Theme of the Poem

The power of silence and thought as a means of comprehending and engaging with
the world is the theme of the poem “Keeping Quiet” from the Class 12 English
Flamingo textbook. In order to develop a better understanding of themselves and
their surroundings, the poet emphasizes on stillness and watching nature. The
speaker makes the claim that one can develop a sense of oneness with one’s
surroundings and other people by remaining silent and observing. The poem also
considers how the modern world may be noisy and distracting and how spending
some time to be silent and still can be a helpful strategy for obtaining clarity and
inner calm.
Keeping Quiet Explanation
POEM
First stanza
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.
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1. The poet asks everyone to count up to twelve in their mind. The number
twelve represents the hours of the day or the months of a year.
2. He wants all of us to be calm and still.
3. People across the nations have to unite together, so, they shall not speak
their own languages, rather they all shall keep quiet and speak the language
of silence.
4. This will bring unity among all the humans on the face of the Earth.
5. For at least one moment, no one shall move his arms either to signal, or to
fight, or argue with each other.
The poet here requests everyone to count till twelve in their own mind and to stop
for a while. May be this ‘twelve’ referred by the poet is the twelve hours in the clock
or the twelve months in an year. He wants everyone to stop and calm down. The
poet urges everyone not to speak any language. As we all know that there are
different languages spoken in different parts of the earth which sometimes become
a barrier in our way for peace. So, he asks people not to speak. Not only this, he
also wants us to stop moving our arms. By using the word ‘arms’ he means the
weapons which are used by different countries to raise a war against each other. So
basically the poet is demanding peace from all of us.
Literary devices:
Assonance: Use of vowel sound ‘o’ and ‘e’ (Now we will count to twelve, not move
our arms so much)
Anaphora: Two consecutive lines starting with the word ‘Let’s’
let’s not speak in any language,
let’s stop for one second,
Alliteration: the repetition of a consonant sound at the start of 2 or more closely
placed words.
‘we will’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated
POEM Second stanza
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.

Explanation of the poem passage above:

When everything will come to a standstill, it will be a rare situation.
1. No one will be in a rush, there will be no engines running.
2. Everyone will be calm and quiet, united with each other in a strange
atmosphere.
3. It will be strange because it has never happened earlier.
4. No person would be harming any other living being either for food or to earn
his livelihood.
5. All the people who work endlessly will get some time to look at their injuries
and the damage they have caused to their body.
Poet says that it would be a rare situation when there will be no engines working.
Here he wants to stay that if everything comes to standstill, it will be a very
different moment. If all the engines like the vehicles and machines stop, then there
will be a sudden, strange situation as the world will experience a sudden calmness.
People will not be in a rush to achieve material things one after another. Further the
poet says that the fisherman will also stop and not harm whales in the sea. This
means that the poet is urging everyone not to harm the animals. Here he gives the
example of whales which are being hunted for the purpose of food or trade. He also
wants people to calm down so that they can stop and see what they have achieved
or lost. For this he gives the example of the man who gathers salt, whose hands are
hurt. Here he wants everyone to stop for a while in order to see and feel their
achievements and how much they have lost for the sake of attaining such
materialistic things.
Literary devices:
Alliteration- ‘we would’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘sudden strangeness’ – ‘s’ sound is
repeated, ‘his hurt hands’ – ‘h’ sound is repeated
POEM Third stanza
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.
Explanation of the poem passage above:
1. The people who exploit the green wealth of nature by deforestation, or
mining, or fishing in the deep seas and the soldiers who use weapons to kill
fellow human beings need some time to introspect into the consequences of
their actions. They are merely doing their job or following orders.
2. He wants them to put on ‘new clothes’ i.e. to adopt a new approach towards
life and to realize that killing so many people is not a victory.
3. He wants all of us to be united as one, consider our enemy to be our brother.
4. He is promoting brotherhood, peace and unity.
5. He does not want us to stop our works but to take some time and analyze the
results of our deeds.
The poet asks everyone to stop those activities which are damaging the
environment. Today all the human beings are making money by damaging the
environment with their activities such as mining, deforestation, letting the chemical
waste into rivers, etc. The poet asks us not to do so. He also requests people not to
involve in wars as there is no benefit of achieving such victory in which no one is
left alive. He says so because wars and environmental damage will lead to no life on
earth. Rather, he wants people to adopt a new approach towards life and mankind.
He says that you should treat your enemy like brothers and promote peace and
harmony in the world.
Literary devices:
Alliteration: ‘wars with’ – ‘w’ sound is repeated, ‘clean clothes’ – ‘c’ sound is
repeated
Assonance: use of vowel ‘o’ (victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers)
Repetition: use of ‘war’
POEM Fourth stanza
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.
Explanation of the poem passage above:
1. All human beings work endlessly with the aim of completing all their tasks.
2. They are driven by the target of survival and the threat of death.
3. So they are in a mad rush to accomplish all their works.
4. He says that perhaps, if they pause for a while, they can appreciate their
achievements and their lives would become happier.
5. He suggests that by keeping quiet, we will be able to understand the true
purpose of our life.
Now the poet wants to clarify to his readers that when he asks them to stop from
saying or doing anything, he doesn’t want anyone to become a non active person.
Non active is a person who remains idle and doesn’t do anything. Here, he simply
means that we should stop and see the consequences of our deeds. The poet
doesn’t want to see people being killed due to their greed for money and expansion
of territories. Further, he says that people are continuously working to achieve their
tasks without even thinking about their results. They are in fear of death and
therefore, want to achieve most of the things before their death. Here he urges
them to stop for a while and take some moment to relish on what they have
achieved till now. Everyone here is living a life in which he wants to achieve various
things one after another. But now the poet says it is the time to stop and see what
has been achieved and should be enjoyed. This will help us skip the sadness which
has become so prominent in our lives. The sadness of not enjoying what we have
achieved and the greed to achieve what next is in the list to be achieved.
Literary devices
Alliteration: we were, so single – minded
enjambment: and for once could perhaps a huge silence……..of threatening
ourselves with death.
POEM Fifth stanza
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.
Explanation of the poem passage above:
The poet suggests us to take a teaching from nature.
1. As the Earth undergoes changes, in winter, everything freezes, becomes
lifeless but after some time, the season changes again, and everything
comes back to life.
2. Similarly, taking a pause and introspecting into our lives will give it a new
meaning. We will be able to understand the purpose of our life. It will be like a
re birth of the soul.
3. The poet has conveyed to all the people the purpose of his message and so,
he asks them once again to take a pause, count till twelve and walks out of
the scene, keeping the scene open for all the people on the Earth to
experience this for times to come.
So, now the poet suggests to the human beings that we should learn a lesson from
Earth. During the winters everything freezes and becomes lifeless. But when season
changes and its the onset of spring season, everything present in the nature such
as the trees, birds, rivers, etc gets life. So here, the poet, by giving the example of
nature, wants to say that all the human beings should stop and try to judge their
deeds. They can try and make their life better with calmness, peace. Finally, he
ends up by saying that now he will count upto twelve so that we all may become
quiet. Here ‘quiet’ means to calm down ourselves and move towards the path of
peace and harmony. After saying this he says ‘I will go’. He says so as he has
conveyed his message to the people and wants them to be left alone to think about
it and work in the direction of peace.

Q1. In a world that is constantly running after ‘more’ chasing the next new
thing, would it be fair to think of Neruda’s call as merely a fanciful idea?
(CBSE QB, 2021)
Ans: Yes, Neruda’s call is good, but it is more fanciful in character. However, if we
are able to remain silent, it will have two effects on life in and around the sea.
1. The fisherman will avoid killing whales, or any other animal for our own
benefit for a while by remaining silent.
2. Additionally, salt gatherers will have time to heal their injured hands, tend to
them and not overwork and simply rest for a while.
3. Moreover, man will not harm nature during this period of silence, and both
humans and nature will have time to attend to and heal their wounds.
As a result, everyone will have more time to reflect on themselves, nature or the
past and the decisions taken by them.
Q2. The world has become a global village, and people across boundaries,
nationalities and communities are now connected to one another. With the
advancement of technology, and the advent of social media, do you think
that the task of keeping quiet, as envisaged by Neruda, has become easier
or more complicated? Justify your stance. (CBSE QB, 2021)
Ans: World has become a global village due to transport and communication.
People from all over the world are linked together by means of transportation and
communication. People use communication technology to stay mentally connected
to each other even when they are not physically connected. They use various
modes of transportation such as buses, cars, airplanes, and ships to travel from one
location to another for business or to visit loved ones. In today’s world, social media
platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and others have grown
into massive platforms that connect people all over the world.
Due to this advancement in technology and the advent of social media, the task of
keeping quiet both may and may not be achievable depending on the way people
perceive it. People understanding the need of introspection and reflecting on their
actions, thoughts, etc. can through the use of social media support and promote the
idea of “keeping quiet”. However, on the contrary, social media, technology and the
world itself, for some people can prevent them from “keeping quiet” thus making it
a fanciful idea and more complicated to achieve in nature. Therefore, people’s
perception towards the idea and understanding of introspection and “keeping quiet”
would be an important factor in determining if the task would be complicated or
easy to achieve.
Q3. Analyze the importance of the dramatic count to twelve in ‘Keeping
Quiet.’
Ans: The poem begins with the poet’s request that a count to twelve be followed by
a moment of silence. The poet associates silence with the desire for a moment of
togetherness. The poet’s request to count to twelve is repeated in the first and last
stanzas, creating a personal space of silence in the poem. The poet seeks this
moment of silence to reflect and meditate, to share a sense of camaraderie and
oneness.
The poet wishes that the fishermen would not kill the whales at this precise
moment, and that the men gathering salt would rest their injured hands. The threat
of global annihilation would be eliminated. The poet wishes that at this moment we
would have time for self assessment and introspection. The number ‘twelve’ is
dramatically significant in representing our clock time, a real-life moment.
Q4. How is the poet’s appeal for keeping quiet different from absolute
sluggishness ?
Answer: In his plea for silence, the poet emphasizes the importance of self-
introspection in a man’s life. As we face the sadness of death, he encourages us to
seek a moment to understand ourselves and analyze our actions. The poet’s
request for a moment of silence or stillness should not be misinterpreted as a
request for inactivity or complete sluggishness.
He seeks a moment of silence in which people are not preoccupied with work and
can reflect on their actions. This moment of silence will aid them in overcoming
their difficulties and flaws. The poet even believes that the Earth will enlighten men
in this process, because silence is only a moment captured where there is activity
under apparent stillness.
Q5. Analyze the poetic devices that the poet adopts in the poem.
Ans: The poet has used repetition in the lines ‘let’s not speak’ and ‘let’s stop for
one second’ to create a poetic effect of emphasis on his readers. Even the phrases
‘count to twelve’ and ‘count up to twelve’ are symbolic, as the poet requests silence
a second time. The word ‘twelve’ represents a unit of time that represents our clock
time in real life, capturing a moment from our current time. The phrases ‘hurt
hands’ and ‘clean clothes’ are examples of alliteration. The word ‘brothers’ in the
poem implies brotherhood, and synecdoche is used by using a concrete object
rather than an abstract concept. The poet also uses metaphor in ‘put on clean
clothes,’ as he wants the warmongers to shed their blood-soiled clothes (i.e., stop
fighting) and put on new clothes (meaning, follow brotherhood).
Q6. Elucidate and bring out what Pablo Neruda wants to convey through
the following :
(i) Life is what it is about.
(ii) As when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive.
Ans: (i) Through “ Life is what it is about”, the poet encourages everyone to
observe silence and stand still for a while. He wishes to use this time for quiet
introspection and to foster greater human understanding. He does not imply death’s
stillness and silence. After all, life must go on and that normal and necessary
activities cannot be put on hold.
(ii) Through “As when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive”, the poet
tries explaining to people that seasons change on a regular basis in nature. When it
snows in the winter, the earth appears to be dead, with no greenery, no flowering,
and no movement of birds and beasts. However, this situation is deceptive. After
about a month, the earth demonstrates that it is better prepared for new life. The
poet thus, has related this to the change in nature over the course of the year or
our lives.
Q7. Bring out the underlying message and appeal of Pablo Neruda’s poem
‘Keeping Quiet’. Why does he call upon all the people to keep quiet ?
Ans: Keeping Quiet is a poem with a historical significance. The poet calls on all
people around the world to observe a brief moment of silence, to suspend all
activities, to stand still, and to quietly reflect on what they are doing to kill
themselves. The poet discusses the need to halt all war-related activities and attack
animals for our personal gains. The poet believes that it will be an odd experience
for the people to be free of tension and mad rush.” They will have time to get to
know their neighbors and their families’ needs. However, the poet is not advocating
for total inactivity. After all, life must go on in a quiet manner. Even when everything
in nature appears to be dead, the seeds of life remain alive in the earth.
Q8. Explain the theme of the poem “Keeping Quiet” by Pablo Neruda.
Ans: Silence and stillness is the central theme of the poem “Keeping Quiet” by
Pablo Neruda. Adopting silence and stillness in our lives, even if only for a short
time, is essential, according to the poet, because it allows us to reflect on ourselves
and the world. This will put us on a meaningful path in life, first on an individual
level and then on a societal level. When we begin working towards self-
actualization, our focus shifts from the outside to the inside. As a result, individuals
and nations will live in peace and harmony. However, for this to happen, the poet’s
recommended silence and stillness must not be mistaken for complete inactivity.
The poem also has a secondary theme, i.e., Introspection. We can only achieve the
perfect Utopian world described in the poem through introspection and reflection.
Q9. It could be said that the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’ presents the poet’s
philosophy for a different kind of world. If you were asked to highlight
elements of Neruda’s vision that resonate in your specific social, political
and cultural context, which three main ideas would you engage with? Use
relevant textual details to support your analysis. (CBSE QB, 2021)
Ans: Pablo Neruda imagines a beautiful world in which silence and stillness become
a regular part of one’s life, understanding of oneself reduces environmental conflict
and war.
Neruda’s vision can be adopted into a social, political and cultural context in the
following ways:-
1. The first is that Neruda’s suggestion of remaining silent can be applied in a
social context. Under any circumstances, all professionals would be taught to
be still, silent, and calm.
2. Second, Neruda’s suggestion of stillness can be suggested to political parties
who can incorporate them into their political doctrine.
3. Third, on a cultural level, stillness and silence can be adopted through a
grassroots movement beginning with public Stillness Clubs (where people go
to stay still and be silent), which can then be replicated in businesses and
neighborhoods.
4. Ideally, stillness and silence should be taught at home and from childhood
itself and from there, it should spread all over the world.