WELCOME

KEEPING QUIET
-PABLO NERUDA
 PABLO NERUDA
Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) is the pen
name of Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto
who was born in the town of Parral in
Chile. Neruda’s poems are full of easily
understood images which make them
no less beautiful. He won the Nobel
Prize for Literature in the year 1971. In
this poem Neruda talks about the
necessity of quiet introspection and
creating a feeling of mutual
understanding among human beings.
 THEME OF THE POEM
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.
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.
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.
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.
If we were not so 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.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go
 POETIC DEVICES
ALLITERATION:
(i) Now we will count to twelve
(ii) in a sudden strangeness
ASSONANCE:
(i) Now we will count to twelve
(ii) and not move our arms so much
ANTITHESIS:
(i) Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
REPETITION:
(i) without rush, without engines
(ii) wars with gas, wars with fire,
ANAPHORA:
(i) let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second
METAPHOR: SYMBOLISM:
(i) would put on clean clothes (i) Now we will count to twelve
(ii) in the shade, doing nothing. (ii) Fishermen in the cold sea
PERSONIFICATION: TRANSFERRED EPITHET:
(i) Perhaps the Earth can teach us (i) Fishermen in the cold sea
IMAGERY:
(i) Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands
ENJABMENT:
(i) It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
PUN:
(i) and not move our arms so much.
“Keeping Quiet” is a peace poem written by the Chilean poet Pablo
Neruda. The poet asks humanity to count numbers from one to twelve –
twelve being the number of hours shown in a clock or the number of
zodiac signs. He requests everyone not to speak because languages create
barriers between people. The moment when everyone stops moving their
body will be very special and different as we have never experienced such
a moment before.

The poet says that in this period of inactivity the fishermen would not harm
the whales, the salt gatherers will not hurt their hands, those who are busy
destroying the nature will adopt a new approach towards life, The men who
are preparing for wars and victory based on deaths of innocent people will
join their enemy and stand in unity with them, doing nothing. No one will
harm himself or any other person. Everyone will unite and ponder upon his
acts and realize the results of his deeds.

The poet clarifies his idea and says further that he does not want that
people should stand idle. He wants that there should be no war because he
does not want to see trucks laden with dead bodies of the soldiers. He is
promoting Universal brotherhood and peace.

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.“
 NADIA HUDA FATHIMA
MUSTHAFA SALWA NIYA

PRESENTED
BY

SHAHABA K AZEEM
MUHAD
T H A K
N

Y O U