What is the central theme of the poem Keeping Quiet by Pablo Neruda?

Answer 1

This poem talks about the need for quiet introspection and creating feelings of mutual understanding, love and respect among human beings.

The poet suggests that he count to 12 and we all keep still. The purpose of this exercise, according to him, is to create a sense of togetherness in the minds of all people. In the twelve seconds of silence that the poet wishes to observe, he wants all the people on earth to not talk in any language, but to speak through their hearts and understand each other. He feels that it would be an exotic moment, with silence. There would be no rush and no noise and all the people in the world would be bonded by this sudden stillness.

Fishermen in the sea would stop their act of killing and men who gather salt would stop their work and look at their hands, hurt from the burdens of their toil. For once, they would be able to pay heed to their selves, rather than their work.

People who fight wars would stop and walk about with all others, like brothers, doing nothing.

The poet does not want total inactivity or death. He feels that today, all the people are so engrossed in keeping their lives moving and fulfilling their duties, that no one has time to think about themselves or others. He believes that if we observe these few moments of silence, it would unite us in a strange silence and help us understand ourselves better. It would foster a sense of brotherhood and unity among us.

According to the poet, we should all learn a lesson from the earth, who appears to be dead on the surface. But beneath the surface is amazing life, which proves that there can be life under apparent stillness.

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Answer 2

Nature teaches us valuable lessons by remaining dormant in winter and springing back to life in spring season. So quietness always is productive this is the lesson nature is trying to teach us. A period of stillness can produce positive and constructive energy and the end result will always be productive

Answer 3

'Keeping Quiet' is a deceptively simple poem by Neruda about the exigency of self-analysis and introspection in building up a new world. An Indian reader with a penchant for spiritual stuff would find the poem offering rich resource for explaining things like meditation, awareness etc.

The poem is a plea for peace from one who has seen the dire consequences of war and and violence.

See the line,

"Let's stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much."

ARMS can also mean weapons and moving arms (arms-hands) is the stock gesture of dictation and order of any political leader. Remember how Chaplin makes fun of Hitler in "The Great Dictator" esp. in a scene where he sweats and fumes during a speech. The poet pleads people to do self-analysis before doing anything. A person without awareness in action would spread the same ignorance around. It is a vicious circle.

Sri Ramakrishna used to say,

"First rub your hands with oil and then break open the jack-fruit;

otherwise they will be smeared with its sticky milk.

First secure the oil of divine love, and then set your hand

to the duties of the world."

The poet directs our attention to Nature to convince us that Nature too holds back itself only to come back with better output. The same applies to us.

What is significant about "twelve" in the poem?

The poem probably refers to the face of a clock. The poem is preoccupied with time, with *stopping* and doing nothing, rather than rushing around, and towards destruction. This stopping is associated with a clock in this reference and wishing for everything to stop and ... calm down. Consider other possibilities.

The hands of a clock also go around from one to twelve and can become one... it is Oneness that the poem calls for.

Answer 4

Pata Nahi Yaar....