KEEPING QUIET- By Pablo Neruda

Paraphrase of the stanzas

The poet here requests everyone to count to twelve in their own mind and to stop for
a while. Maybe this ‘twelve’ referred to by the poet is the twelve hours in the clock or
the twelve months in a year. He wants everyone to stop and calm down and take a
moment to introspect and retrospect. 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 to peace. So, he asks
people not to speak. Not only this, but he also wants us to stop moving our arms. By
using the word ‘arms’ (a pun) he means our hands and 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.
The 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 (oppressor/hunter) will also stop and not harm whales
(prey/innocuous people) in the sea. This means that the poet is urging everyone not
to harm the animals. Here he gives the example of whales that 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, (lower class) 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.
The poet asks everyone to stop those activities which are damaging the environment.
Today all 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 a 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.

Now the poet wants to clarify to his readers that when he asks them to stop 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 the 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 what they have achieved 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 understanding what we want, who we are; not enjoying what we have
achieved and the greed to achieve what next is on the list to be achieved.
In these lines, the poet suggests to human beings that we should learn a lesson from
Earth. During the winters everything freezes and becomes lifeless. But when the
season changes and it’s the onset of the spring season, everything present in nature
such as the trees, birds, rivers, etc gets life. Nature remains at work even under
apparent stillness. Life and living never stop on earth. So here, the poet, by giving the
example of nature, wants to say that all human beings should stop and try to judge
their deeds. They can try and make their life better with calmness, and peace. Finally,
he ends up by saying that now he will count up to twelve so that we all may become
quiet. Here ‘quiet’ means to calm down 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. It also denotes the departure of ‘I’ which is man’s ego. Once he
lets go of his ego, he becomes aware of the others and the need to co-exist peacefully.

Board Exam Questions

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (All India 2009)
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.

1. How long does the poet want to stay still?

2. What does he hope to achieve by keeping quiet?
3. What does the poet mean by ‘not move our arms so much’?

Answer:
1. The poet wants to count up to twelve and stay still during the time we are counting
to twelve.
2. By keeping quiet the poet hopes that he will be able to live a fascinating moment
and then realize the value of calm reflection and quiet introspection. The poet
believes that by keeping quiet, we will be able to hear the voice of our conscience in
these moments of silence.
3. Whenever a man has used his arms he has caused undue harm to others. So the
poet uses the phrase, ‘not to move our arms so much’ to emphasize the importance
of physical inactivity to lessen destruction caused by man in the world.

Question 2.
What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for? (Delhi 2009)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed,
cruelty, and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have caused
unpleasantness and trouble. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines
should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.

Question 3.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2010)
It would he an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.

1. What does ‘It’ refer to?

2. Who is the poet speaking to?
3. What would be the moment like?

Answer:
1. It refers to that moment of silence and quietness when peace and calmness will
prevail.
2. The poet is addressing mankind who has no time for quiet introspection in its over-
hectic, busy life.
3. The moment would be exotic and unusual, a new experience in which mankind
will experience a sense of bonding and togetherness with each other.

Question 4.
According to the poet, what is it that human beings can learn from Nature? (All India
2010)
Answer:
Earth can teach a lesson to mankind on the preservation and resurrection of life and
how new life is believed to rise from the ashes of the dead remains. The Earth never
attains total inactivity. Nature remains at work under apparent stillness and keeps the
Earth alive. Life never ceases on earth when everything appears to be dead only one
thing remains alive and that is earth itself.

Question 5.
Why is Pablo Neruda against ‘total inactivity’? (Comptt. Delhi 2010)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda is against ‘total inactivity’ because that would amount to death and he
has no association with death. Life is a continuous and on-going process and so is
all about being on the move. Life should not come to a standstill under any
circumstance.

Question 6.
Which sadness is Pablo Neruda worried about in his poem? (Comptt. All India 2010)
Answer:
The sadness that Pablo Neruda is worried about in his poem is the sadness of
isolation that has made modern man its victim. This sadness has made man self-
centered and uncaring of the needs of his fellowmen. He has sacrificed the needs of
his emotional self in favour of materialism. He has understood everything else but
himself.

Question 7.
Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and death? Why/ Why
not? (Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity and death. He wants to
give mankind an opportunity of quiet introspection to know and realize how he has
been harming himself and others. He makes it clear that stillness should not be
confused with inactivity. Stillness means halting of harmful human activities. He also
wants mankind to understand that life is about sprouting out of seemingly dead
surroundings.
Question 8.
Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death in the poem, ‘Keeping
Quiet’? Give reasons. (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
No, the poet especially says that keeping quiet should not be confused with total
inactivity. He wants no association with death. He wants to keep quiet as this will
prepare mankind for introspection and regeneration.

Question 9.
What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for? (Comptt. All India
2011)
Answer:
Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed,
cruelty, and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have caused
unpleasantness and trouble. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines
should cease and peace and tranquillity should prevail.

Question 10.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2012)
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.

1. Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?

2. What does he want us to do for one second?
3. What does he mean by ‘not move our arms’?

Answer:
1. The poet wants us to keep quiet because this moment of quietness will give us the
time to meditate and introspect upon the kind of turmoil we have created on earth
through our ill-actions. Too much activity and rush have only brought misfortunes to
mankind, so it is better to be quiet and still.
2. The poet wants us to do nothing and remain inactive for one second.
3. The phrase ‘not move our arms’ implies that no physical activity should be carried
out for one second. Man has used his arms only to kill and destroy others. Therefore,
let him not move his arms to harm others.

Question 11.
How can suspension of activities help? (All India 2012)
Answer:
Suspension of activities will give us time to introspect and reflect on our follies. It will
give us the much-needed time to forget our differences, wither away our
discriminations and enter into a world of peace.

Question 12.
How does stopping for a second help us, according to the poet, Pablo Neruda?
(Comptt. Delhi 2012)
Answer:
According to Pablo Neruda, when we stop for a second we get an opportunity to
introspect on our follies. During this moment we will forget our differences and
experience a strength of togetherness which will give us a moment of bliss. By
indulging in such moments of inactivity, we will realize the harm we are causing to
the world with our words and actions.

Question 13.
What is the exotic moment referred to in the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’? What makes it
exotic? (Comptt. All India 2012)
Answer:
When people sit still without speaking any language in quiet introspection, that
moment, according to the poet will be an exotic one because this moment will help
us to experience a strength of togetherness and a strange relationship with which
humanity will bind itself.

Question 14.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (Delhi 2013)
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.

1. What does the Earth teach us?

2. What does the poet mean to achieve by counting upto twelve?
3. What is the significance of ‘keeping quiet’?

Answer:
1. The Earth teaches us how to nurture life under apparent quietude and how to work
silently. It teaches us the importance of sometimes taking a break from all activities.
2. The poet counts up to twelve in an attempt to remain calm and still. He wants to
make mankind realize the futility of their mindless words and actions and encourage
people to introspect for their own good.
3. By keeping quiet and calm man will realize his follies and refrain from harmful
destructive activities. It will also help in creating a feeling of natural understanding
and introspection among human beings.