About the poet

Pablo Neruda, original name Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, (born July 12, 1904, Parral, Chile
—died September 23, 1973, Santiago), Chilean poet, diplomat, and politician who was awarded
the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. He was perhaps the most important Latin American poet
of the 20th century.

About the poem

The poem begins on a note of quiet introspection. The poet ask the readers to count 12 and
then sit still. He implores them not to speak any language and for some time not involve
themselves in any movement. In this moment of silence, one can experience the strength of
togetherness, a sudden strange relationship to which humanity binds itself. In this blissful
moment of extreme silence, humans and nature will have time to heal their wounds.
people who are all the time engaged in the exploitation of nature and are preparing themselves
for chemical was coma which will leave no survivors behind coma shall find time to wear clean
clothes and walk around with their brothers strengthening the message of peace and
brotherhood.
The poet cautions that his thoughts should not be confused with total inactivity. Life certainly is
an ongoing dynamic process and should not be associated with death. In this hour of
introspection and silence, we will find time to understand ourselves better and escape from the
threatening cause of death. The poet feels that the Earth teaches us how everything comes to a
dead end and then comes to life again. In the same manner from this hour of silence, one can
learn the need to bring all evil thoughts to their end and to revive a new life of peace and
tranquility. The poet bring an end to his session of introspection instructing men to keep quiet
and then leaves them in the tranquility.

Glossary
Find out important words and phrases from the poem and write them in your notebook along
with their meaning.

QnA
Q. 1. What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve?
A) Counting to twelve and keeping still will help us put a brake on rush of our life. It will also help
us to introspect, reflect and experience silence and peace. In such moment we can find solution
to our problems and predicaments.

Q. 2. Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?

A) No, the poet doesn’t advocate total inactivity. Admitting life to be an ongoing process, he
wants that man’s activities should be positively channelized. Infect, man should put an end to
his hostile and destructive activities and promote constructive activities.

Q. 3. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?

A) The sadness the poet refers to emanates from the isolation of which the modern man has
become a victim man. This sadness has made man selfish. Thus, he fails to understand the
need of his fellow beings to lead a healthful life. Instead, he threatens others with the sorrows of
death.

Q. 4. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under
apparent stillness?
A) The poet wants to invoke the symbol of automatic self-regeneration from nature. Life
remaining still in winter under the cover of snow and frost in the form of seeds and leaves,
automatically comes from life in spring. Thus, there’s life under apparent stillness.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

Q. 1. What would be an exotic moment for man?

A) The poet says that if man keeps quiet for sometime, and indulges in introspection, doing
away with his progressive attitude, he would experience an exotic moment. In this exotic
moment, he will enjoy the bliss of silence away from the chaos of life.

Q. 2. What is the poet trying to convey through the images of ‘the fishermen’ and ‘men gathering
salts’?

A) Through these images the poet is highlighting the harm man is causing to nature and himself
in his efforts to add comfort to his life. The fishermen cause harm to the fish and the man
gathering salts’ hurt their hands in the effort to gather salt.

Q. 3. How would man be together in a sudden strangeness?

A) Man has become a stranger to his fellow beings owing to his excessive involvement in the
chaos of modern living. In the moment of introspection, he will realise the power of mankind and
in that sudden strangeness the strength and togetherness of his race.

Analysis (poetic devices)

Imagery – Descriptive language that can function as a way for the reader to better imagine the
poem. From the poem:
“Cold Sea”.

Repetition – The recurrence of a word or phrase to create emphasis. From the poem:
“Without rush, without engines”

Alliteration – The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely
connected words. From the poem:
“We will”
“We would”
“Once on”
“His hurt hands”
Antithesis – An opposition or contrast of ideas is expressed. From the poem:
“Count to twelve and we will all keep still

Themes
Universal brotherhood
Peace/Harmony
Introspection

Central idea
In the poem, the poet advocates to keep quiet to introspect and to build a peaceful and
harmonious world. He asks all the human beings to stop all worldly activities for a while and
spend few quiet moments in tranquility.