Keeping Quiet

– Pablo Neruda A.K.A Neftali

Ricardo Reyes Basoalto
Summary :

The poet wants us to keep still till he counts up to twelve. For

once, let us not talk in any language on this earth. He asks us
to stop moving our arms so much for one second.
Let there be no rush or hurry for a second. Engines and other
machines must stop for a moment. That moment will be a
fascinating moment for all of us. Then all of us shall enjoy the
sudden strangeness of the moment together.

The poet wants that the fishermen would not harm the whales
in the cold sea of polar regions. Even the man gathering salt
with his own hands must take care of his hurt hands.

All kinds of wars must be stopped at once. The green wars

against the environment, wars with poisonous gases and wars
with fire-arms must be stopped now. In such wars, victory is
meaningless as there are no survivors left after the war.
Instead of fighting and waging wars, people should come out
in their best dresses. They must go out for a walk with their
brothers. They must move about under the shady trees and
enjoy doing nothing.
The poet does not want that we should confuse ‘stillness’ with
‘total inactivity. Doing nothing at all would amount to death.
The poet has no association with death. We think that life is to
move about. We should not be always on the move. For a
while we should also take rest. A long silence can do us a lot
of good. Men become sad when they fail to understand
themselves. They feel helpless when they threaten themselves
with death. A long silence can soothe our feelings and help us
in removing this sadness.

The poet gives an example to illustrate the idea that ‘stillness’

does not mean total inactivity’. The earth can teach us a
lesson. When everything seems dead, the earth remains alive.
The poet asks us to keep quiet till he counts twelve. Then he
will go.

Poetic Devices :
Rhyme Scheme: Free verse. No rhyme scheme.

Stanza 1
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.

Poetic Devices
i. Assonance: Prominent sound of 'o' in - "Now we will count to
twelve, not move our arms so much."
ii. Anaphora: It is the repetition of a word at the start of two or
more consecutive lines -
(let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second).
iii. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely
placed words. The repetition of the letter W in we will.
iv. Symbolism: Here, the poet has used the phrase count to twelve
as a measure of time.
v. Metonymy: The word language has been used by the poet to
show different races.
Stanza 2
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely
placed words. The repetition of the letter:
1. W in we would
2. S in sudden strangeness
3. H in his hurt hands.
ii. Symbolism:
1. The poet has used fisherman as a symbol of the oppressor and
whale as a symbol of the oppressed.
2. The port has used the man gathering salt as a symbol of
humanity in this stanza.
Stanza 3
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.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely
placed words. The repetition of the letter:
1. W in "wars with"
2. C in "clean clothes."
ii. Assonance: Prominent sound of the vowel 'o' in victory with no
survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their
brothers.
iii. Repetition: The word "war" has been repeated.
iv. Irony: When there is a complete contrast between the literal
meaning and what it appears to mean-
1. Green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire.
2. Victory with no survivors.
v. Symbolism: The poet has used clean clothes as a symbol of
peace.

Stanza 4
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.
Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely
placed words. The repetition of the letter:
w in "we were,"
S in "so single - minded"
ii. Enjambment: The sentence is being continued to the next line
without a break - (and for once could perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.)
Stanza 5
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now Ill count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
Poetic Devices
i. Personification: The poet has personified the Earth by saying -
the Earth can teach us.
ii. Extended Metaphor: The poet has used extended metaphor by
saying -
(when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive). Here, he is comparing the period of
stillness with the winters.

New Words :
S.No Word Meanings
1 Still Without movement, Calm
2 For Once One Single Time
3 Exotic Unusual, Strange
4 Rush Hurry
5 Engines Factory, Vehicles
6 Cold Sea Sea whose water is cold
7 Whale Type of a big Fish
8 Huge Very Big
9 Interrupt Break