionless for one second. He
wants this time of silence for talking to oneself, not for talking to other people, so he doesn’t want us to use any language.
(d) The poet wants us not to move our arms because any kind of physical activity will restrain us to introspect. Not moving
our arms suggest no activity and no harm. There would be no wars and no violence.
II. (a) Fisherman is a symbol to represent the mighty/rich/influential people of the world. Those people who have been
indiscriminately exploring nature and Mother Earth for their own vested interests.
(b) The poet asks fishermen not to hurt or injure the whales in the seas.
(c) 'Hurt hands' means that human beings are oblivious of the pain they are causing to themselves in the pursuit of amassing
more and more comforts. They have no time for themselves.
(d) In these lines Neruda conveys that the desire of man for more and more progress and advancement has done more
destruction than development. Man seems to have no concern and care for his brethren.
III. (a) Green wars, i.e., wars with gas, wars with fire are deadly weapons to kill the mother earth. These are the nuclear and
chemical weapons created by man and used in waging wars against countries. In short, it is the war against the
environment.
(b) The word ‘those’ in the above stanza is used for the politicians, statesmen and those overambitious powers who in their
zeal for dominance are involved in initiating and aggravating wars.
(c) ‘Put on clean clothes’ signifies the feelings of their mutual understanding.
(d) Paradox is used in the third line of the extract as opposite ideas are explained by this phrase.
IV. (a) ‘Total inactivity’ would imply that mankind should channelize his activities towards construction and he should put an
end to his destructive activities. It certainly does not mean ‘no action’ because life is an ongoing process.
(b) The poet refers to the ‘sadness’ which arises due to the fact that people fail to understand themselves. They have no time
to introspect about their actions and their consequences.
(c) Man is single-minded about his own progress and advancement. He is so focused on his own development that he forgets
to visualize the pros and cons of reckless development. The consequences and impact of materialistic progress should be
taken into consideration.
(d) Truck with death means an association with death. The poet says that by ‘stillness’ he doesn't mean total inactivity which
is akin to death; what he means has nothing to do with death for he knows that life is a process of activities.
V. (a) The Earth teaches us the art of preserving and resurrecting life on Earth. It teaches us to remain calm on the surface. At
times, the Earth seems to be dead but under this dormant surface; there is an amazing life, which goes on to prove that
there can be life under apparent stillness.
(b) It is important to keep quiet because it will enable us to look within ourselves and understand what we are really looking
for. We can then find solutions to our problems.
(c) The poet wants to achieve peace by counting upto twelve. He wants us to introspect in a moment of silence.
(d) Pablo Neruda implores mankind to keep quiet and experience the ecstatic moments of silence. This meditation will help
to create a new trend of thoughts and bring changes in thought process. After having achieved his intentions, the poet
quietly departs leaving man to meditate, introspect and revel in that very exotic moment.