Keeping Quiet ... PPT Without Voiceover

Poem
KEEPING QUIET
Poet
PABLO NERUDA
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
• ‘We’ here refers to the poet & the readers. The

poets appeal to the readers is to suspend all physical
activities and keep still.
• The poet asks everyone to count up to twelve in
their mind. The number twelve represents the
hands of a clock. It basically signifies time.
• He wants all of us to be calm and still so that we get
time to introspect. He is advocating productive
silence.
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
• The poet urges everyone not to speak in any language. As we all
know that there are different languages spoken in different parts of
the world which sometimes become a barrier in our way for peace.
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.
• This will bring unity among all the humans on the face of the Earth.
• He further adds that for at least one moment, no one shall move
his arms either to work, fight or argue with each other.
• When people will neither speak nor do any work then there will be
universal peace and brotherhood.
Poetic device:
• not move our arms so much- Synecdoche ( it means not just arms
but we should not move our body as a whole i.e. no physical
activity)
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
• When everything will come to a standstill, it will be a rare

situation.
• No one will be in a rush, there will be no engines running, no
hustle bustle, no mad rush.
• Everyone will be calm and quiet, united with each other in a
strange atmosphere.
• It will be strange because it has never happened earlier and
people are not used to such peaceful moments.
• It will be rare moment of peace and universal brotherhood.
Poetic device:
• sudden strangeness- Alliteration
• without - Repetition
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.
• If people take out time to introspect, then they will stop doing
mindless activities which may harm them or others.
• Fishermen will stop indiscriminate killing of whales. They will
realise that by doing so they are actually harming the nature.
• If the salt gatherer introspects, he will understand that by
doing so he is actually hurting himself
• We can say no person would be harming any other living being
either for food or to earn his livelihood.
Poetic device:
• cold sea - Transferred epithet
• his hurt hands - Alliteration
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
• Green wars refer to the war against environment or the

biological warfare.
• Wars with gas refer to the chemical wars
• The people who are involved in destructive activities like war
need to understand that by indulging in these mindless
activities, they are not just harming others but themselves
too.
Poetic device:
• victory with no survivors- Irony
It is ironical as war leaves no survivors to enjoy that victory
• war - Repetition
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
• If all these people introspect, they will stop their

mindless activities. They will put on clean clothes
means their souls will be cleansed of hatred and
they will walk in peace with their brothers i.e.
there will be unity and brotherhood.
• Poetic device :
• clean clothes- Alliteration
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death
• The poet warns the readers that his message of sitting

quietly should not be misinterpreted. He does not want
us to stop our work, but to take out some time and
analyze the result of our deeds.
• Total inactivity is like death i.e. both physically and
mentally still. Poet wants only physical inactivity but
mental alertness. He is advocating productive silence
wherein people take out time to understand themselves.
• Life is all about activity. He refuses to associate or deal
with death. Total inactivity would mean even mental
sluggishness.
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.
• We should not only be focussed about keeping our lives
moving but at the same time we should spare a few moments
for ourselves. In that hour of silence we should indulge in
introspection and try to understand ourselves better.
• The poet says that people are continuously working to
achieve their tasks without even thinking about their results.
• If we continue moving ahead mindlessly, then we might
threaten ourselves with death. There will be sadness in our
lives because we will not be able to understand ourselves.
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
• The poet suggests that we should learn a lesson

from Earth. The earth which appears to be quiet
and calm is actually nurturing life inside it.
• Similarly when we are silent and quiet from
outside, we must actually be introspecting
during that time. He wants us to be productive in
our silence.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
• 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.
• Please note that when the poem begins the poet is

with the readers but in the end he leaves. He has
conveyed his message and now wants us to
implement it in our lives.
THANK YOU

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Poem

• ‘We’ here refers to the poet & the readers. The

• When everything will come to a standstill, it will be a rare

• Green wars refer to the war against environment or the

• If all these people introspect, they will stop their

• The poet warns the readers that his message of sitting

• The poet suggests that we should learn a lesson

• Finally, he ends up by saying that now he will count

• Please note that when the poem begins the poet is

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