First Stanza

In the first stanza, the poet says asks the audience to hold on, stop doing anything and count to
twelve and then keep still i.e. silent. The phrase “count to twelve” is symbolic. I may signify our daily
routine or even unity (as clock’s hand unite at 12).

Whatever the meaning be, the poet is asking us to keep silent. At this moment, we will not speak in
any language (because languages create barriers and divide us) and instead, keep silence which is
the universal language and thus uniting factor.

In the next line, the poet again says that let us stop for a second and not move our arms i.e. let us
leave our work and quest for worldly things and instead keep silence.

The first stanza, depicts that the poet is not in the favour of barriers which divide us and even our
worldly desires

Second Stanza

According to the poet, when we will leave all our worldly affairs aside and remain silent, it will be an
exotic (strange) moment as there will be no rush and no engines (i.e. machines). We will all be
together in a sudden strangeness which will be the uniting factor (as we all will be silent which is a
universal language).

The poet further says that during the moment of stillness, no fisherman would harm any whales in the
cold sea i.e. there will be no killing of any animal for our benefits.

In addition, the person who gathers salt at sea coast would stop doing his work and instead look at his
hands which are hurt and wounded because of excessive work.

During this stillness, all of us would wonder why we are doing anything and it will surely have some
impact on us and our thinking.

Third Stanza
In this stanza, the poet talks about war,. According to him, all the people who prepare green wars (i.e. destroy
the environment by cutting the trees), wars with gases (pollute environment with their industries and factories),
wars with fire (destroy and kill others with weapons) and those who have victories with no survivors (i.e. the
powerful people who defeat others by killing them) may put on clean clothes and instead of doing that, walk
with their brothers in the shade (of tree) and do nothing.

Here, the poet discusses everything which humans do for selfish reason including deforestation,
industrialisation, wars and battles. According to him all these people should stop for a moment and instead of
hate, they may preach fraternity and love.

In the next line, the poet makes us understand that he does not mean total inactivity. Instead, he is asking for no
more harm to anybody.

According to him, life is what it is about i.e. we have life and we should live instead of fighting. The poet
further says that he is saying this because he does not want any truck with dead bodies.

This line is deep and emotional. As I said in the beginning, the poet has experienced the worst effect of world
war II and hence he does not want to see the mass deaths and destruction.

Fourth Stanza
In this stanza, the poet says that if we were not so single-minded (i.e. selfish, greedy and
materialistic) about keeping our lives moving (i.e. for growing ourselves), this keep silence for
sometimes, it will definitely interrupt (i.e. take away) the sadness of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

In other words, the poet considers our greed, our selfishness and materialistic mindset as the root
cause of wars, murders, and destruction. According to the poet, this mentality never allows us to
understand ourselves, i.e. our soul which always wants peace and fraternity.

The poet believes that if we keep silence for a moment, we will be able to cure our sadness which is a
part of our lives.

Stanza 5

In the last stanza, the poet takes the example of Earth to make us understand the importance of
patience. According to the poet, Earth can teach us everything because nature is slow and at one
instance, it may look dead. However, with patience and perseverance, it proves to be alive. e.g. trees
grow so slowly that they may look dead. But with time, they grow huge.

In the end, the poet again repeats the first lines. After saying everything, he says that it is the time for
action. He asks us to count up to twelve and then keep quiet so that he may go now (as his aim will
be accomplished which is changing our mentality).