Keeping Quiet
By - Pablo Neruda
By - Pablo Neruda
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.
Questions
Q1. What does the poet mean by “count to twelve”?
Ans: The poet wants everyone to pause and keep quiet for a short time, symbolized by counting till twelve.
Q2. Why does the poet ask us not to speak in any language?
Ans: To remove barriers of language and promote universal understanding and peace.
Q3. Why does the poet want us not to move our arms?
Ans: He wants us to avoid all violent and destructive actions.
Q4. What is the central idea of this stanza?
Ans: The poet appeals for silence and stillness to promote peace and harmony.
Q5. Why is the number ‘twelve’ significant?
Ans: It represents time (twelve hours of the clock or twelve months of a year) and symbolizes a complete cycle of life.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Questions
Q1. What kind of moment does the poet imagine?
Ans: A strange, beautiful, and rare moment of silence and unity among all human beings.
Q2. What does “without engines” suggest?
Ans: It means stopping machines and technology that cause noise, pollution, and destruction.
Q3. What does the poet mean by “sudden strangeness”?
Ans: The unfamiliar but peaceful silence created by complete stillness and unity.
Q4. How would the world feel in this exotic moment?
Ans: It would feel peaceful, calm, and united.
Q5. What is the mood of this stanza?
Ans: The mood is calm, thoughtful, and hopeful.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales,
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
Questions
Q1. What change will fishermen experience?
Ans: They will stop killing whales and live in harmony with nature.
Q2. What will the salt-gatherer do?
Ans: He will pause from his hard work and reflect on his suffering and pain.
Q3. Why does the poet mention whales?
Ans: To symbolize the need to stop exploiting and harming nature.
Q4. What does “hurt hands” symbolize?
Ans: Human suffering caused by continuous hard labor and greed.
Q5. What theme does this stanza highlight?
Ans: It emphasizes compassion, self-reflection, and respect for nature.
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.
Questions
Q1. What are “green wars”?
Ans: Wars against the environment, such as deforestation and pollution.
Q2. What does the poet mean by “victory with no survivors”?
Ans: Destructive wars that wipe out humanity and leave no one alive.
Q3. What does “put on clean clothes” signify?
Ans: A change of heart—leaving behind violence and adopting peace.
Q4. What does the poet want the war-makers to do?
Ans: To live peacefully with others in brotherhood and harmony.
Q5. How does this stanza reflect hope?
Ans: It shows hope for transformation from violence to peace.
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.
Questions
Q1. How is the poet’s idea different from “total inactivity”?
Ans: The poet wants stillness for peace and reflection, not complete inactivity or death.
Q2. What does the poet say about our single-mindedness?
Ans: Humans are too focused on progress and activity, ignoring peace and self-reflection.
Q3. What lesson does the Earth teach us?
Ans: Nature shows that life comes after death, like spring after winter.
Q4. What is the “huge silence” expected to achieve?
Ans: It will bring self-understanding, peace, and an end to violence.
Q5. Why does the poet count up to twelve again in the end?
Ans: To remind us to pause, reflect, and keep quiet before he departs.
Count to twelve – Pause, take time
Keep still – Stay silent and calm
Not speak in any language – Stop talking, unite
Not move our arms – Stop violence/actions
Exotic moment – Rare, peaceful moment
Without rush – No hurry
Without engines – No machines, calm
Sudden strangeness – Unusual silence
Fishermen – People exploiting nature
Cold sea – Harsh environment
Not harm whales – Protect nature
Man gathering salt – Hard-working person
Hurt hands – Human suffering
Green wars – Environmental destruction
Wars with gas/fire – Chemical/nuclear wars
Victory with no survivors – Destructive wars
Put on clean clothes – Change for peace
Walk with brothers – Live in harmony
Total inactivity – Complete stillness/death
No truck with death – Reject death
Single-minded – Focused only on work
Huge silence – Peace, reflection
Sadness of never understanding – Human self-ignorance
Threatening ourselves with death – Self-destruction
Earth can teach us – Learn from nature
Everything seems dead but alive – Rebirth, renewal
Q.1 What will counting upto twelve and keeping still help us achieve ?
Ans : In the poem 'Keeping Quiet' pablo Meruda asks us to counting upto twelve and keeping still which helps us to understand ourselves. He tells us about the importance of silence.
Q.2 Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death ?
Ans : In the poem "Keeping Quiet" Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity and death. Infact, he says 'What I want should not be confused with total inactivity'. He describes people walking peacefully, doing nothing. He wants us to introspect.
Q.3 What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem ?
Ans : In the poem "Keeping Quiet" Pablo Neruda refers to the 'sadness' of failing to understand oneself in the monotonous every day existence. He also finds it sad that the humanity is moving towards its own ruin owing to its unanalyzed actions.
Q.4 Why do men become sad according to the poet ?
Ans : Men fail to understand themselves. They are always threatening themselves with death. When they realize their failure to understand themselves, they become sad. Fear of death also makes them sad.
Q.5 What symbol from nature does the poet invoke to says that there can be life under apparent stillness ?
Ans : The poet wants to show that under apparent stillness, life can still exist. To prove his point, he invokes the earth as a living symbol. The earth will never attain total inactivity. Nature remains at work at all times, even under apparent stillness and keeps the earth alive.
Q.6 How long does the poet want to stay still ?
Ans : In the poem "Keeping Quiet" Pablo Neruda wants to be count up to twelve to analyse our actions and understand ourselves. He wants us a self introspection.
Q.7 What does the poet hope to achieve by keeping quiet ?
Ans : In the poem "Keeping Quiet" Pablo Neruda hopes to achieve self introspection and analyze our actions by keeping quiet.
Q.8 What does the poet mean by "not move our arms so much" ?
Ans : In the poem "Keeping Quiet" Pablo Neruda describe a line "not move our arms so much". The poet means by the line that we are motionless for a second and analize our actions.