I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all

these individuals for mentoring and supporting me

in completing this project. My teacher for providing
me with invaluable insights and direction. Our
esteemed principal for fostering an environment of
learning and creativity within our school. To my
parents, their constant encouragement, patience, and
understanding have been the pillars of my success. I
am grateful to my friends who contributed ideas and
perspectives that enriched the project. Thank you
everyone for shaping this project and enhancing my
learning experience.
Pablo Neruda's poem "Keeping Quiet"
highlights the importance of
sustaining peace and silence. He
emphasizes being peaceful and non-
harmful to humans, animals, and the
environment. He claims that to sustain
peace and harmony, we must take time
to pause and reflect.
 Pablo Neruda
• Pablo Neruda, renowned as a poet, diplomat, and
politician, is widely celebrated as one of the foremost poets
of the 20th century and a leading figure in Spanish-
language literature.
• Born on 12 July 1904, he was originally named Ricardo
Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto.
• Neruda gained fame during his lifetime for his diverse
styles, which included surrealist poems and historical epics.
• Among his works are passionate love poems, including
"Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair" (1924).
• He held various diplomatic positions and served as a
Senator for the Chilean Communist Party.
• In 1971, Neruda was honored with the Nobel Prize.
 Keeping Quiet
• "Keeping Quiet" explores the importance of self-
reflection in finding inner peace and
reconciliation with others.
• The poet urges readers to carve out a small
portion of their hectic routines for quiet
contemplation and underscores the value of
introspection and reflection. It promotes the idea
of pausing.
• The poem illustrates how a moment of silent self-
examination can reveal the pointlessness of our
forceful actions.
 “Now we will count to twelve & we
will keep still”
• The poet prompts readers to silently count up to
twelve and encourages everyone to embrace stillness.
• During this quiet moment, they would cease their
chatter and motion. Rather than focusing outward,
they would turn inward for introspection.
• This process resembles a meditation exercise,
gradually calming the mind in readiness for
introspection.
• The number twelve may also symbolize the hours of
the day or the months of a year.
Poetic Device: Repetition of "we will"
 “For once on the face of the earth,
let’s not speak in any language”
• The poet advises against using any spoken
language. Instead, people worldwide should
refrain from speaking their native languages and
embrace the language of silence.

• Language often divides, leading to power

struggles and prejudice. If everyone refrained
from speaking for a while, discrimination would
vanish into the silence. This silence could foster
unity among all people on Earth.
 “Let's stop for a second, and not
move our arms so much.”
• The poet implores us to pause for a moment, refrain from activity, and distance ourselves from
negativity.

• The term "arms" extends beyond physical limbs to include weaponry that fosters violence and
disrupts peace and harmony.

• Without right intentions guiding actions, differences and unrest will persist, threatening societal
cohesion.

• Humanity often suffers from its own actions. Much of the turmoil on Earth stems from its
relentless pursuit of progress.

• This stance can be seen as authoritarian, potentially seen as an attempt to exert control over
others.

• Poetic Device: Pun on "arms"

• - "Arms" can refer to both hands engaged in various activities and weapons used for destruction.

• Poetic Device: Repetition of "Let's"

• - Used to establish rapport with the reader and emphasize the poet's message.
 “It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines”
• When everything halts, it will be an extraordinary, almost magical
moment.

• We're constantly engrossed in our tasks and hurrying through life.

• It's essential to halt industrial engines, which harm nature, and

cease our personal activities, coming together in the harmony of
silence
• Modern mechanized life drains our mental and physical vigor,
eroding our delicate human emotions and sentiments.

• An "exotic moment" signifies a singular and precious instance

characterized by beauty, global peace, universal kinship,
compassion, and mutual understanding.
“Fishermen in the cold sea would not
harm whales”
• No individual would cause harm to any living creature, whether
for sustenance or to earn a living.

• The poet likens fishermen to oppressors and executioners, urging

them to cease their activities and reflect on their errors.

• The potent metaphor of the fisherman critiques humanity's

reckless exploitation of nature for personal gain.

• Such actions have inflicted damage on wildlife populations and

driven endangered species perilously close to extinction.
 “and the man gathering salt would
look at his hurt hands”
• Everyone who toils tirelessly will eventually find a
moment to reflect on their injuries and the harm
inflicted upon their bodies.
• The salt gatherers serve as a metaphor for the
impoverished working class, who often go to extreme
lengths to earn a living, often causing irreparable
harm to themselves.
• Here, the poet condemns humanity's relentless
pursuit of material progress.
• This pursuit has led to sorrow and hardship, as people
disregard the spiritual emptiness caused by their
insatiable greed for more.
“Those who prepare green wars, wars
with gas, wars with fire”
• "Green wars" depict the ruthless conflicts waged by humanity
against nature, exploiting it for selfish gains that lead to
environmental degradation.
• Humanity's failure to recognize its interconnectedness with nature
results in immense suffering, and the day is approaching when
human actions may threaten our own extinction.
• Wars involving gases and weapons have been waged by humans
against each other throughout history and in the present. These
conflicts involve devastating weapons capable of annihilating
humanity from the planet.
• "Those" refers to all individuals responsible for initiating and
escalating wars. Such conflicts propagate senseless violence,
resulting in significant loss of human lives, destruction of
property, and the erosion of sacred values, emotions, and
sentiments.
 “victories with no survivors, would
put on clean clothes”
• The poet presents the paradox of war, where everyone suffers losses,
and victory merely signals an end to the conflict. It serves as a cautionary
tale of a potential future where human inventions turn against us,
threatening the extinction of humanity.
• Deadly weapons symbolize mankind's intelligence and the achievements
of technological and scientific progress. Yet, they also signify humanity's
defeat.
• Persistent warfare threatens to transform our living planet into a barren
wasteland.
• Humanity would discard its blood-stained garments and don clean attire.
It would purify its soul, heart, and mind of anger and hatred.
• Embracing a new approach filled with peace and understanding,
humanity would come to understand the destructive nature of war,
realizing that true victory does not lie in the slaughter of countless lives.
 “and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing”
• We ought to stride alongside all fellow beings as
brothers. This shift in outlook will foster love and
respect for our fellow humans. The poet urges us to
forsake paths of destruction and embrace unity.
• "In the shade" metaphorically represents a state of
peace and love towards nature, free from violence.
• Similar to how shade shields from the harsh sun, we
should shield and support one another as brothers,
living in peaceful coexistence and harmony.
“What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity”
• The poet cautions that his call for silence should
not be misunderstood as advocating complete
inactivity or inertia.
• He encourages us not to cease our labor entirely
but to pause and reflect on the outcomes of our
actions. Taking time for silence and
contemplation can rejuvenate and enrich our
lives more profoundly.

•
 “Life is what it is about; I want no
truck with death”
• He emphasizes that his message is not about
death in any way. Instead, he urges us to pause
momentarily and experience the peaceful
introspection that comes with positive
reflection, distinct from complete inactivity or
the finality of death.
• He desires that death does not prematurely
interrupt our lives. It should arrive only at the
conclusion of a life lived fully and satisfactorily,
without any regrets.
 “If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,”
• Every human being tirelessly strives to
complete their tasks, motivated by the
imperative of survival and the fear of death,
resulting in a frantic rush to accomplish
everything.
• The poet critiques humanity's mistaken
concept of progress, which often manifests as
mere mechanical advancement.
 “and for once could do nothing, perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness of never understanding
ourselves and of threatening ourselves with death”
• Taking a moment to pause allows us to appreciate our
accomplishments and can lead to greater happiness
in our lives. Through silence, we gain clarity on the
true purpose of life. Humanity is often moving
towards destruction under the guise of progress.
• In his pursuit of materialism, man neglects his
emotional well-being. The poet regrets not embracing
introspective silence earlier to free his mind from
sadness. His failure to do so brings him closer to the
darkness of despair and mortality.
 “Perhaps the earth can teach us as when
everything seems dead and later
proves to be alive”
• The poet proposes that humans should draw
lessons from nature. Just as the Earth
experiences seasonal changes—where winter
freezes everything, rendering it seemingly
lifeless, only to see new life emerge with the
changing seasons—humans, too, need
moments of stillness and quiet to rejuvenate
and awaken their inner life forces, thus
enhancing productivity
 “Now I'll count up to twelve and you
keep quiet and I will go.”
• The poet has expressed the essence of his
message. He invites people once more to
pause, count to twelve, and then proceed. He
leaves us reflective and contemplative.
• He encourages us to dwell on the ideas he
has planted. With confidence that readers
will recognize the value of introspection, he
hopes they will integrate it into their daily
lives.