POEM KEEPING QUIET FLAMINGO

Questions and Answers

Q1- What will counting upto twelve and keeping still help us achieve?
A1-If we count upto twelve and keep still, it will give us some time to analyze our deeds,
the harm we are causing to ourselves and to others.. It will give us time to think about the
result of our activities. Unfortunately this is taking all of us toward our own end. So, we
need to think in order to achieve peace and harmony.

Q2- Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?
A2- No, the poet doesn’t advocate total inactivity and death. He clarifies this in his poem
that he wants all the people to just stop for a while in order to analyze their activities and
their consequences. He wants human beings not to support war and damage to the
environment.

Q3- What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
A3- The sadness is the result of our own actions and deeds. It is the result of not
understanding the real purpose of life. According to the poet we all are in a hurry of
achieving various tasks in our life. This rush sometimes proves dangerous for us. As we
don’t analyze our actions, so we land ourselves in a number of problems. These problems
then become the reason for our sadness as referred to in the poem.

Q4- What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life
under apparent stillness?
A4- The poet takes the example of earth to prove that there can be life under apparent
stillness. The earth never gets inactive. We experience the change in the seasons which
brings so many different things with it. In winters, things come to a standstill as the water
bodies freeze; the trees shed their leaves, etc. But as soon as the spring season comes,
it brings with it the lovely flowers, flowing rivers and a new life is given to the nature. So,
the poet wants to convey that everything is not lost. There is always hope and we can
start everything from the beginning.

SUMMARY
This poem advocates the importance of silence and self- introspection. It can transform not only the
life of an individual but also the face of the earth. The poet says that it does not need much time to
look within and examine oneself. It will take only as long as it will take to count to twelve. During this
time of introspection (self examination), one should keep quiet and say nothing at all. It will give him
a strange feeling of togetherness with all others. Although it may seem a little strange in the beginning,
it will eventually bring us all together. This silence will be free from „the disturbing sounds of engines
and people rushing to get their work done‟ for some time. He feels contended imagining the change
that will be brought about in those moments. The men who hurt their hands while collecting salt will
get a little rest. Even the people who seek fresh wars, using fatal gas and weapons, will put on clean
clothes and get a chance to walk among their brothers. They will lead a hatred-free and calm life,
giving a halt to their destructive activities.

Central Idea of Keeping Quiet:

Introspective quietness is the crux around which Keeping Quiet revolves. The poet implies in
course of the poem that the reason why there is a lack of peace and contentment in the world,
both personal and societal; is that people have been so busy in mindless action that they fail to
stop and take stock of what they are doing. Once people just halt their daily grind and begin to
really weigh the pros and cons of their actions and undertake a path of self-discovery, there
will be no problems in the world. Wars will cease and people will begin to stop hurting each
other because upon discovering the real self in a moment of complete tranquility; people will
rise above their petty selfish needs and unite on a plane of humanity and brotherhood. Neruda
believes that the soul housed within the human body is capable of performing this feat if given
a chance to shine out through introspection, for which absolute silence and stillness is essential.
History bears testimony to the fact that meditative reflection has changed many lives. Great
historical figures like Gautam Buddha and Ashoka gave up riches and warfare once they
discovered through introspection and meditation that the self can never be fulfilled through
power and riches. It is always spiritualism which completes a human being. Neruda encourages
his readers to also work towards that level of self-actualization.

EXTRACTS

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.
a) What is the significance of the number ‘twelve’?
Answer : The significance of the number ‘twelve’ is that there are 12 hours in a clock and 12
months in a year.
b) Which two activities does the poet want us to stop?
Answer : The two activities that the poet wants us to stop are speaking in any language and
moving our arms.
c) What does the poet mean by ‘let’s not speak in any language?
Answer : The poet means that nothing should be spoken in any language, so there are no
disputes.
d) Describe the pun on the word, ‘arms’.
Answer : ‘Arms’ has two meanings – hands and weapons. So the poet wants us to be still,
i.e., not moving our hands, and also not fight, i.e., not use any weapons.
Question 2 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
‘It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness’.
a) Which exotic moment is referred to in these lines?

Answer : The ‘exotic moment’ referred to in these lines is the moment when everyone keeps
quiet and there is no movement.

b) Why would that moment be strange?

Answer : That moment would be strange because there will be rush or sound of engines and it
will bring the whole of humanity together for the first time.

c) What does the poet advocate in the poem?

Answer : The poet advocates the need to introspect and think before you act in the poem.

d) What does the poet mean by the word, ‘engines’?

Answer : By the word ‘engines’, the poet means automobiles or machines.

Question 3 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
“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.”
a) Who does ‘we’ refer to in the above lines?
Answer : ‘We’ refers to the human beings, who are always thinking about their own progress
and advancement.
b) Why does the poet want us to ‘do nothing’ for once?
Answer : The poet wants us to ‘do nothing’ for once so that our mind can be at peace and we
get some time to introspect and analyse our own actions.
c) What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
Answer : The poet refers to the ‘sadness’ which arises due to the fact that people fail to
understand themselves. They have no time to introspect about their actions and their
consequences.
d) How can a huge silence do good to us ?
Answer : A huge silence can do good to us because we would be able to achieve peace in
this silence. It would help us in analysing ourselves and our actions. This would interrupt the
sadness of threatening ourselves with death.
Question 4 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
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.
a) What does the Earth teach us?
Answer : The Earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains, and how there is life
under apparent stillness.
b) What does the poet mean to achieve?
Answer : The poet wants to achieve peace by counting upto twelve. He wants us to
introspect in a moment of silence.
c) What is the significance of ‘keeping quiet’?
Answer : Keeping quiet doesn’t mean just not speaking. It means that we should avoid all
activities which hurt nature and, in turn hurt us.
d) What is always alive, even when everything seems to be dead?
Answer : The Earth is always alive, even when everything else seems to be dead as there is
always some activity going on in nature beneath its apparent stillness.
Question 5 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
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.
a) Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
Answer : The poet wants us to keep quiet in the hope that the moment of tranquility might
help us in finding the answers to our problems.
b) What does he want us to do for one second?
Answer : The poet wants us to be silent and motionless for one second.
c) What does he mean by “not move our arms”?
Answer : By “not moving our arms” the poet means that we should be in a state of total
stillness with no physical activity at all.
d) How can this moment of stillness help us?
Answer : This moment of stillness can provide us physical and mental rest, during which our
mind will be at peace. We can analyse our actions and their consequences and avoid rash or
thoughtless behaviour.
Question 6 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
a) What will happen if there is no rush or running of engines?
Answer : It will be an ecstatic moment of tranquility when there is no rush or running of
engines.
b) Why would it be called an exotic moment?
Answer : It would be called an exotic moment because it will be a moment of universal
peace and brotherhood. In that moment, all of us would initiate introspection through
meditation and the whole world will be enveloped in quietness.
c) How would we feel at the moment?
Answer : We would feel very strange at that moment, because at that time everyone will
have a feeling of oneness with their fellow human beings. It will be a new feeling altogether.
d) Name the poem and the poet.
Answer : The poem is ‘Keeping Quiet’ and the poet is Pablo Neruda.
Question 7 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
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.
a) How long does the poet want to stay still?
Answer : The poet wants us to stay silent for a brief moment.
b) What does he hope to achieve by keeping quiet?
Answer : He hopes to achieve and realise the value of quiet introspection by keeping quiet.
c) What does the poet mean by ‘not move our arms so much’?
Answer : By this, he means that we should not make any physical movement, as physical
activity will interrupt our introspection.
d) Why does the poet suggest us not to speak in any language?
Answer : The poet wants us to simply be silent for a moment and utilise that time to
understand ourselves as well as others. Besides, speaking can also lead to quarrels, which the
poet, perhaps, wants to avoid.
Question 8 : Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
a) What does the poet expect of the fishermen and why?
Answer : In the exotic moment of silence and introspection, fishermen will become
conscious of the fact that they are causing harm to the whales and would stop killing them.
b) While gathering salt, what will the man do?
Answer : The man gathering salt will stop for a while at the quiet moment and look at his
hurt hands.
c) What do the hurt hands imply?
Answer : ‘Hurt hands’ means that human beings are forgetful of the pain they are causing to
themselves in the pursuit of amassing more and more comforts.
d) How would man and nature benefit in this moment of silence?
Answer : In this moment of silence, man will not harm nature, and both human beings and
nature will get some time to attend to their wounds and recover.