About the Author :

Pablo Neruda (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 is perhaps the most
important Latin American poet of the 20th century.

Theme of the poem :

The power of silence and thought as a mean of
comprehending and engaging with the world is the theme
of the poem “Keeping Quiet”. In order to develop a better
understanding of themselves and their surroundings, the
poet emphasizes on stillness and watching nature. The
speaker makes the claim that one can develop a sense of
ones with the surroundings other people by remaining
silent and observing . the poem also considers how the
modern world may be noisy and distracting and how
spending some time to be silent and still can be a helpful
strategy for obtaining clarity and inner clam.
Stanza wise summary:
Stanza-1
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.
Meaning :
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 favor of barriers which
divide us and even our worldly desires
Stanza-2:
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines,
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

Meaning :
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.

Stanza-3
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.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
MEANING:
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.

Stanza-4:
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.
Meaning:
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:
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.
Meaning ;
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).
Poetics Devices :
The following are the poetic devices used in the poem ‘Keeping quiet’:

 Assonance
 Anaphora
 Alliteration
 Symbolism
 Metonymy
 Repetition
 Irony
 Enjambment
 Personification
 Metaphor