Tonight I Can Write

Key Poem Information -

Central Message: Loss of love leaves an indelible mark on the psyche that can be dealt with with
recognition and acceptance
Themes: Desire, Love, Recovery, Relationships
Speaker: The poet Pablo Neruda himself
Emotions Evoked: Empathy, Love for Her, Missing Someone, Pain, Passion, Sadness
Poetic Form: Free Verse
Time Period: 20th Century
-Pablo Neruda
[Pablo Neruda is one of the best-loved poets of the 20th century.Throughout his life, he worked
as a senator, and diplomat, and won the Nobel Prize.]

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example, 'The night is starry and the stars are blue and shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.

I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.

How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.

And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.

The night is starry and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.

My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.
My sight tries to find her as though to bring her closer.
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.

We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.

My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. As she was before my kisses.

Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.

Love is so short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms

my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer

and these the last verses that I write for her.

Translation by W. S. Merwin

 “Tonight I can write the saddest lines” Summary

o I can write the saddest poetry ever tonight.
For example, I could write something like, "the night sky is filled with distant, trembling blue
stars."
The wind twirls around in the night sky, sounding like a song.
I can write the saddest poetry ever tonight. I loved her, and now and then she loved me back.
I used to hold her in my arms on nights just like this one. I kissed her so many times beneath the
never-ending sky.
She loved me, and I sometimes loved her back. It was impossible not to love her deep, steady
eyes.
I can write the saddest poetry ever tonight. I can't believe I don't have her—that I've lost her.
The vast, endless night seems even more vast and endless now that she's gone. Poetry falls onto
my soul like morning dew falls onto the grass.
It doesn't matter that my love wasn't enough for her. It's a starry night, and she's not here.
That's all there is. I can hear a voice singing far away. Far away. My soul aches with the loss of
her.
My eyes keep looking for her, wanting to bring her near. My heart looks for her too, and still
she's not here.
This night is just like the ones we used to share, the same moonlight making the same trees glow
white. But she and I—the people who spent those nights together—are different now.
I definitely don't love her anymore, that's for sure, but I loved her so much. My voice tried to
travel on the wind so that she could hear me.
She'll be someone else girlfriend, someone else's, just like she was before my kisses. Her voice,
her shining body, the bottomless depths of her eyes.
I definitely don't love her anymore, that's for sure, but then again maybe I do love her. Love goes
by so quickly, and moving on takes such a long time.
Because on nights just like this one I held her in my arms, and now my soul aches with the loss
of her.
Even if this be the last pain she puts me through, and these be the last sad lines I write about her.

Summary
The Chilean poet Pablo Neruda included "Tonight I can write the saddest lines," a.k.a. "Poem
20," in his collection Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair (Veinte poemas de amor y una
cancion desesperada). First published in 1924, when Neruda was just 19 years old, the collection
charts the course of love, lust, and heartbreak. In this particular poem (the title of which actually
just refers to its first line), the speaker confronts the loneliness, pain, and confusion of a break-
up. Without his beloved by his side, the starry night seems cold and foreboding to the speaker,
who struggles to accept that a love that once felt endless love has, in fact, ended for good—
leaving the speaker with no company apart from the painful memory of what he's lost.

“Tonight I can write the saddest lines” Themes


Love, Memory, and Heartache
Neruda’s poem explores the pain and heartache following a break-up. The speaker, with one eye
on the past and another on the present, tries to make sense of the fact that a relationship that
seemed filled with endless love has, in fact, ended for good. Standing alone under the same star-
filled night sky he used to share with his ex-lover, the speaker bitterly contrasts the love he once
had with his current sadness and solitude. In doing so, the poem showcases the sorrow and
confusion that accompany love’s loss—and how memories of that love make it all the more
difficult to move on.
The change in the speaker’s romantic situation seems to have altered everything around him. Just
as love once made the world seem full of joy, bliss, and intimacy, love’s absence makes the
world suddenly cold, barren, and harsh. The speaker and his ex-lover used to be together through
nights just like the one on which the poem is set. Those nights—and their love—seemed like they
would last forever. The sky was “endless,” the speaker’s lover’s eyes were “infinite,” and they
kissed each other “again and again.” It seems almost impossible, then, that this has all come to an
end.
Now, however, the stars themselves “shiver” as if lonely and cold. The sky’s endlessness no
longer speaks of the limitlessness of love, but of an “immense” and stark emptiness. The world
itself, of course, hasn’t changed. Rather, the lovely prism through which the speaker perceived
his life and his surroundings has been shattered. Heartbreak, the poem thus suggests, makes the
world feel menacing and alienating.
Still, the speaker can’t seem to stop comparing two moments in time—then and now—as if to
make sense of how a love that seemed endless can so suddenly be destroyed. He keeps circling
back to the bare facts of his loss: he had a love, and now it’s gone. It’s as though through the
plain repetition of these facts the speaker hopes, in vain, to dispel the emotional power that the
break-up holds over him.
The speaker even tries to rationalize the loss, noting that his ex was with someone else before
him and will be with someone new after him. But these efforts are hardly convincing precisely
because the speaker is so utterly fixated on the break-up. He contradicts himself, too, saying at
one point that he doesn’t love her any longer before admitting that “maybe” he does.
In trying to make sense of his loss, the speaker is just returning again and again to the very
memories that fuel his heartache. So long as he can’t let go of the past, the poem implies, he
can’t move on—hence the poem’s most famous line: “Love is so short, forgetting is so long.” To
this, a third might be added: “understanding is impossible.” It baffles the speaker to think that
two people so passionately in love could ever stop loving each other, but it’s a mystery that the
speaker can’t solve. That’s why, ultimately, all the speaker can hope to do is try to forget his
lover over time. Like a wounded animal, he has to wait for the healing process to run its course.
Where this theme appears in the poem:
 Lines 1-32

The Power of Poetry
The poem finds its speaker in emotional turmoil, suffering the pangs and pains of a recent break-
up. Though the speaker would probably give anything to be back with his lover, the poem
suggests that there is, at least, a valuable by-product of all this heartache: poetry. That is, the
poem itself implies that strong emotion inspires rich, authentic, and beautiful poems.
The speaker is the first to admit that he’s sad, drowning in a pool of sorrow, confusion, and self-
pity. Such are the consequences of love, the poem suggests. But the speaker also hints that these
emotions grant him a new power, one that links suffering to creativity.
Take a look at the poem’s main refrain: “Tonight I can write the saddest lines.” The key-word
here is “can”; like some special power-up in a video game, the separation has perhaps unlocked a
new level of sadness with which the speaker can compose his poetry. And after writing a number
of painfully honest lines, the poem re-states the idea that difficult emotional experience helps to
make these lines possible. Illustrating this, the speaker compares the relationship between
emotion and poetry to a natural process, through, appropriately enough, a deeply poetic image:
“And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.” Emotion and poetry, the simile implies,
go together as naturally as dew and grass.
That said, just because the speaker is mainly saying that he can write the “saddest lines,” that
doesn’t necessarily mean that he will or even that he should. It’s up to the reader whether the
lines actually in this poem are these “saddest lines” that the speaker mentions; the speaker
himself places one of these lines in quotation marks, as if these are only an example of what he’s
talking about. Perhaps that line—"The night is starry / and the stars are blue and shiver in the
distance"—is meant to gesture to a style of writing that, while valuable, doesn’t quite do full
justice to his sorrow.
Looking at it this way, the speaker testifies to his newfound ability while subtly undermining it
with a hint of irony. The poem is remarkably raw and bare in the way it expresses itself, as if the
speaker wants to simultaneously poeticize the break-up—turn it into a work of art—and question
whether there is much point in doing so. Even if the speaker can write sad lines, it’s up for debate
whether those lines can ever fully capture the pain of his loss.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Dharmender Kumar
Degrees in English Literature, Mass Communication, and Law
Pablo Neruda, the poet of ‘Tonight I Can Write’, belonged to the Generation of 1927, a group of
Spanish poets. Different people have opined differently about Neruda, but the truth is that he
won the hearts of millions by virtue of his poetry. Neruda became a much greater poet than
Vallejo and deserved more recognition. Though he lacked the ability to be critical and discerning
yet, he was at times quite perceptive about his country and its poets. Besides, he was also
regarded as a generous man, but he also had to face a lot of derision from his critics due to his
loyalty to the Commission. His readers still regard him as their favorite poet.
Tips to know before reading the poem
Pablo Neruda published some of his early poems in the 1920s in the student magazine Claridad
at Santiago University. However, it was Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair that made
him the much-quoted Latin American poet. His popularity far surpassed any of his
contemporaries in his own or even in other countries. Neruda’s poetry has been translated into
several languages, and in India alone, he has been translated into Hindi, Bangla, Urdu, and other
regional languages.

Summary
‘Tonight I Can Write’ by Pablo Neruda is an emotional poem in which Neruda’s speaker depicts
his love, his loneliness, and his hopes.
Within the lines of ‘Tonight I Can Write’ the speaker describes how easy it is for him to write the
“saddest poem of all”. He’s in a state of mind that allows him to write moving lines, of which he
gives several examples. He can write this way because he has a love affair on his mind while also
worrying about his newfound loneliness. In conclusion, the speaker, who is likely the poet
himself, says that this is the “last poem that” he’s going to “write for her”.

The Poem Analysis Take

Expert Insights by Jyoti Chopra

B.A. (Honors) and M.A. in English Literature
Neruda's 'Tonight I Can Write' delves into the loss of love that seemed unending, capturing that
seemingly perpetual state of heartache. It skillfully unravels the tumultuous journey from
confusion and sadness to the eventual acceptance of pain and reality or, rather, an unsettled
psyche navigating the aftermath of a distressing event and gradually moving toward recovery.
The poet's ability to keenly understand the nuances of the mind's state during such moments is
evident as he shows the evolution of thoughts.
The poem also illustrates the impact of memories on the psyche after a loss, emphasizing the
enduring effect of love. With their bittersweet nature, memories serve as a poignant reminder of
cherished moments that will never return—an unreachable realm that the speaker yearns for
amid the pains of recovery. The poet creates sensory imagery with mundane scenes like the
night, sky, and stars that become vessels of memory, portraying a beautiful yet illusory realm of
the speaker's past. Peculiarly, the redemption from the unsettled state lies in the acknowledgment
that there will be no reunion or reliving of memories, or instead, the solace lies in the bittersweet
embrace of reminiscence.
Moreover, the poem subtly addresses another aspect concerning the dynamic interplay between
artistic expression and personal tragedy. It echoes the timeless works created by great artists
during their most vulnerable moments, transcending geographical boundaries.

Themes
Throughout ‘Tonight I Can Write,’ Neruda engages with themes of love, love loss, and solitude.
He expresses his loneliness through poetic language and poignant images. Neruda’s speaker also
discusses change, the transformation of his relationship with “her” and how he feels now. It
seems to him that she will “be someone else’s” and that he has lost her. But readers should not; it
is only because of this sad state of mind that he was able to write this poem. He remembers
“nights like this” when he held her, and now he’s “lost without her”.

Structure
The poems that brought Pablo Neruda into the limelight are essentially love poems where he
makes use of vivid nature imagery and symbolism to express himself. In the poem, Tonight I
Can Write, the poet is extensively lyrical, and the very verbs he uses in the lines like “The night
is shattered/and the blue stars shiver in the distance”, emphasize the pent-up passion that inspires
his poetry. The significance of the love affair lies in the fact that he has lost her, for he admits
that while: She loved me/sometimes I loved her too.
Readers should also make sure to note that this poem was originally written in Spanish. This
means that elements of the structure are going to be different in the available English translations
than in the original Spanish.

Literary Devices
Neruda makes use of several literary devices in ‘Tonight I Can Write’. These include but are not
limited to imagery, alliteration, and juxtaposition. The poem consists of night imagery, and the
alliteration of the consonant sound “s” all through the lines reflects the quiet night. The night
could be both treacherous and beautiful, and this could also reflect the persona’s relationship.
Pablo Neruda employs vivid nature imagery to express the loss of his love in this poem –
probably the last time he is writing about the woman he once loved and lost.
There is a deliberate juxtaposition of the emotions accompanied by adjectives that make us
believe that it is the woman’s rejection that becomes the poet’s inspiration to write; it is the pain
that produces poetry. The reiteration of the word “last” in the final lines of the poem is again the
young man’s need for some kind of revenge, his poem a gift to her for leaving behind the
memories that allow him to compose.

Analysis of Tonight I Can Write

Lines 1-7
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
Write, for example,’The night is shattered
(…)
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
Through nights like this one I held her in my arms
It does not seem as though he realizes what it is to love until he starts writing about her. In fact, it
is the idea of love that he loves more than the woman, and thus he can write “the saddest lines”.
Such sentiments immediately charmed the young people who were themselves experiencing
similar emotions, and they were able to identify with Neruda and appropriate his words in their
own love affairs. This is what makes Neruda so much a poet of the common people. As the poor
fisherman’s son who brings him his letters in the movie II Postino petulantly tells him poetry
does not belong to the poet who composes it; it belongs to those who need to use it, especially
lovers seeking to win the beloved through words.

Lines 8-13
I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.
She loved me sometimes, and I loved her too.
(…)
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.
To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
Neruda’s poems are full of easily understood images which makes them no less beautiful. To
hear him talk about “verse (that) falls to the soul like dew to the pasture” makes the whole
process of writing poetry so comprehensive. Similarly, the deliberate repetition of certain words
and images such as: “My sight searches for her…/My heart looks for her“. Emphasizes the over-
wrought condition of the crazed lover. The poet is a jealous lover who imagines that “She will be
another’s”. However, the ordinariness of this love affair that almost anyone can identify with
surely reaches a profoundly universal level when he confesses: Love is so short, forgetting is so
long.
The woman can be seen as the condescending one and the personification of poetic inspiration.
The poems in the collection were the outcome of two actual love affairs where Neruda’s focus
shifts between one who is beautiful and the one who is distant and threatening. From the
conventional poet that he was in his first two books, Song of the Fiesta (1921)
and Crepuscular (1923, here in Twenty Love Poems, he is certainly breaking away from tradition
and attempting to find a new voice. The tone is modernista –simple, evocative, and, at times,
meditative. The collection has a personalized theme of a man who is not a hero nor yet a public
figure.

Lines 14-22
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.
What does it matter that my love could not keep her.
(…)
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.
The same night whitening the same trees.
We, of that time, are no longer the same.
There is a growing feeling of solitariness in the poet that, although nature and the environment
have remained unchanged over the years, he has lost the woman he once loved. The expression is
intensely lyrical and full of agony when he says:… The night is shattered/and the blue stars
shiver in the distance. The poignancy of the situation is further heightened when he realizes: “I
loved her,/and sometimes she loved me too. And equally, she loved me,/sometimes I loved her
too./How could one not have loved her great still eyes.“

Lines 23-32
I no longer love her, that’s certain, but how I loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.
Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before.
(…)
my sould is not satisfied that it has lost her.
Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
and these the last verses that I write for her.
Now that the poet experiences the pangs of separation, the night is “shattered,” and the stars
seem to be shivering. The night wind “revolving” around the sky is whistling a sad tune:
“Tonight, I can write the saddest lines.” The saddest lines are about his lost love… “she is not
with me” and “My sight searches for her as though to go to her./My heart looks for her, and she
is not with me”. “This is all” – the poet sums up his present situation. But is this really all? The
poet misses her: “The same night whitening the same trees. We, of that time, are no longer the
same.”
She is now “another’s,” and he still misses “Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes.” He
might have loved her for a short time, but forgetting her has taken too long; his soul still searches
for her, the pangs of separation still pierce his heart, and the poet vows that this is “the last time”
he writes for her. He doesn’t appear to be so sure, however, nor are we. And this lends
universality to ‘Tonight I Can Write’.

Historical Context
Chile has an interesting political background owing to its Spanish Heritage and the way the
country has been governed up until the late 19th century; the country was primarily run by a
group of wealthy landowners, but this prompted much unrest and eventually civil war.
Eventually, a conservative regime was established, but later this was superseded by a liberal
movement that would have been prominent when this poem was written.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Dharmender Kumar
Degrees in English Literature, Mass Communication, and Law
Pablo Neruda, the poet of ‘Tonight I Can Write’, belonged to the Generation of 1927, a group of
Spanish poets. Different people have opined differently about Neruda, but the truth is that he
won the hearts of millions by virtue of his poetry. Neruda became a much greater poet than
Vallejo and deserved more recognition. Though he lacked the ability to be critical and
discerning yet, he was at times quite perceptive about his country and its poets. Besides, he was
also regarded as a generous man, but he also had to face a lot of derision from his critics due to
his loyalty to the Commission. His readers still regard him as their favorite poet.

Tips to know before reading the poem

Pablo Neruda published some of his early poems in the 1920s in the student magazine Claridad
at Santiago University. However, it was Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair that made
him the much-quoted Latin American poet. His popularity far surpassed any of his
contemporaries in his own or even in other countries. Neruda’s poetry has been translated into
several languages, and in India alone, he has been translated into Hindi, Bangla, Urdu, and other
regional languages.

Summary

‘Tonight I Can Write’ by Pablo Neruda is an emotional poem in which Neruda’s speaker depicts
his love, his loneliness, and his hopes.

Within the lines of ‘Tonight I Can Write’ the speaker describes how easy it is for him to write
the “saddest poem of all”. He’s in a state of mind that allows him to write moving lines, of which
he gives several examples. He can write this way because he has a love affair on his mind while
also worrying about his newfound loneliness. In conclusion, the speaker, who is likely the poet
himself, says that this is the “last poem that” he’s going to “write for her”.

The Poem Analysis Take

Expert Insights by Jyoti Chopra

B.A. (Honors) and M.A. in English Literature

Neruda's 'Tonight I Can Write' delves into the loss of love that seemed unending, capturing that
seemingly perpetual state of heartache. It skillfully unravels the tumultuous journey from
confusion and sadness to the eventual acceptance of pain and reality or, rather, an unsettled
psyche navigating the aftermath of a distressing event and gradually moving toward recovery.
The poet's ability to keenly understand the nuances of the mind's state during such moments is
evident as he shows the evolution of thoughts.
The poem also illustrates the impact of memories on the psyche after a loss, emphasizing the
enduring effect of love. With their bittersweet nature, memories serve as a poignant reminder of
cherished moments that will never return—an unreachable realm that the speaker yearns for
amid the pains of recovery. The poet creates sensory imagery with mundane scenes like the
night, sky, and stars that become vessels of memory, portraying a beautiful yet illusory realm of
the speaker's past. Peculiarly, the redemption from the unsettled state lies in the acknowledgment
that there will be no reunion or reliving of memories, or instead, the solace lies in the bittersweet
embrace of reminiscence.
Moreover, the poem subtly addresses another aspect concerning the dynamic interplay between
artistic expression and personal tragedy. It echoes the timeless works created by great artists
during their most vulnerable moments, transcending geographical boundaries.

Themes
Throughout ‘Tonight I Can Write,’ Neruda engages with themes of love, love loss, and solitude.
He expresses his loneliness through poetic language and poignant images. Neruda’s speaker also
discusses change, the transformation of his relationship with “her” and how he feels now. It
seems to him that she will “be someone else’s” and that he has lost her. But readers should not; it
is only because of this sad state of mind that he was able to write this poem. He remembers
“nights like this” when he held her, and now he’s “lost without her”.

Structure
The poems that brought Pablo Neruda into the limelight are essentially love poems where he
makes use of vivid nature imagery and symbolism to express himself. In the poem, Tonight I
Can Write, the poet is extensively lyrical, and the very verbs he uses in the lines like “The night
is shattered/and the blue stars shiver in the distance”, emphasize the pent-up passion that inspires
his poetry. The significance of the love affair lies in the fact that he has lost her, for he admits
that while: She loved me/sometimes I loved her too.

Readers should also make sure to note that this poem was originally written in Spanish. This
means that elements of the structure are going to be different in the available English translations
than in the original Spanish.
Literary Devices
Neruda makes use of several literary devices in ‘Tonight I Can Write’. These include but are not
limited to imagery, alliteration, and juxtaposition. The poem consists of night imagery, and the
alliteration of the consonant sound “s” all through the lines reflects the quiet night. The night
could be both treacherous and beautiful, and this could also reflect the persona’s relationship.
Pablo Neruda employs vivid nature imagery to express the loss of his love in this poem –
probably the last time he is writing about the woman he once loved and lost.

There is a deliberate juxtaposition of the emotions accompanied by adjectives that make us

believe that it is the woman’s rejection that becomes the poet’s inspiration to write; it is the pain
that produces poetry. The reiteration of the word “last” in the final lines of the poem is again the
young man’s need for some kind of revenge, his poem a gift to her for leaving behind the
memories that allow him to compose.

Analysis of Tonight I Can Write

Lines 1-7

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write, for example,’The night is shattered

(…)
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms

It does not seem as though he realizes what it is to love until he starts writing about her. In fact, it
is the idea of love that he loves more than the woman, and thus he can write “the saddest lines”.
Such sentiments immediately charmed the young people who were themselves experiencing
similar emotions, and they were able to identify with Neruda and appropriate his words in their
own love affairs. This is what makes Neruda so much a poet of the common people. As the poor
fisherman’s son who brings him his letters in the movie II Postino petulantly tells him poetry
does not belong to the poet who composes it; it belongs to those who need to use it, especially
lovers seeking to win the beloved through words.

Lines 8-13

I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me sometimes, and I loved her too.

(…)
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.

Neruda’s poems are full of easily understood images which makes them no less beautiful. To
hear him talk about “verse (that) falls to the soul like dew to the pasture” makes the whole
process of writing poetry so comprehensive. Similarly, the deliberate repetition of certain words
and images such as: “My sight searches for her…/My heart looks for her“. Emphasizes the over-
wrought condition of the crazed lover. The poet is a jealous lover who imagines that “She will be
another’s”. However, the ordinariness of this love affair that almost anyone can identify with
surely reaches a profoundly universal level when he confesses: Love is so short, forgetting is so
long.

The woman can be seen as the condescending one and the personification of poetic inspiration.
The poems in the collection were the outcome of two actual love affairs where Neruda’s focus
shifts between one who is beautiful and the one who is distant and threatening. From the
conventional poet that he was in his first two books, Song of the Fiesta (1921)
and Crepuscular (1923, here in Twenty Love Poems, he is certainly breaking away from tradition
and attempting to find a new voice. The tone is modernista –simple, evocative, and, at times,
meditative. The collection has a personalized theme of a man who is not a hero nor yet a public
figure.

Lines 14-22
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.

(…)
My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.

We, of that time, are no longer the same.

There is a growing feeling of solitariness in the poet that, although nature and the environment
have remained unchanged over the years, he has lost the woman he once loved. The expression is
intensely lyrical and full of agony when he says:… The night is shattered/and the blue stars
shiver in the distance. The poignancy of the situation is further heightened when he realizes: “I
loved her,/and sometimes she loved me too. And equally, she loved me,/sometimes I loved her
too./How could one not have loved her great still eyes.“

Lines 23-32

I no longer love her, that’s certain, but how I loved her.

My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before.

(…)
my sould is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer

and these the last verses that I write for her.

Now that the poet experiences the pangs of separation, the night is “shattered,” and the stars
seem to be shivering. The night wind “revolving” around the sky is whistling a sad tune:
“Tonight, I can write the saddest lines.” The saddest lines are about his lost love… “she is not
with me” and “My sight searches for her as though to go to her./My heart looks for her, and she
is not with me”. “This is all” – the poet sums up his present situation. But is this really all? The
poet misses her: “The same night whitening the same trees. We, of that time, are no longer the
same.”

She is now “another’s,” and he still misses “Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes.” He
might have loved her for a short time, but forgetting her has taken too long; his soul still searches
for her, the pangs of separation still pierce his heart, and the poet vows that this is “the last time”
he writes for her. He doesn’t appear to be so sure, however, nor are we. And this lends
universality to ‘Tonight I Can Write’.

Historical Context
Chile has an interesting political background owing to its Spanish Heritage and the way the
country has been governed up until the late 19th century; the country was primarily run by a
group of wealthy landowners, but this prompted much unrest and eventually civil war.
Eventually, a conservative regime was established, but later this was superseded by a liberal
movement that would have been prominent when this poem was written.

The Way Spain Was

(What Spain Was Like)
[The poem reflects on Spain’s beauty and pain, highlighting its enduring spirit amid war.]
-Pablo Neruda

Spain was a taut, dry drum-head

Daily beating a dull thud
Flatlands and eagle's nest
Silence lashed by the storm.
How much, to the point of weeping, in my soul
I love your hard soil, your poor bread,
Your poor people, how much in the deep place
Of my being there is still the lost flower
Of your wrinkled villages, motionless in time
And your metallic meadows
Stretched out in the moonlight through the ages,
Now devoured by a false god.

All your confinement, your animal isolation

While you are still conscious
Surrounded by the abstract stones of silence,
Your rough wine, your smooth wine
Your violent and dangerous vineyards.

Solar stone, pure among the regions

Of the world, Spain streaked
With blood and metal, blue and victorious
Proletarian Spain, made of petals and bullets
Unique, alive, asleep - resounding.

LITERARY SPHERE

In Depth Analysis of the Poem "The Way Spain Was" by Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), a Chilean poet and diplomat, remains one of the most influential
figures in 20th-century literature. Renowned for his passionate verses and commitment to social
justice, Neruda received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971.

His poetry, characterized by vivid imagery and lyrical intensity, reflects a deep connection to
nature, love, and political ideals. Notable works include "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of
Despair," where he explores the complexities of love, and "Canto General," an epic poem
addressing Latin American history and social issues.
Neruda's political engagement led to his exile during the Spanish Civil War, and he later served
as a diplomat. His involvement in leftist politics shaped his poetry, blending personal and
political themes seamlessly.

Throughout his career, Neruda's distinctive voice resonated globally, capturing the human
experience with emotional resonance. His legacy endures as a testament to the power of words to
convey passion, celebrate life, and challenge societal injustices.

Pablo Neruda's poem "The Way Spain Was" captures a vivid and complex portrayal of Spain,
painting a poetic tapestry of its landscapes, people, and historical struggles. The verses unfold
like a rhythmic narrative, conveying a deep emotional connection the poet has with the country.

The poem begins with an evocative description of Spain as a "taut, dry drum-head," setting the
tone for a landscape marked by tension and aridity. The rhythmic daily beating is likened to a
dull thud, hinting at a palpable sense of endurance and hardship endured by the people.

Neruda's imagery extends to the flatlands and eagle's nests, symbolizing both the starkness of the
terrain and the majesty of nature. The subsequent lines describe a silence lashed by the storm,
portraying a turbulent history or perhaps a political upheaval that has left an indelible mark on
the collective consciousness.

The poet expresses a profound love for Spain's hard soil, poor bread, and its people. The mention
of the "lost flower" in wrinkled villages suggests a nostalgia for a bygone era, frozen in time. The
metallic meadows illuminated by moonlight evoke a sense of surreal beauty, now threatened by
what the poet terms as a "false god."

The poem delves into the themes of confinement and isolation, describing Spain's conscious
awareness surrounded by abstract stones of silence. The contrast between rough and smooth
wines, along with the mention of violent and dangerous vineyards, adds layers of complexity,
possibly alluding to the dual nature of Spain's history and culture.

Neruda elevates Spain to a solar stone, describing it as pure among the regions of the world, yet
streaked with blood and metal. The colors of blue and victorious imply a resilient spirit despite
struggles. The reference to "Proletarian Spain, made of petals and bullets" encapsulates the
dichotomy of beauty and conflict, suggesting a nation shaped by both fragility and strength.

In the concluding lines, the poet characterizes Spain as unique, alive, and asleep, resounding with
a complexity that echoes throughout its history. Neruda's poetic exploration of Spain in "The
Way Spain Was" captures the essence of a nation with all its contradictions, evoking a deep
emotional response from the reader.
ANALYSIS

Spain was a taut, dry drum-head

Daily beating a dull thud
Flatlands and eagle's nest
Silence lashed by the storm.
How much, to the point of weeping, in my soul
I love your hard soil, your poor bread,
Your poor people, how much in the deep place
Of my being there is still the lost flower
Of your wrinkled villages, motionless in time
And your metallic meadows
Stretched out in the moonlight through the ages,
Now devoured by a false god.

"The Way Spain Was" by Pablo Neruda captures a profound and complex portrayal of Spain,
delving into the contrasting elements of love and hardship within the country. In analyzing these
lines, we can discern various themes, including the harshness of the environment, a deep
emotional connection to the land, the impact of history, and a critical perspective on societal
changes.

The initial lines set a tone of tension and aridity, describing Spain as a "taut, dry drum-head"
daily beating a "dull thud." This imagery paints a stark picture of a harsh and unyielding
landscape, suggesting a struggle or hardship that the country endures regularly. The metaphorical
use of a drum-head implies a repetitive, perhaps monotonous, existence, reflecting a challenging
environment.

The reference to "Flatlands and eagle's nest" introduces elements of both vulnerability and pride.
The flatlands may symbolize a vulnerability, a landscape laid bare and exposed, while the eagle's
nest represents strength and majesty. This duality sets the stage for the conflicting emotions that
Neruda explores throughout the poem.

The following line, "Silence lashed by the storm," adds a layer of complexity. The silence being
lashed by the storm suggests a turbulent internal or external conflict, where even the quietude is
not spared from the impact of upheaval. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the
historical and political storms that have shaped Spain.

Neruda then shifts to a more personal and emotional tone, expressing deep love for Spain's "hard
soil" and "poor bread." Here, the poet connects with the land on a profound level, finding beauty
and affection in the simplicity of Spain's resources. The use of "to the point of weeping"
intensifies the emotional depth, suggesting a poignant and overwhelming love for the homeland.

The mention of "wrinkled villages, motionless in time" evokes a sense of nostalgia and
stagnation. The villages, described as "wrinkled," imply an aging and weathered existence,
frozen in time. This could be a reflection on the preservation of traditions and cultural identity,
resisting the rapid changes of the modern world.

The phrase "lost flower" carries a poignant metaphor, suggesting the withering away of
something once vibrant and alive. This could symbolize the decline of cultural richness and
historical significance within the villages. The juxtaposition of the lost flower against the
backdrop of the landscape adds a layer of melancholy to the poet's reflections.

The image of "metallic meadows" stretched out in the moonlight through the ages introduces a
more ominous note. The metallic quality implies an artificial, industrial intrusion into the natural
landscape. The use of "devoured by a false god" intensifies the critique, suggesting that progress
or modernization, represented by the false god, has come at the cost of destroying the authentic,
timeless essence of Spain.

"The Way Spain Was" by Pablo Neruda intricately weaves together themes of love, hardship,
history, and societal change. The poem explores Spain's contrasting elements, portraying a
landscape of beauty and brutality. Through vivid imagery and emotional depth, Neruda invites
readers to reflect on the impact of time, progress, and external forces on a nation's identity and
soul.

All your confinement, your animal isolation

While you are still conscious
Surrounded by the abstract stones of silence,
Your rough wine, your smooth wine
Your violent and dangerous vineyards

In these lines from Pablo Neruda's poem "The Way Spain Was," the poet delves into the theme of
confinement and isolation, employing vivid imagery and a blend of sensory experiences to depict
the harsh realities of Spain. The lines evoke a sense of imprisonment, both physical and
emotional, as well as a struggle against external forces that threaten the essence of the country.

The opening phrase, "All your confinement, your animal isolation," sets a somber tone,
emphasizing the restrictive nature of the environment. The use of "animal isolation" implies a
primal and instinctual seclusion, suggesting a raw, elemental struggle for survival. This portrayal
echoes the challenging conditions faced by Spain, highlighting a sense of vulnerability and
entrapment.

The subsequent lines, "While you are still conscious / Surrounded by the abstract stones of
silence," deepen the contemplative nature of the poem. The consciousness amid silence evokes a
heightened awareness, as if the very essence of Spain is acutely attuned to its isolation. The
"abstract stones of silence" create a visual metaphor for the barriers that encircle and confine,
suggesting a silence that is not just the absence of sound but a weighty, abstract presence.

The mention of "Your rough wine, your smooth wine" introduces a sensory dimension, bringing
the reader into the tangible experiences of Spain. The juxtaposition of "rough" and "smooth"
conveys the diversity of Spain's offerings, from rugged landscapes to refined pleasures. The
inclusion of wine symbolizes both the richness and complexity of the country's culture, perhaps
hinting at the intoxicating blend of joy and sorrow in its history.

The phrase "Your violent and dangerous vineyards" adds a layer of complexity to the portrayal of
Spain. Here, Neruda introduces an element of danger and volatility within the seemingly tranquil
vineyards. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the tumultuous history of the nation,
where beauty and danger coexist. The use of "violent" suggests a forceful nature, while
"dangerous" implies an inherent risk, portraying the vineyards as a metaphor for the multifaceted
challenges faced by Spain.

In summary, these lines from "The Way Spain Was" explore the theme of confinement, isolation,
and the complex nature of Spain's identity. Neruda employs evocative language, sensory details,
and metaphorical imagery to convey the struggle and resilience embedded in the country's
history. The poem prompts reflection on the dualities within Spain—beauty and brutality,
richness and danger—painting a nuanced portrait of a nation facing the harsh realities of its
existence.

Solar stone, pure among the regions

Of the world, Spain streaked
With blood and metal, blue and victorious
Proletarian Spain, made of petals and bullets
Unique, alive, asleep - resounding.

In these lines from Pablo Neruda's poem "The Way Spain Was," the poet employs vivid and
symbolic language to portray Spain with a blend of admiration, historical weight, and a
revolutionary spirit. The imagery and metaphors used by Neruda evoke a complex tapestry of
Spain's identity, encompassing its struggles, victories, and unique character.
The opening phrase, "Solar stone, pure among the regions / Of the world," bestows a sense of
elevated importance upon Spain. The term "solar stone" suggests a radiant, essential core—a
source of light and energy. This description positions Spain as a distinctive and vital element in
the global context, emphasizing its uniqueness and significance.

The subsequent description of Spain as "streaked / With blood and metal, blue and victorious"
encapsulates the multifaceted nature of the country's history. The mention of blood and metal
hints at the historical conflicts and battles that have left their mark on Spain. The juxtaposition of
"blue and victorious" introduces an element of triumph, portraying Spain as a nation that has
overcome adversity and emerged victorious in its own distinct way.

The phrase "Proletarian Spain, made of petals and bullets" juxtaposes seemingly contrasting
elements—petals and bullets—suggesting a fusion of beauty and struggle within the nation. The
use of "Proletarian Spain" aligns with the revolutionary spirit, emphasizing the involvement of
the working class in shaping the country. The combination of soft, delicate petals and the forceful
imagery of bullets creates a powerful contrast, symbolizing the resilience and fragility coexisting
in Spain's identity.

The subsequent descriptors, "Unique, alive, asleep - resounding," offer a dynamic portrayal of
Spain. The term "unique" reaffirms the singularity and distinctiveness of the nation. "Alive"
conveys a sense of vitality and vibrancy, while "asleep" introduces a paradox, suggesting
dormant potential or perhaps moments of quiet reflection. The concluding term, "resounding,"
adds a layer of resonance, implying an enduring impact and significance that echoes through
time.

In summary, these lines from "The Way Spain Was" by Pablo Neruda intricately weave together
imagery, symbolism, and contrasting elements to depict Spain's multifaceted identity. The solar
stone metaphor, the interplay of blood and victory, and the combination of petals and bullets
contribute to a rich and nuanced portrayal of a nation marked by its history, resilience, and
distinctive character. Neruda's language captures both the struggles and triumphs, presenting
Spain as a complex and vibrant entity that resonates with its unique place in the world.

THEMES

"The Way Spain Was" by Pablo Neruda is a deeply evocative poem that explores various themes
related to Spain's landscape, history, and identity. The poem is a rich tapestry of vivid imagery,
emotional intensity, and nuanced reflections. In analyzing the themes, we can delve into the
portrayal of Spain's geography, the impact of history, the poet's personal connection to the
country, and the overarching socio-political commentary.

1. Landscape and Geography:

Neruda begins by painting a vivid picture of Spain's harsh and arid landscape. The metaphor of a
"taut, dry drum-head" suggests a landscape that is tense and unforgiving. The "flatlands and
eagle's nest" introduce elements of vulnerability and strength, creating a dichotomy within the
geographical imagery. The metallic meadows and wrinkled villages contribute to a portrayal of
Spain as a land marked by both natural beauty and industrial intrusion.

2. Historical Context:
The poem delves into Spain's history, alluding to the turbulent times the country has endured.
The reference to "blood and metal, blue and victorious" encapsulates the historical struggles,
victories, and conflicts that have left an indelible mark on Spain. The mention of "wrinkled
villages, motionless in time" suggests a connection to the historical past, emphasizing the
preservation of cultural identity amid changing times.

3. Personal Connection and Love for Spain:

Neruda expresses a deep and emotional connection to Spain throughout the poem. The lines
"How much, to the point of weeping, in my soul / I love your hard soil, your poor bread" reveal a
profound and personal attachment to the country. The poet's love is not just for the physical
landscape but extends to the essence of Spain, encompassing its people, traditions, and even its
imperfections.

4. Critique of Modernization and Progress:

The poem takes a critical stance on societal changes and modernization. The reference to Spain's
meadows being "devoured by a false god" suggests a lament for the detrimental impact of
progress and industrialization on the country's natural beauty. This theme reflects Neruda's
concern for preserving the authenticity and essence of Spain in the face of rapid societal
transformations.

5. Socio-political Commentary:
The mention of "Proletarian Spain, made of petals and bullets" introduces a socio-political
dimension to the poem. The juxtaposition of soft petals and forceful bullets symbolizes the
intertwining of beauty and struggle within the working class's role in shaping the nation. The
term "resounding" hints at the enduring impact of this proletarian identity.

6. Isolation and Silence:

The theme of isolation and silence is prominent, depicted through phrases like "animal isolation"
and "abstract stones of silence." These expressions convey a sense of Spain being confined,
surrounded by a silent and abstract barrier. This isolation is not merely physical but also implies
a deeper, contemplative seclusion that adds complexity to Spain's character.

In conclusion, "The Way Spain Was" by Pablo Neruda is a multifaceted exploration of Spain's
geography, history, personal significance, societal changes, and political struggles. Through vivid
imagery and emotional resonance, Neruda crafts a nuanced portrayal of a country that is both
resilient and vulnerable, a land where the echoes of its past resound in the complexities of its
present.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Dharmender Kumar
Degrees in English Literature, Mass Communication, and Law
‘What Spain Was Like’ by Pablo Neruda is a three-stanza poem that is separated into one set of
twelve lines and two sets of five. Neruda has not chosen to structure this piece with a specific
pattern of rhyme. The only moments of repetition in rhyme appear sporadically, such as within
lines one and six of stanza one. There are a number of instances of half or slant rhymes though.
These are words that are not perfect rhymes but have noticeably similar sounds. A successful
example is “thud” in line two and “god” in line twelve of the first stanza.

It is important to understand Neruda’s personal history in order to get a full appreciation for what
he is trying to do with the text. Neruda was born in Chile but came to love his adopted country of
Spain, even fighting in the Spanish Civil War. The poem ‘What Spain Was Like’ seems like a
harsh examination of the social and political issues of his day, but it was done from a place of
respect and concern for the future. It was not uncommon for Neruda to write about Spain. The
country appears in other works and is the source of inspiration for the collection Spain in Our
Hearts.

Summary

‘What Spain Was Like’ by Pablo Neruda describes the duelling natures of Spain during the years
of the Spanish Civil War.
The poem begins with the speaker describing how Spain is under a great deal of pressure. The
country has been pushed to its limits and then pounded like a drum. Its highs and lows have been
lashed by storms but Neruda still finds a great deal to love. He recalls the beauty of the
countryside and the “poor” people who lived there. He mourns over the losses the country
suffered and how it changed.

In the second half of the poem, he speaks in greater detail on the duality of the country. It is at
the same time “rough” and “smooth.” The wine, a symbol of the resources the country has to
offer, is “violent” and “delicate,” causing good and bad events to befall the land. The text ends
with a hopeful message about the resounding goodness of Spain that will last longer than
the strife.

Analysis of What Spain Was Like

Stanza One

Spain was a taut, dry drum-head

Daily beating a dull thud
Flatlands and eagle’s nest
(…)
And your metallic meadows
Stretched out in the moonlight through the ages,
Now devoured by a false god.

In the first stanza of this piece, the speaker begins by using a metaphor to describe the state of
Spain during the period of his residence there, especially during the Spanish Civil War. It is said
to be a “taut, dry drum-head.” The affairs of the country are pushed to the limit, drawn tight
across the land, and beaten repeatedly. The “drum beat” of the nation reminds one of the Civil
War in which Neruda fought. The war lasted from 1936 to 1939. Neruda’s role in
the conflict ended after he was recalled from Madrid in 1937.
It is clear that Neruda sees Spain as having endured a great number of hardships. It was “lashed”
or beaten just as a storm lashes the “Flatlands” or an “eagle’s nest” high on a hillside. Although
these two are opposites, they are both impacted by the events of the storm, just as all parts of
Spain were touched by war and political and social strife.

In the next section, Neruda’s love for the country comes through clearly. He speaks of how he
thinks on the “hard soil” and “poor bread” of the country. It does not, at least at this point in
history, have the capability of producing good, solid food This is in part due to the nature of the
ground itself. This is an extended metaphor speaking on how deep the problems go. They reach
deep into the soil, or into the depths of the country.

He also weeps over the “poor people” of Spain and the “wrinkled villages” they came from.
“Wrinkled” is a rather passive word that likely refers to the damage done to the countryside
during the war and the proceeding and following shortages of material. These are all things he
cannot stop thinking about.

In the final three lines, he mentions the “metallic meadows.” This is a powerful alliteration that
speaks on the contradiction of the world. He could be simply describing how everything’s been
turned upside down, or thinking on the metal that is now in the fields.

Stanza Two

All your confinement, your animal isolation

(…)
Your violent and dangerous vineyards.

The second stanza is list-like in its form. The lines come one after another as the speaker
describes other attributes of the country. First, he speaks on the “confinement” of the Spanish
people and their country. They are “isolat[ed]” from one another other and from the rest of the
world. This occurs not at a distance, but while they are “still conscious.” The fact that it is
recognized is a positive. This means that change is possible.
He continues on to describe what the “isolation” is like. It is not a physical isolation as much as it
is a mental or emotional one. There is an “abstract” wall, made of “stones of silence” around the
country. It encircles the “violent and delicate vineyards.” There are two sides to Spanish life, one
made of “smooth wine” and another of “rough wine.” This acknowledgment is all a part of
Neruda’s attempt to recognize the good and bad of the country. As well as do his best to
remember the country he knew.

Stanza Three

Solar stone, pure among the regions

(…)
Unique, alive, asleep – resounding.

It is in the final stanza of the poem that Neruda gives the reader something to hope for. He steps
back from addressing Spain the country and instead, reports on what he’s seen, perhaps just to
the reader, or as a note for his own recollection. He states that that country is a “Solar stone.” A
part of the earth that takes in and gives off light, heat, and in some instances, danger, and
destruction. It is “pure” compared to other places on earth but still, it is “streaked / With blood
and metal.” These elements run through the country like a vein through a stone.

He makes specific reference to “Proletarian Spain,” or the working segment of the population.
They are the people who are most clearly made of “petals and bullets.” The last line leaves the
reader with some hope. Neruda states that Spain is a country that is “Unique, alive, asleep –
resounding.” Its beauty and general goodness radiate from the land. It is this that he wants to
remember and set into history more than anything else.
A Far Cry from Africa
[Key Poem Information-
Central Message: The struggle of identity and the complexities of colonialism and heritage
Themes: Celebration, Identity, New Life, War
Speaker: Likely Walcott himself
Emotions Evoked: Confusion, Freedom, Pain, Resilience, Terror
Poetic Form: Free Verse
Time Period: 20th Century]
-Derek Walcott (1930 –2017)
[Nationality: Saint Lucian
Derek Walcott was a Caribbean poet capturing history, identity, and beauty with lyrical imagery.]

A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt

Of Africa. Kikuyu, quick as flies,
Batten upon the bloodstreams of the veldt.
Corpses are scattered through a paradise.
Only the worm, colonel of carrion, cries:
"Waste no compassion on these separate dead!"
Statistics justify and scholars seize
The salients of colonial policy.
What is that to the white child hacked in bed?
To savages, expendable as Jews?

Threshed out by beaters, the long rushes break

In a white dust of ibises whose cries
Have wheeled since civilization's dawn
From the parched river or beast-teeming plain.
The violence of beast on beast is read
As natural law, but upright man
Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.
Delirious as these worried beasts, his wars
Dance to the tightened carcass of a drum,
While he calls courage still that native dread
Of the white peace contracted by the dead.

Again brutish necessity wipes its hands

Upon the napkin of a dirty cause, again
A waste of our compassion, as with Spain,
The gorilla wrestles with the superman.
I who am poisoned with the blood of both,
Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?
I who have cursed
The drunken officer of British rule, how choose
Between this Africa and the English tongue I love?
Betray them both, or give back what they give?
How can I face such slaughter and be cool?
How can I turn from Africa and live?

litcharts.com
Derek Walcott's 1962 poem "A Far Cry From Africa" responds to the Mau Mau Uprising in
Kenya, a guerrilla war fought by native Kenyans against British colonists from 1952-1960. The
speaker—implied to be from a colony, just as Walcott himself was—has both African and
English heritage. Although the speaker hates colonial rule, he also bristles against the
gruesomeness of the rebellion, creating a feeling of deep ambivalence and confusion regarding
his loyalties. Ultimately, the poem treats both the violence in Kenya and the speaker's own
conflicted identity as part of the legacy of colonialism. Rather than finding a way out of this
legacy, the speaker expresses the deep pain it persistently causes.

 “A Far Cry from Africa” Summary

o A breeze lifts Africa's yellow-brown fur. People from Kenya's Kikuyu tribe, fast
and lively as flies, fasten themselves to the veins of the grassland. Dead bodies are
strewn throughout paradise. Only a worm, captain of decaying bodies, yells
out: "Don't bother feeling sympathy for each of these dead people!" People use
statistics to justify colonialism; scholars jump on different facts about colonialism
to debate it. What do these abstract discussions matter to a white child who is
chopped to death in bed? What do they matter to native Africans who are
considered savages, who are seen as worthless Jews in Nazi concentration camps?
Shaken by farmers, the long grasses snap and a white dust fills the air. This dust is actually the
flapping of ibises—white, long-legged birds. The birds are disturbed by the farmers and take off,
crying out, just as as they have done for thousands of years, ever since civilization
began, whether over the shallow river or the plain full of animals. People interpret animals'
violence towards each other as natural, but humans have often seen themselves as god-like,
walking on two legs rather than four. Humans try to embraces that godliness by hurting
others. But people are as crazed as fighting animals. They wage wars that are like dances to the
beat of drums made out of corpses. Native rebels believe they have courage, when it is really just
fear of extermination—a false peace that white people achieve by killing all those who resist.
Once more, the brutal idea of necessity is used to justify violence, appealing to a movement that
itself is deeply flawed—just like someone trying to clean their bloody hands with a dirty
napkin. Once more this is a waste of everyone's sympathy, as it was with the Spanish Civil
War. As in racist stereotypes, it's like an ape fighting a super-human. I'm poisoned with the
blood, or heritage, of both colonizer and colonized. Which side will I support when even my
veins are split in two? I have vehemently opposed British colonial rule, which is like a drunken
army or police officer (and also is literally enforced by drunken officers). How can I choose
between African peoples and the English language that I love so much? How can I can betray
both of them? How can I give each of them what they've given me? How can I face all this
violence and remain calm? How can I forsake Africa and keep on living?
 “A Far Cry from Africa” Themes
o
Colonialism and Divided Identity
“A Far Cry From Africa” responds to the Mau Mau Uprising, a rebellion fought by native
Kenyans against the British colonial army in the mid-20th century. The poem’s speaker has
connections to both Africa and England, and feels conflicted about how to interpret the violence
of this conflict. Usually identified closely with Walcott himself, the speaker is painfully divided
between his connections to the English as well as to the colonized people of Africa. In fact, the
poem implicitly argues that a confused identity—and the anxiety it causes—is one of the painful
legacies of colonialism.
To understand the speaker’s dilemma here, it’s important to understand some historical context.
The Mau Mau, or Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), were rebels from the Kikuyu tribe in
Kenya that waged a gruesome guerrilla war against English settlers for eight years (1952-1960).
The British response to the rebellion was even more brutal.
This, then, is what the speaker is responding when asking, “How can I face such slaughter and be
cool? / How can I turn from African and live?” For the speaker the word “slaughter” seems to
suggest the highly publicized violence of the Mau Mau, which provoked the subsequently brutal
response from the British. These lines embody the speaker’s internal division between England
and Africa, laying out the two sides as diametrically opposed choices.
The speaker feels that the violence of the Mau Mau Rebellion requires a passionate and decisive
response. Either one must condemn the Mau Mau and side with England, or support the Mau
Mau and forsake England entirely; accept the violence of the Mau Mau rebellion as necessary to
Kenyan independence, or reject such violence, and in the process reject Africa and all connection
to colonized people. The speaker is suspended between these two options, unable to choose.
Thus, the speaker feels alienated from each side of the conflict. At the same time, however, the
speaker also feels inextricably linked to both the British and the Kenyans. It’s implied that the
speaker has a colonial heritage, ancestry from both English colonists and colonized Africans. As
a result, the speaker feels as if his own body is divided by this conflict.
In the third stanza, the speaker addresses this problem explicitly: “I who am poisoned with the
blood of both, / Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?” The word “poisoned” conveys the
powerful sense of alienation the Mau Mau Uprising provokes in the speaker. Although the
speaker has “the blood of both” Europeans and Africans—that is, ancestry from each place—this
blood feels poisonous, linking the speaker to violence no matter what.
This heritage also “poison[s]” the speaker because speaker feels “divided to the vein.” No matter
which way the speaker “turn[s],” it’s as if half the speaker’s “blood” does violence to the other
half. By framing this conflict in terms of “blood” and the speaker’s own “vein[s],” the poem
captures the very personal, even bodily, division the speaker feels. This isn’t a matter of abstract
politics for the speaker, but a very intimate struggle that’s taking place within him—a struggle
caused by the legacy of colonialism.
At the end of the poem, the speaker is no closer to choosing a side than at the beginning.
Colonial history has forced the speaker into this situation, forever divided by colonizer and
colonized.
Where this theme appears in the poem:
o
Language as a Tool of Resistance and Self-Expression
The poem explores the complex relationship between colonized peoples and the language that
they’re often pushed to adopt—in this case, English. For the speaker, there are two distinct sides
to the English language: one is the rich tradition of English literature, particularly poetry, and the
other is England’s brutal history of colonization. While English literature has given the speaker a
means of thought and self-expression, English colonists have only caused pain in the speaker’s
eyes. As a result, the very act of writing in English embodies the speaker’s complex and
conflicted identity. The poem, by its very existence, also illustrates how may one may find a
means of resistance and self-expression while using the language of an oppressor.
The speaker’s antipathy towards England is a response to the history of colonization, which, for
the speaker, is directly connected to the English language. In other words, the English language
is not separate from the actions of England; the poem implies that language is closely linked to
identity and heritage.
The speaker states this connection and its resulting dilemma most clearly in the third stanza: “I
who have cursed / The drunken officer of British rule, how choose / Between this Africa and the
English tongue I love?” In other words, the speaker hates English colonial rule and wants to
support the independence of Africans. Yet the speaker feels that such support means rejecting the
English language—the very language the poem is written in, and which is also a part of the
speaker's identity and means of expressing himself. In fact, the speaker expresses “love” for “the
English tongue.” This “love” communicates how passionately the speaker feels about English,
how difficult it would be to give up writing in it.
This passion makes a lot of sense if the speaker is interpreted as someone from a British colony,
as Walcott himself was (he grew up on the Caribbean island of Santa Lucia). While native
peoples in English colonies did not originally speak English, they were forced to adopt it,
especially those who attended school. English became a very important language for such
people, even their primary mode of expression, as it was for Walcott. At the same time, though, it
was a language they were coerced into adopting, the language of their oppressor.
The poem’s form conveys this nuanced relationship with English. The speaker engages with the
traditional constraints of English verse while also striving for some freedom from those
constraints. The poem—like the rest of Walcott’s work—is based on a traditionally English
understanding of poetic form, albeit one that Walcott loosens and tweaks. In other words, the
poem sounds like a freer, more modern version of traditional English poetry. For instance, the
poem weaves in and out of a loose meter, sporadically using rhyme and half-rhyme in no
set scheme.
By writing like this, the speaker conveys “love” for the English language and English literature.
Yet by not fully conforming the forms of that past, the speaker reveals some distrust. Perhaps
poetic constraints are not so different from the legal constraints imposed on natives by British
colonial rule. The speaker bristles against colonial rule, even at a literary level. In adopting a
more fluid attitude towards form, then, the speaker attains a degree of self-expression and self-
interrogation that resists colonial authority.
As a result, the speaker occupies a kind of halfway point: not fully conforming to English
expectations, but not fully free of them either. Rather than finding a resolution to this conflict,
the speaker lingers in the painful contradictions of a divided identity, using eloquent English and
a fluid attitude towards traditional form to address the suffering that colonization has caused.
Where this theme appears in the poem:
o
Humanity and Violence
Much of the imagery in “A Far Cry From Africa” depicts violence. This imagery refers to the
brutal tactics employed by British forces in Kenya, as well as the acts that the Mau Mua—or
Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA)—used in their rebellion. While the speaker understands
that British colonial rule is ultimately the source of this violence, the poem also laments the
bloodiness of human affairs more generally. To the speaker, the violence of the Mau Mau also
seems reprehensible. Violence begets violence in this poem, leaving the speaker pessimistic
about ever achieving humanity’s higher ideals.
The speaker depicts both the Mau Mau and the British colonial regime as equally violent. To
understand the force of this depiction, it’s important again to get a sense of the historical events it
alludes to. For instance, “the white child hacked in bed” refers to one of the most notorious acts
of the uprising, when a European family—including a six-year-old boy—were hacked to death
on their farm by the Mau Mau. The Mau Mau often used tactics like this, targeting both white
settlers and loyalist Kenyans (those Kenyans who supported British rule).
In response, however, the British killed vastly more people and employed brutally repressive
tactics, such as the resettlement of natives and forced labor camps. These camps were compared
—even by some disenchanted British officials—to the conditions of Nazi concentration camps
only a decade earlier. That’s why the speaker thinks the British see Kenyans as “savages,
expendable as Jews.” In this damning comparison, the British colonists are no better than Nazis.
As such, the speaker depicts both the British and Kenyans as succumbing to the same human
failing of resorting to violence. Each group’s use of violence undermines their higher ideals.
Referring to the British, the speaker says, “upright man / Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.”
This refers to the traditional ideology of European colonists, who regarded themselves as
virtuous Christians bringing “savages” closer to God. Yet these Christians enact their closeness
to “divinity” by engaging in incredibly violent acts. The speaker implies that these Christian
colonists are hypocrites; Christianity emphasizes having sympathy for the meek, not violently
oppressing them.
Similarly, the speaker refers to the Kenyans whose “wars / Dance to the tightened carcass of a
drum.” This image suggests that the actions of Mau Mau are as appalling as those of the British,
undermining the ideals of their own cause. More specifically, such actions metaphorically turn
traditional Kenyan drums into “tightened carcass[es].” These drums should be a symbol of
Kenya’s national pride in its culture. Instead, however, the drums have been reduced a gruesome
image of death. Indeed, the speaker doesn’t see violence of the Mau Mau as “courage” but as
“dread / Of the white peace.” That is, the Kenyans are acting out of fear of oppression by whites,
rather than out of courage and pride.
On both sides of the conflict, then, the speaker sees people giving in to violence. While the
English and Mau Mau both view themselves as upholding what they most value, the speaker sees
violence as undermining those ideals. The speaker’s outlook on humanity’s use of violence, then,
is pretty bleak. Violence continues to produce more violence, advancing neither the cause of
human “divinity” nor of African freedom.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Lee-James Bovey
Teacher with a B.A. Honors in English Literature with a P.G.C.E.
‘A Far Cry from Africa‘ by Derek Walcott is a poem based around the struggles in Africa. One
would presume it is at least partially autobiographical and so it’s a fairly safe assumption that the
narrative voice is indeed Walcott’s own.
Form and Tone
‘A Far Cry from Africa‘ is written in free verse. It is presented in two stanzas one consisting of
twenty-one lines and the other consisting of eleven. It does not follow a strict rhyming pattern,
although end rhymes feature prominently throughout the poem. The effect of this is that the
poem has a stilted, disjointed feel which mirrors the feelings expressed within the poem.
The rhythm is also inconsistent, although the line lengths are similar the beats in each line alter
which again adds to the sense of discord. The poem is deeply rooted in Africa. The language
used helps to make the poem feel culturally African.

‘A Far Cry From Africa’ Title

The title is in itself fairly interesting. It certainly has a double meaning. The obvious meaning is
that it is using the phrase which means that the events are “far removed” from what you expect in
Africa, but actually, I think the title is subversive and is supposed to be taken very literally.
Meaning that in Africa there are people crying.

Detailed Analysis
Lines 1-4

A wind is ruffling the tawny pe

(…)
Corpses are scattered through a paradise.

The first two lines reference the Kikuyu. This is one of the biggest tribes in Kenya. There is an
interesting use of imagery here as they are described as being “as quick as flies”. The poet talks
of them being massacred, and in the fourth line, he makes a really striking comparison between
the Veldt area which he considers a paradise, and the fact it is littered with corpses. Rhyme is
used in the opening section with an ABAB pattern. This might make you come to expect that to
be a reoccurring pattern, but this is not the case and this helps give the poem a “stilted edge”.

Lines 5-9

Only the worm, colonel of carrion, cries:

(…)
What is that to the white child hacked in bed?

In the fifth line, we see the use of alliteration. Worms are “picked on” here, being referred to as
the colonel of Carrion. The suggestion being that where you find rotting flesh, you find worms.
He personifies them though and gives them an almost militant voice as they exclaim ‘Waste no
compassion on these separate dead!’ this gives them a villainous quality. In the 8th line, he refers
to the locals as salient, this is a clever piece of imagery it gives the impression that these people
are isolated. It also has a double meaning with military connotations. I think that the point the
poet is trying to make is how the colonials use their data and skew facts in order to portray the
Kikuyu as savages. Of course, this doesn’t tell the full story. I guess then that this whole begging
section is laden with irony, maybe even dramatic irony as an informed reader would realise that
these views aren’t an accurate description of the issues that have existed in Africa.

Lines 10-13

To savages, expendable as Jews?

(…)
Have wheeled since civilization’s dawn

In the tenth line, we see a very powerful metaphor as Walcott draws on a comparison between
the atrocities being committed here and the ones committed by the Nazis during the Second
World War. At least that’s what one would assume by referring to Jews as expendable. Once
again ‘A Far Cry from Africa’ turns to imagery and the use of nature. Here Ibises are used and
their cries referenced. According to the narrator these cries:
Have wheeled since civilizations dawn

I feel this is probably a metaphor for the repeated slaughter and genocide of civilizations
highlighting that this is an issue that has been prominent throughout the history of mankind. Of
course, this is conjuncture on my part.

Lines 14-17

From the parched river or beast-teeming plain.

(…)
Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.

The next four lines follow what have come before in creating a really visceral image. Walcott
uses repetition of the word beast here in order to cement his comparison. The suggestion here is
then that the men that carry out the atrocities may as well be animals. He then goes on to attack
religion by suggesting that man

Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.

Lines 18-21

Delirious as these worried beasts, his wars

(…)
Of the white peace contracted by the dead.

The next four lines are really interesting. It isn’t totally clear who the “he” that is referenced in
these lines is, but I am assuming it is supposed to represent mankind. If this is the case then the
words are pretty damning here. They are described as delirious and once again we see the word
beast employed. There is once again the use of graphic description using words like carcass and
dread here help to convey the dark and grim tone. There is a lovely piece of wordsmanship here
as Walcott uses the phrase “white peace” this is used almost as an oxymoron as the peace he is
describing is born of the multiple deaths. Just another example of the strong use of irony
throughout the poem.

Lines 22-23

Again brutish necessity wipes its hands

Upon the napkins of a dirty cause, again

There is a wonderfully glib line here as the process of wiping one’s hands. This innocuous act is
made powerful by being allied to the idea of “man” or perhaps more specifically the “white man”
being dismissive about what is going on. Metaphor is used fantastically here, it is so thinly veiled
as to almost be construed as sarcastic.

Lines 24-27

In the 24th line, he uses the phrase

A waste of our compassion, as with Spain

Once again this is very sarcastic and certainly not the view of the narrator himself who clearly, as
we later see, wrestles with his lineage and heritage. The use of Superman helps to date the piece
and highlights that it is contemporary and that these are current affairs. He refers to himself as
being poisoned by the blood of both. We can assume that this is referring to his mixed heritage.

Lines 28-33

I who have cursed

(…)
How can I turn from Africa and live?

This final section of the poem really brings us to the crux of the entire poem. The poet struggles
to deal with his lineage and his association between that lineage and the atrocities carried out by
those nations. By the same token, he is torn as he clearly has an affection for the language of his
mother tongue.

Names
[Walcott’s ‘Names’ probes identity and colonialism’s scars, exploring the struggle for self-
definition in a post-colonial Caribbean.]
-Derek Walcott (1930 –2017)
I

My race began as the sea began,

with no nouns, and with no horizon,
with pebbles under my tongue,
with a different fix on the stars.

But now my race is here,

in the sad oil of Levantine eyes,
in the flags of Indian fields.

I began with no memory,

I began with no future,
but I looked for that moment
when the mind was halved by a horizon.

I have never found that moment

when the mind was halved by a horizon--
for the goldsmith from Benares,
the stone-cutter from Canton,
as a fishline sinks, the horizon
sinks in the memory.

Have we melted into a mirror,

leaving our souls behind?
The goldsmith from Benares,
the stone-cutter from Canton,
the bronzesmith from Benin.

A sea-eagle screams from the rock,

and my race began like the osprey
with that cry,
that terrible vowel,
that I!

Behind us all the sky folded

as history folds over a fishline,
and the foam foreclosed
with nothing in our hands

but this stick

to trace our names on the sand
which the sea erased again, to our indifference.

II

And when they named these bays

bays,
was it nostalgia or irony?

In the uncombed forest,

in uncultivated grass
where was there elegance
except in their mockery?
Where were the courts of Castille?
Versailles' colonnades
supplanted by cabbage palms
with Corinthian crests,
belittling diminutives,
then, little Versailles
meant plans for a pigsty,
names for the sour apples
and green grapes
of their exile.

Their memory turned acid

but the names held;
Valencia glows
with the lanterns of oranges,
Mayaro's
charred candelabra of coca.
Being men, they could not live
except they first presumed
the right of every thing to be a noun.
The African acquiesced,
repeated, and changed them.

Listen, my children say:

moubain: the hogplum,
cerise: the wild cherry,
baie-la: the bay,
with the fresh green voices
they were once themselves
in the way the wind bends
our natural inflections.

These palms are greater than Versailles,

for no man made them,
their fallen columns greater than Castille,
no man unmade them
except the worm, who has no helmet,
but was always the emperor,

and children, look at these stars

over Valencia's forest!

Not Orion,
not Betelgeuse,
tell me, what do they look like?
Answer, you damned little Arabs!
Sir, fireflies caught in molasses.

gradesaver.com
Derek Walcott: Collected Poems Summary and Analysis of "Names"
Summary
In the first section of “Names,” the speaker describes the beginning of his race, the Caribbean
people. At first they were like the sea, undefined and looking down at the seafloor and up to the
heavens, rather than across the land to other places and peoples. Now they are in the world. To
trace the line from then to now, the speaker, like his race, must begin without knowledge of the
past or the future. He looks for the moment where their collective view of the world shifted from
the sea and became divided by the horizon, but he cannot find it.
His race of people came from countries across the colonized world—Benares in India, Canton in
China, and Benin, a country in West Africa—and they have lost their memories of who they were
before they were taken from their homelands. The speaker thus goes back to the only beginning
of his race he can remember, a beginning like the harsh cry of a “sea-eagle” as his people first
tried to articulate a sense of self when they arrived in the Caribbean. Yet that world left them
with nothing.
In the second section, the poem shifts to discuss language and the ways the European colonizers
shaped the map of the Caribbean. They mockingly named the bays and forests they encountered
after the places they remembered in Europe, and called a pigsty "Versailles" (the name of King
Louis XIV's opulent palace). The Europeans grew resentful, starting to perceive the Caribbean as
a place of exile and to resent its land and fruits.
As they grew resentful, they began to hate the memory of the countries they had lost, yet the
names stuck. Europeans believed in “the right of every thing to be a noun,” or felt that
converting elements of the world into distinct items with names was a way of validating them.
The enslaved African people brought to the Caribbean accepted this but changed the names as
they repeated them back, used their own voices to transform this colonial register. They bent the
names the way the wind bends the world.
Thus they came to see the world differently. The palms which the colonizer mockingly named
Versailles are in fact greater than that palace ever was, because they were made by nature, not by
man. The fallen trees, compared to fallen columns in the names of the Europeans, are greater
than Castille because they too were destroyed by nature, not by man. In this configuration of the
world, the worm is a greater emperor than any human ruler. The Caribbean children can thus
look up to the heavens in a forest named for Valencia, Spain, and yet see the stars not as the
European constellations, but as “fireflies caught in molasses” (83).
Analysis
The first stanza of “Names” establishes the sonic aesthetic of the poem, which employs
repetition and deliberate syntax rather than rhyme or meter to establish a rhythm. Walcott repeats
“began” in the first line, and repeats the phrase structure “with no nouns…with no horizon” in
the second. The third and fourth line are slightly less constrained, but still begin with the word
“with,” a repetition which also establishes a similar syntax for each line in the stanza. In a sense,
the first stanza acts as a microcosm of the poem as a whole, establishing some of the strategies
Walcott will use throughout, as well as introducing the most important themes.
The patterns of repetition established in the first four lines continue through the rest of the first
section. Both the second and third stanza repeat a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple
lines: “in the” in lines 6 and 7, “I began with” in lines 8 and 9. In lines 20 through 22, “The
goldsmith from Benares / the stone-cutter from Canton / the bronzesmith from Benin,” Walcott
repeats the same syntax three times while invoking different places from across the colonized
world. Here, this repetition suggests the way that the colonization flattens the differences
between these culturally and geographically distinct locations. Even as the poet names each
specific location, and asserts that the people who came from them had both a national identity
and a personal identity, such as goldsmith or stone-cutter, the structure of the poem has begun to
erase those distinctions just as colonization and slavery created peoples who could not remember
their homelands.
Walcott’s use of repetition suggests the conventions of folktales or parables, which often rely on
the repetition of certain phrases to aid the memory of the storyteller and create a sense of events
building upon one another in the context of a simple plot. The story of Goldilocks and the Three
Bears is a good example of this. On a purely aesthetic level, then, repetition makes the poem
sound better, makes it more memorable, and reminds the audience to pay attention to repeated
phrases. For example, the repetition of the word “began” stresses the importance of beginnings
throughout the first section, reminding the reader that an origin point cannot be so easily moved
on from, even if it happened in the distant past. On a structural level, the use of repetition
suggests that Walcott here is creating a kind of folktale or myth for the beginning of his own
Caribbean people.
Yet the story that Walcott tells about the beginning cannot be sufficient, because the forces of
colonization have severed his people from their own past. He is instead caught in a futile search
for “that moment / when the mind was halved by a horizon” (10-11). This moment is a reference
to the idea that European rationality rests on the imposition of dichotomies, especially between
the self and the Other, or between the mind and the body. From there, European philosophical,
cultural, and social tradition assigned power and superiority to one side of the opposition, and
subjugated the other; most centrally, here, they imagined white society as the self—familiar,
civilized, and knowing—and colonized peoples as the Other—exotic, uncivilized, and known.
Walcott equates the “moment when the mind was halved by the horizon,” or the moment when
these dichotomies came into being for Caribbean people, with the beginning of his race. He is
suggesting here that the very concept of a Caribbean people hinges on colonial ideas which
designate a diverse group of people with distinct histories as one racial category, defined in
opposition to whiteness. This is “that terrible vowel, / that I,” the speaker says: the very act of
asserting a selfhood, an “I,” is terrible because it occurs in the context of the violence that brings
into existence a racialized self.
The poem therefore suggests that even the beginning for which Walcott is searching is a function
of white supremacy and colonial history. For that reason, the very idea of storytelling or myth-
making is put under pressure. As much as the first section embodies the aesthetics and priorities
of folktale, it can never really become one because it not only lacks its own beginning, but the
beginning it seeks out is already troubled, already a function of the oppressive forces which
Walcott is trying to write against. We see this theme explicitly in the last lines of the first section,
where the speaker describes his people left on a coastline “with nothing in our hands / but this
stick / to trace our names on the sand / which the sea erased again, to our indifference” (31-34).
The stick here symbolizes the act of writing or storytelling, which, according to the speaker, is all
his people have left. Yet the sea returns to erase the story again and again. Rather than this being
a moment of hopelessness, the people are “indifferent.” They aren’t attached to preserving a
document of their story, even though the ability to write it is all that they have. Indeed, the poem
identifies more with the sea, to which Walcott first compares his people, than with the act of
writing.
The theme of writing and language becomes more central in the second section of the poem.
Repetition as a literary device largely disappears in this section, with the syntax becoming more
conversational and less sing-song. Instead, Walcott employs frequent enjambment, or breaking a
line in the middle of phrase, as in “Versailes’ colonnades / supplanted by cabbage palms / with
Corinthian crests” (43-45). This device renders the poem more fragmented, replacing a soothing,
folkloric rhythm with one which is off-putting and ragged.
However, the idea of repetition becomes powerful here. The second section speaks to the way
that the Europeans imposed language on the Caribbean. They superimposed the geography of
their homeland onto the natural landscape they encountered; the palm trees became the
colonnades of Versailles. They thus imagined that the landscape of Europe was repeated
everywhere, only in an inferior form. By naming a pigsty “little Versailles,” they mockingly
repeated and twisted their own language as a way to denigrate the colonized land. Eventually,
these names took, even as the colonizers began to lose their memories of the land they had left;
the language became a repetition without an original.
Describing the European process of naming the land, Walcott states, “Being men, they could not
live / except they first presumed / the right of every thing to be a noun” (58-60). The language
here is pointedly ambiguous. The phrase “Being men” seems to suggest that language and
naming is an inherent aspect of humanity, a natural thing that people do to understand their
world. However, the broader structure of this stanza juxtaposes “the African” against the subject
who “presumed the right of every thing to be a noun.” Walcott thus implies here that Africans
were not men. This might seem like a strange thing for an anti-racist poet to imply, but his point
is that the very idea of who is or is not a human being is a constructed category based around
whiteness. Race pseudo-science argued that people of color, especially Black people, were less
evolved, or were in-between human and animal, in order to justify oppression. In these lines,
Walcott is arguing that white colonizers believed that the way they used language was inevitable,
and that peoples who used language differently were less than human.
From this place, the colonized people began to reclaim repetition, to use it in their own way. In
response to the Europeans who imposed names on the land, “the African acquiesced, / repeated,
and changed them” (61-62). In other words, Africans agreed to begin perceiving the world as a
set of nouns, but they also took those nouns, repeated them back, and eventually transformed
them. Repetition thus became the first step to claiming language and making it their own. We see
the conclusion to this process in the last two stanzas of the poem. The children look at the stars
“over Valencia’s forest,” or over a forest named for a place in Spain (77-78). However, their sight
is not constrained the way that of the Europeans was; they are able to perceive the place in their
own way, not as a derivative of somewhere else. When they look at the stars, they see “fireflies
caught in molasses” (83). Rather than simply naming their own constellations, variations on the
classical idea of tracing pictures like “Orion” or “Betelgeuse” in the heavens, they understand the
sky totally independently, seeing natural imagery upon natural imagery, rather than translating
the natural night sky into man-made myth.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Dharmender Kumar
Degrees in English Literature, Mass Communication, and Law
Here is an analysis of ‘Names’ by Derek Walcott. Born in 1930 in Barbados, Edward Brathwaite
is one of the most outstanding poets of Caribbean literature. He has written about the condition
of the blacks in the Diaspora and of the devastating effects of slavery. He influenced the writers
and intellectuals greatly by provoking the mood of anti-imperialism and searching for one’s
roots. Brathwaite guided the quest for orality in the decade of the 1970s. He has also written
critical and theoretical essays where he has championed Creole as a national language.

Names Analysis
Section I

Walcott is perhaps at his best when he is most autobiographical. He seems to be working on this
thesis – What is history? What is identity? –for the Caribbean islanders as he composes,
integrates, and sumps up his most mature thoughts in each succeeding collection of poems.

The poem, ‘Names‘, shows his preoccupations with the same theme, and he starts the poem with
a sense of his own history that is contained in the sea surrounding the islands.
He negates the fact that identity can be named, for he has “no nouns” with which to introduce
himself. His “race” can be interpreted as his community or his tribe; it is also the personal race
that he is running towards an individual identity.

The identity of the post-colonial poet in the English language is further compounded by the fact
that he comes from the French-speaking part of the islands.

He cannot deny his French heritage where he was taught to say the words “moubain,” “cerise”
and “baie-la”, and subsequently understands them through their English equivalents. Sound plays
a vital role in this poem, for Walcott talks of the untrained “fresh green voices” learning and
mispronouncing, while the original languages of the natives are swept away.

The black people may try to find their origins once again, but the poet ruefully admits that “the
wind bends our natural inflections”. Walcott often repeats words and entire phrases to emphasize
a search that seems to yield no results. When he repeats that “the mind was halved by horizon”,
he, as an intellectual, perceives that his world has indeed been divided into white and black by
colonial history, language, education, and racial prejudice.

Thus, his search for a past previous to colonial history is futile. The exotic cities of Benares,
Canton, or Benin that once held sway over the world are lost in the recesses of time. Again the
poet asks the soul-searching questions, “Have we melted into a mirror, / leaving our souls
behind”.

It is typical that as a twentieth-century poet, he tries to focus on various worlds – the reality of
the present and its fantasy is a reflection and the past in his own imagination. Yet he is not able
to arrive at any satisfactory conclusion.

The magnificent climax of the poem is that just like the “sea-eagle screams from the rock”, the
poet echoes “that cry/that terrible vowel I” to proclaim his identity. Walcott has always been
concerned with sound effects in his verse, and previously there was the comparative softness
of alliteration in words of acceptance in “A Far Cry from Africa”, wherein he says: “Statistics
justify and soldiers seize/The salient of colonial policy.”

Now the sound is a shriek of the well-defined first person singular pronoun that contains all the
self and the consciousness of one who is tormented by the lack of a definite identity. It is
significant that the poet still cannot find out a name/noun to justify the scream. He must resort to
a pronoun that is both minimal and absolute.

“I’ stands for one – and all can activate it. This “I” is literally the sound of a scream, “aaa iii
eee!” It is an agonized voice raised in a shrill and assertive cry, trying to drown out those who
may deny existence. There is still more to this “I” for it conceals a pun on the word “eyes”.

The eye of the poet, thus, perceives what he lacks in terms of identity, individuality, and
independence. And then the same alliterative softness envelops this single, expressive shout once
more when he says: “the sky folded/as history folds over a fishline, /and the foam foreclosed…
This section of the poem ends in childish play. Just as children write their names in the sands of
the seashore, so too Walcott and his people try: “to trace our names on the sand/which the sea
erased again to our indifference.”

If they do not care that the identity they attempt to establish is removed by the tides, it is because
identity has been thrust upon the people. It has been granted but they have not claimed it; so how
can they care? There is also resignation in the fact that the fate of an oppressed people must be
dictated just as nature dictates the lives of men living close to it.

Section II

In the second section of the poem, Walcott shifts from his own confused state of mind to the
condition of the colonizers who, too, are dislocated and displaced just as his ancestors have been.
They, too, have left behind their own histories and glories of Castille, Versailles, and Valencia,
and are trying hard to recreate their homelands on these distant shores.
Thus, with “nostalgia or irony” they attempt a continuity of their glorious history by renaming
bays, “uncombed forest” and “uncultivated grass” in this wild country. They give the places
European names. Walcott remembers perhaps the popular fable of the fox who could not reach
the grapes it wanted when he writes in sympathy of the white masters—“names or the sour
apples/and green grapes/of their exile.”

The memory of their homeland is diminished but the European names remain. Walcott explains
why the colonizers felt they must teach those whom they had colonized, which has become such
a significant issue in post-colonial writing –“Being men, they could not live/except they first
presumed/the right of everything to be a noun.”

“The African acquiesced,/repeated, and changed them.”—This is colonization at its most

benevolent, with language as an instrument of control. A hegemonic force, language extended
through and into education is not forced upon the native but it is accepted by consent.

The erosion of culture and origin is not debated; perhaps it is simply disregarded in that context.
The natives in Walcott’s poem take on the identity of children as they listen to the masters
teaching them their first foreign languages through which they too must learn to communicate.
They learn about their own geography couched in Eurocentric allusions: “These palms are
greater than Versailles, /for no man made them.”

This may be a grudging tribute to nature’s powerful beauty even in the colonies, and the masters
finally turn to the constellations in a sky they are unfamiliar with. In the final image, they return
to the stars over “Valencia’s forest”. They must, after all, impart to the uncivilized savage the
wonders of the Renaissance, the wealth of scientific learning and artistic knowledge that is a
prerogative of Europe.

The poem closes with a question and an answer that demonstrates the mounting anger and
frustration of the colonial master, as well as the naive yet pathetic reply of the native subject:
“Answer, you damned little Arabs! /Sir, fireflies caught in molasses.”
The last line of the poem contains a really beautiful metaphor in terms of composition. But the
poor natives are really just like the fireflies – still scintillating although they are caught in a giant
trap. They cannot foresee what is going to happen to them.

The last line is the swan-song, where the position of the master in power is emphasized, and the
downtrodden are caught in the sticky sweet mess of a colonial identity too irresistible to reject.
Therefore, the only time that the natives are given an actual name and an identity, it is
condescending and derogatory, preceded by an invective.

In this context, the word “little” is also insulting, for it insinuates a people who have no
knowledge of their own and must be raised out of dark ignorance, to understand and alien
geography and history that is arrogantly bestowed upon them.

Revolving Days
[‘Revolving Days’ by Malouf reflects on past love, exploring themes of memory, change, and the
enduring nature of emotional connections.]
-David Malouf
[David Malouf is an Australian writer.
He’s written novels, short stories, opera librettos, and more.]

That year I had nowhere to go, I fell in love — a mistake

of course, but it lasted and has lasted.
The old tug at the heart, the grace unasked for, urgencies
that boom under the pocket of a shirt. What I remember
is the colour of the shirts. I’d bought them
as an experiment in ways of seeing myself, hoping to catch
in a window as I passed what I was to be
in my new life as lover: one mint green, one
pink, the third, called Ivy League, tan
with darker stripes, my first button-down collar.
We never write. But sometimes, knotting my tie
at a mirror, one of those selves I had expected
steps into the room. In the next room you
are waiting (we have not yet taken back
the life we promised to pour into each other’s mouths
forever and for ever) while I choose between
changes to surprise you.
Revolving days. My heart
in my mouth again, I’m writing this for you, wherever
you are, whoever is staring into your blue eyes. It is me,
I’m still here. No, don’t worry, I won’t appear out of
that old time to discomfort you. And no, at this
distance, I’m not holding my breath for a reply.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Emma Baldwin
B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories
Within ‘Revolving Days’ Malouf explores themes of relationships, the past, and memory.
His speaker addresses his ex-lover, expressing his lasting emotions and depicting the revolving
days of his life and role as “lover”. The mood is resigned and contemplative as he considers who
he was, who he is, and the person his ex-lover is now.

Summary of Revolving Days

In ‘Revolving Days’ by David Malouf, the speaker takes a look at his past relationship and the
evolution of his role as “lover”.
In the first part of this poem, the speaker remembers when he fell in love, how it was a
“mistake,” but that it’s also been long-lasting. As the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the
speaker and the person he loves are no longer together. But, despite the things that have changed,
he has remained the same. He still loves the person to whom he’s been speaking.

Themes in Revolving Days

In ‘Revolving Days,’ Malouf engages with themes that include love, memory, and
transformation (or lack thereof). The speaker spends the bulk of this poem describing a love he
used to have and the way that that love changed him. But since he hasn’t changed at all. He’s
still the person he used to be when he was with his ex-lover, for better or for worse. But he
knows that she has changed. She’s somewhere else, (where exactly he doesn’t know) and he
figures that she’s moved on to be with someone else. His memories of the past are quite strong,
so much so that he’s able to depict moments from his love affair with clarity and poignant (if
someone reserved) emotion.

Structure and Form of Revolving Day

‘Revolving Days’ by David Malouf is a three-stanza poem that’s divided into uneven sets of
lines. The first stanza contains ten, the second, seven, and the third: six. Malouf did not give this
poem a specific rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. Rather, the lines vary in the number of
syllables and the number of words.

Although there is no structured rhyme scheme, there are moments of rhyme within the poem.
These are seen through repetition, such as with “lasted” and “lasted” in line two of the first
stanza, as well as through half-rhyme. Also known as slant or partial rhyme, half rhyme is seen
through the repetition of assonance or consonance. This means that either a vowel or consonant
sound is reused within one line or multiple lines of verse. For example, “green” and “League”
are in lines eight and nine of the first stanza. Or, another example, “seeing” and “be” in six and
seven of the same stanza.

Literary Devices in Revolving Days

Malouf makes use of several poetic techniques in ‘Revolving Days.’ These
include alliteration, anaphora, enjambment, and caesura. The latter, caesura, occurs when a line
is split in half, sometimes with punctuation, sometimes not. The use of punctuation in these
moments creates a very intentional pause in the text.

A reader should consider how the pause influences the rhythm of one’s reading and how it might
proceed an important turn or transition in the text. For instance, line one of the third stanza. It
reads: “Revolving days. My heart”. Or, as a mother example, a reader can look to line three of
the second stanza, which reads: “steps into the room. In the next room you”.

Alliteration occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear close together, and
begin with the same letter. For example, “life as lover” in line eight of the first stanza and
“writing” and “wherever” in line two of stanza three.

Malouf also makes use of anaphora, or the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of
multiple lines, usually in succession. This technique is often used to create emphasis. A list of
phrases, items, or actions may be created through its implementation.

Another important technique commonly used in poetry is enjambment. It occurs when a line is
cut off before its natural stopping point. Enjambment forces a reader down to the next line, and
the next, quickly. One has to move forward in order to comfortably resolve a phrase or sentence.

Analysis of Revolving Days

Stanza One

That year I had nowhere to go, I fell in love — a mistake

of course, but it lasted and has lasted.
(…)
pink, the third, called Ivy League, tan
with darker stripes, my first button-down collar.
In the first stanza of ‘Revolving Days,’ the speaker looks back on his life and remembers the year
that he “fell in love.” He explains it simply, it happened because he had nowhere to go. This
frivolous start dissolves as he adds that it “lasted and has lasted”.

The next lines use imagery as a way of painting a picture of the past, as well as evoking in the
reader an emotional response to the speaker’s personal life. He recalls what it felt like to be
falling in love. Specifically the “boom under the pocket of a shirt” urging him on and the “old
tug at the heart.”

In an original depiction of a lover’s mind, he describes buying shirts and using them as a way to
understand himself as “lover”. These ranged in color, and one was his “first button-down
collar.”

Stanza Two

We never write. But sometimes, knotting my tie

at a mirror, one of those selves I had expected
(…)
changes to surprise you.

As the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the love the speaker experiences is a little more
complicated than it seemed. It “lasted” but not in the way one might immediately expect. He
looks to the past, while also considering the future, in this stanza.

The past comes back to greet him while he’s in the bathroom looking in the mirror, and he
recalls the time they spent together and the promises they made. These have fallen to the
wayside, as has the relationship.

Stanza Three
Revolving days. My heart
(…)
distance, I’m not holding my breath for a reply.

In the final stanza of ‘Revolving Days,’ the speaker makes use of the phrase “Revolving days” to
depict the nature of his heart and memory. He is writing “this for” his ex-lover. They are no
longer together. In fact, he doesn’t know where they are. They could be with someone new.
Despite the changes that have happened, he’s the same.

Before the intended listener/the speaker’s ex-lover starts to worry, he says he’s not going to pop
up from the past “to discomfort” them. They are at a distance, and he knows there is very
little chance he’ll be getting a reply to this letter in poem form.

Wild Lemons
[Key Poem Information-
Central Message: Time goes on endlessly but some things remain the same
Themes: Aging, Journey, Nature
Speaker: David Malouf
Emotions Evoked: Contentment, Gratitude
Poetic Form: Free Verse
Time Period: 20th Century]
-David Malouf

Through all those years keeping the present

open to the light of just this moment:
that was the path we found, you might call it
a promise, that starting out among blazed trunks
the track would not lead nowhere, that being set
down here among wild lemons, our bodies were
expected at an occasion up ahead
that would not take place without us. One
proof was the tough-skinned fruit among
their thorns; someone had been there before us
and planted these, their sunlight to be sliced
for drinks (they had adapted
in their own way and to other ends); another
was the warmth of our island, sitting still
in its bay, at midnight humming
and rising to its own concerns, but back,
heat-struck, lapped by clean ocean waters
at dawn. The present is always
with us, always open. Though to what, out there
in the dark we are making for as seven o’clock
strikes, the gin goes down and starlings
gather, who can tell? Compacts made
of silence, as a flute tempts out a few
reluctant stars to walk over the water. I lie down
in different weather now though the same body,
which is where that rough track led. Our sleep
is continuous with the dark, or that portion of it
that is this day’s night; the body
tags along as promised to see what goes.
What goes is time, and clouds melting into
tomorrow of our breath, a scent of lemons
run wild in another country, but smelling always of themselves.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Emma Baldwin
B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories
This poem is a great example of how Malouf often weaves philosophical questions into his
poetry. This poem touches on themes like the meaning of life and the past, two universally
relatable things. While elements of this piece are a bit difficult to put together, as a whole readers
should have no problem interpreting these two things within the 32-line piece.

Summary
‘Wild Lemons’ by David Malouf reflects the complexities of life’s journey.

The poet speaks of “blazed trunks” in the first few lines and how they are leading to a significant
future that “we” are a part of. He uses image-rich language in these lines, leading the reader into
a vision of wild lemons that were planted long before the speaker was among them. This is a
connection to the past that he can’t resist touching on.

In the next few lines, the poet continues to discuss the passage of time and how while some
things change, there are others (like the lemons) that stay the same through generations.

The Poem Analysis Take

Expert Insights by Emma Baldwin

B.A. English (Minor: Creative Writing), B.F.A. Fine Art, B.A. Art Histories

An interesting part of this poem that readers may connect to comes in the final few lines, in
which Malouf makes his feelings about the wild lemons clearer. He indicates that they are a
touchstone. They symbolize all that which remains the same while other things change. Here,
readers may be reminded of the natural world and how humanity comes and goes, but wild
places continue to exist.

Structure and Form

‘Wild Lemons’ by David Malouf is a thirty-two-line poem that is contained within a

single stanza. The poem is written in free verse, meaning the poet chose not to use a
specific rhyme scheme or metrical pattern. He does use other literary devices, though,
including enjambment, caesura, and more, which are described in more detail in the following
lines.
The poet likely chose to use free verse in order to emphasize natural speech patterns and make
the story he’s telling here more relatable.

Literary Devices

In this poem, the poet makes use of a few different literary devices. For example:

 Imagery: This can be seen when the poet imbues a specific line with a description
that’s meant to trigger reader’s senses. For example, “the tough-skinned fruit
among / their thorns.”
 Enjambment: This occurs when the poet cuts off a line before its natural stopping
point. For example, the transition between lines one and two as well as lines three
and four.
 Caesura: This can be seen when the poet inserts a pause into the middle of a line
of verse. For example, “a promise, that starting out among blazed trunks.”

Detailed Analysis
Lines 1-18

Through all those years keeping the present

open to the light of just this moment:

that was the path we found, you might call it

(…)

and rising to its own concerns, but back,

heat-struck, lapped by clean ocean waters

at dawn. The present is always

In the first lines of this piece, the poet begins by describing life’s path as set out before “us” and
guaranteed, in a way. The poet uses symbols of blazed trunks in order to indicate the trials that
have come before while also asserting that “we” are expected at an event ahead that won’t take
place without us.

This suggests some sort of promise of the future or the continuity of life. It continues on moving
forward all the time. One of the ways that the poet dives into this further is through the
description of the wild lemons or “tough-skinned fruit among / their thorns.” This suggests a
resilience and connection to the people who have come before. They planted the fruit there, and
now it’s here with “us.”

Another way that the poet connects to the past is through the warmth of the island and the
movements of the water at dawn. It is suggestive of the present moment as well as the past and
the future.

Lines 19-32

with us, always open. Though to what, out there

(…)

run wild in another country, but smelling always of themselves.

In the next section of this piece, the poet describes very clearly that the past is “with us, always
open.” There is a feeling of uncertainty in the next lines that’s of interest. He specifically
mentions seven o’clock at night and the ordinary acts that occur over and over again.

The imagery here is quite strong, with the poet trying to evoke a contemplative moment in which
one reflects on the past, present, and future. The speaker mentions lying down “in different
weather now though the same body.” This is something that speaks to the passage of time and
the myriad of changes it brings. But, while things change, there is a continuity of self.
The body is a vessel, he indicates, that endures throughout many different experiences. The
poem concludes with the poet including the idea that what truly “goes” on is time and the all-to-
brief nature of time. Everything is always changing, he says, something that is represented by the
clouds dissolving and breath transforming.

The lemons, he adds, grow wild in another country and represent a constant. They’re a
touchstone, he indicates, of reality. It’s what remains true no matter what changes around it.

This is a very clear symbol of the core of the human experience. There are things that change
endlessly, but there are other parts of the world that will last no matter what happens.

Small Towns and the River

[Dai’s ‘Small Towns and The River’ juxtaposes the impermanent nature of human existence with
the perpetual flow of the river.]
-Mamang Dai
[Mamang Dai is a contemporary Indian poet and journalist.
She’s best known for her novel The Black Hill, published in 2017.]

Small towns always remind me of death.

My hometown lies calmly amidst the trees,
it is always the same,
in summer or winter,
with the dust flying,
or the wind howling down the gorge.

Just the other day someone died.

In the dreadful silence we wept
looking at the sad wreath of tuberoses.
Life and death, life and death,
only the rituals are permanent.

The river has a soul.

In the summer it cuts through the land
like a torrent of grief. Sometimes,
sometimes, I think it holds its breath
seeking a land of fish and stars

The river has a soul.

It knows, stretching past the town,
from the first drop of rain to dry earth
and mist on the mountaintops,
the river knows
the immortality of water.

A shrine of happy pictures

marks the days of childhood.
Small towns grow with anxiety
for the future.
The dead are placed pointing west.
When the soul rises
it will walk into the golden east,
into the house of the sun.

In the cool bamboo,

restored in sunlight,
life matters, like this.

In small towns by the river

we all want to walk with the gods.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Sudip Das Gupta
First-class B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature
‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai is a poem about life and mortality. The town
symbolizing death presents a weeping picture of those who have lost their dear ones. In this
poem, not only the poet grieves but the town also mourns the loss. Moreover, the poet presents
a contrast in the image of the river that lives eternally. Whereas, humans are prone to death and
decay. However, the symbolism and the imagery used in the poem make the poet’s idea more
thought-provoking and interesting to the readers.

Summary
‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai talks about life and death by using the symbols of
the small towns and the river.
‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai presents a dusty and gloomy picture of small
towns in the first two stanzas. According to the poet, in small towns, every other day news of
someone’s death comes and makes one sad. In contrast, the following stanzas, depict the
immortality of the river that flows by the towns. The river is permanent in comparison to people
living in the towns. Moreover, in the following stanzas, the poet talks about eternal life. The
concept of the afterlife and having God as a guide pacifies the poet amidst the death-ridden
thoughts that constantly cause pain to her soul.

Structure
‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai consists of four stanzas each having an irregular
line count. The overall poem doesn’t contain any specific rhyme scheme. But, the rhythm of the
poem isn’t monotonous at all. The flow depends on the intricacy of internal rhyming. Moreover,
there are a few instances where the poet uses slant rhymes. Apart from that, the metrical scheme
of the poem is also irregular. As the syllable count differs in each line, it is hard to frame
the lyric in a specific meter. For reference, the first line begins with a spondee followed by
iambic feet. And, in most cases, the poet uses the iambic meter accompanied by the anapestic
meter.

Literary Devices
‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai begins with a paradox. Poets generally associate
the idea of death with small towns or any such habitations. In this stanza, there is personification.
Here, the poet personifies her “hometown”, “dust”, and “wind”. Moving forward, in “dreadful
silence” there is a personal metaphor. Apart from that, the lines of the second stanza, as well as
the other stanzas, mostly get connected by the use of enjambment. However, in “sad wreath of
tuberoses”, the poet uses pathetic fallacy. Along with that, there is an epigram in “Life and death,
life and death,/ only the rituals are permanent.” In the third stanza, there is a simile in the
comparison between the river to a “torrent of grief”. In “torrent of grief” there is a metaphor.

There is a refrain, “The river has a soul” at the beginning of the fifth stanza. Moreover, in “mist
on the mountaintops”, there is alliteration. Here, the “m” sound gets repeated. In the following
stanza, there is metonymy in “golden east”. And the “house of the sun” contains
a circumlocution or periphrasis. However, the last two lines contain another paradox. The
meaning of these two lines depends on the idea present in the previous sections of the poem.

Themes
‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai contains some important themes such as
mortality, life vs death, eternity, nature, and spirituality. The theme of mortality haunts the poet
the most. Through the symbol of “small towns”, the poet introduces this theme. Moreover, the
theme of life vs death is integral to the poetic reflection on mortality. The imagery used to depict
this theme can be found in the “wreath of tuberoses” and the river that remains constant
throughout the poem. In the poem, the river symbolically depicts nature and its permanence.
Apart from that, the poet resorts to the cozy bosom of spirituality for recovering from grief. The
hope of the afterlife gives the poet peace of mind.

Analysis, Stanza by Stanza

Stanza One
Small towns always remind me of death.
My hometown lies calmly amidst the trees,
it is always the same,
in summer or winter,

(…)

or the wind howling down the gorge.

‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai introduces the first paradox of the poem. The poet
says the “small towns” remind her of nothing other than death. She lives in a town amidst the
trees but the life there is the same. According to the poet, living in the town is a monotonous
journey that ends at the hands of death. Here, the dust is a synecdoche that presents another
symbol of death in this section. Moreover, the howling of the wind creates a gloomy mood. Here,
the use of onomatopoeia resonates with a pessimistic note.

Stanza Two

Just the other day someone died.

(…)

only the rituals are permanent.

‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai presents the theme of death in the second stanza.
Just the other day someone died in a small town. The news makes the poet sad and she mourns
the loss. After seeing the sad wreath lying on a dead person’s bosom somehow reminds the poet
of her mortality. Here, the poet presents the tuberose as a messenger of death. Moreover, there is
a repetition of “Life and death” in this stanza. It refers to a continuous cycle of life and death.
These two things are temporary. According to the poet, “only the rituals are permanent”. Here,
the poet turns the maxim, “Nothing is permanent except birth and death”, upside down. The last
two lines reflect the poet’s disillusionment about life after seeing many deaths.
Stanza Three

The river has a soul.

(…)

seeking a land of fish and stars

In the third stanza of ‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai, the poet presents a contrast.
Whereas in the previous section, she discussed mortality. In this section, she highlights the
permanence of the river. She says the river has a soul. In summer it flows across lands. Here, she
uses the metaphor of “torrent of grief” to portray the river’s course in the dry season. Moreover,
the poet personifies the river to invest it with the ideas of holding the breath and seeking
something. She thinks as if the river is an explorer who seeks the land of fish and stars. This
imagery reflects the course of the river water and its flow.

Stanza Four

The river has a soul.

(…)

the immortality of water.

In the fourth stanza of ‘Small Towns and The River’, Mamang Dai reiterates, “The river has a
soul”. The river knows about the towns where death lays her icy hands. Her knowledge isn’t
limited to towns only. She knows the first drop of rain that rejuvenates the dry earth and the mist
on the mountaintops that circles the mountain like a scarf. Last but not least, she is aware of the
immortality of water. In this way, the poet also immortalizes the river.

Stanza Five

A shrine of happy pictures

(…)
into the house of the sun.

The fifth stanza of ‘Small Towns and The River’, presents another contrast. Firstly, Mamang Dai
refers to the “shrine of happy pictures” of childhood. Childhood is the beginning stage of life.
The happy pictures of one’s childhood remind her of the purity of the soul at its dawn. That’s
why she compares her childhood days to a shrine. In contrast, small towns grow anxious about
the future. It’s the poet’s anxiety about death that eagerly awaits in the future. In the following
lines, the poet refers to the eternity of the soul. The hope of shedding off the mortal burden and
ascending to the “house of the sun” in the “golden east” revives the poet with new energy.

Stanza Six

In the cool bamboo,

(…)

life matters, like this.

‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai the meaning of life and its importance in this short
stanza. According to the poet, life is like the sunlight that warms the cool bamboo. It’s temporary
and still beautiful. Moreover, the “cool bamboo” is a reference to the body and the sunlight is a
symbol of the soul. Apart from that, the poet says sunlight is important to any living plants.
Likewise, life is also important for keeping the spirit of the universe alive.

Stanza Seven

In small towns by the river

we all want to walk with the gods.

In the last two lines of ‘Small Towns and The River’, Mamang Dai transplants her dead thoughts
from her mind. She says living in small towns has made the poet strong. Now, the thoughts of
spirituality and eternity are in her mind. Like the poet, others of the “small towns” only wish to
“walk with the gods” after their death. This section highlights the poet’s belief in the afterlife and
eternal bliss. Apart from that, there is a repetition of the “w” sound in the last line. Such a
harmonious rhythm reflects the poet’s peaceful state of mind.

Historical Context

‘Small Towns and The River’ by Mamang Dai belongs to the poetry collection “River Poems”
(2004). Mamang Dai is a poet based in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. She was born in Pasighat of
East Siang District. In this poem, the imagery of the small towns, the river, and the gorge reflect
her proximity to her native place. In every subtle movement in the poem, the essence of
Arunachal Pradesh is there. Moreover, the reference to the tuberoses and the spiritual elements in
the poem presents the Indianness of the text to the readers. Apart from that, the poem reflects
how close the people of the Indian “small towns” are. The death of a person in the neighborhood
somehow pains the whole town. In this way, the poet depicts the nature and values of the people
living in the villages and small towns of India.

The Voice of the Mountain

[‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai articulates the mountain’s timeless spirit,
exploring life’s depth through nature’s lens.]
-Mamang Dai

From where I sit on the high platform

I can see the ferry lights crossing
criss-crossing the big river.

I know the towns, the estuary mouth.

There, beyond the last bank
where the colour drains from heaven
I can outline the chapters of the world.
The other day a young man arrived from the village.
Because he could not speak
he brought a gift of fish
from the land of rivers.
It seems such acts are repeated:
We live in territories forever ancient and new,
and as we speak in changing languages.

I, also, leave my spear leaning by the tree

and try to make a sign.

I am an old man sipping the breeze

that is forever young.
In my life I have lived many lives.
My voice is sea waves and mountain peaks,
In the transfer of symbols
I am the chance syllable that orders the world
Instructed with history and miracles.

I am the desert and the rain.

The wild bird that sits in the west.
The past that recreates itself
and particles of life that clutch and cling
For thousands of years –
I know, I know these things
as rocks know, burning in the sun’s embrace,
about clouds, and sudden rain;
as I know a cloud is a cloud is a cloud,
A cloud is this uncertain pulse
that sits over my heart.

In the end the universe yields nothing

except a dream of permanence.
Peace is a falsity.
A moment of rest comes after long combat:

From the east the warrior returns

with the blood of peonies.
I am the child who died at the edge of the world,
the distance between end and hope.
The star diagram that fell from the sky,
The summer that makes men weep.
I am the woman lost in translation
who survives, with happiness to carry on.

I am the breath that opens the mouth of the canyon,

the sunlight on the tips of trees;
There, where the narrow gorge hastens the wind
I am the place where memory escapes
the myth of time,
I am the sleep in the mind of the mountain.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Sudip Das Gupta
First-class B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature
‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai voices the unheard words of the mountain, the
guardian spirit of the land of wonders. It’s a poem that has a universal approach to finding the
meaning of the world as well as that of life. The mountain is a symbol of the spirit that guides
humanity, redefines the unknown, and last but not least makes one peaceful. Moreover, the use
of imagery and symbolism in the poem makes this poem a wonderful adventure. ‘The Voice of
the Mountain’ is nothing but the macrocosmic representation of nature’s egalitarianism.

Summary

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai describes the language of the mountain and what it
experienced in the past and the present.
‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai presents the worldview seen from the eyes of the
ancient mountain. In this poem, the speaker is none other than the mountain itself which finds its
utterance in the poetic words. It describes what it has been experiencing throughout. Within it,
there are different personalities. One is of an old man that gets rejuvenated with the winds that
soothe. The mountain, being a part of nature, contains everything. Be it a desert, or the rain, each
element of nature is there inside its heart. Moreover, there is a lady within it, lost due to the
translation of time. However, in the last stanza, it seems that the poet is sitting in the mind of the
mountain and utters what the mountain suggests to her.

Structure

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai consists of nine stanzas. The line count of each
stanza isn’t regular. It moves how nature moves without predictability or precision. There is an
organic environment just like one can find in nature. The first-person persona present in the
poem gives it the quality of a spontaneous lyric poem. Moreover, like an ode, the poet meditates
on a single theme. It is the voice of the poem and how it expresses itself through the words of
humans. However, there isn’t any specific rhyme scheme in the poem. The poet creates an
internal rhythm in the text to maintain the flow of the poem. The metrical composition of the
poem is also irregular. One can find the use of spondee, pyrrhic, iambic feet, and anapestic feet
in this poem.

Literary Devices

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai contains several literary devices. Likewise, in the
first stanza, there is a personification and epanaphora. In the second stanza, there is
a metaphor for “the colour drains from heaven”. Here, the poet compares reflection to draining
water or color. Moreover, in “chapters of the world”, there is a metaphor for rivers. In the
following stanza, “land of rivers” is a metonym for the plains of India. Along with that, there is
an antithesis in “We live in territories forever ancient and new”. Moreover, in the fifth stanza,
there are several metaphors. Apart from that, the poet uses alliteration in “clutch and cling” and
“these things”. And, she uses palilogy in “I know, I know these things” and “I know a cloud is a
cloud is a cloud”. Such repetition is meant for the sake of emphasizing the ideas present in the
lines.

In the following stanzas, there is an epigram in “Peace is falsity”. The lines, “In the end the
universe yields nothing/ except a dream of permanence” contain a paradox. Moreover, “dream of
permanence” is a metaphor. However, the poet uses irony in the phrase, “the myth of time”. It is
a metaphor too.

Analysis, Stanza by Stanza

Stanza One
From where I sit on the high platform

(…)

criss-crossing the big river.

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai talks about the mountain in the first stanza. The
mountain being at a higher platform visualizes everything like God. The mountain says that he
can see the ferry lights that cross the big river below. As it is at a distance, the movement of the
ferry appears as the “criss-crossing” light works on the river. The poet uses synecdoche in the
“ferry lights” and the variety used here is “part for the whole”.

Stanza Two
I know the towns, the estuary mouth.

(…)

I can outline the chapters of the world.

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai the mountain says he knows about the towns and
estuary of the rivers. His omniscient view of the landscape makes him appear like the almighty.
Moreover, the mountain point at the sea and says he can see the colors of the sky getting
reflected on the seawater. Here, he metaphorically outlines the chapters of the world. It might be
a reference to the rivers. The metaphor can also refer to the past episodes that the sea observed as
it is also ancient like the mountain. Collectively, they have watched many things that happened
in the past.

Stanza Three
The other day a young man arrived from the village.

(…)

and as we speak in changing languages.

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai talks about a young man. He brought a fish as an
offering to the spirit of the mountain as he couldn’t speak. The person thought if the mountain
took pity on him, he would grant his voice back. According to the mountain, such acts of
pleasing him are repeated. Moreover, he says as the territories are forever ancient as well as new,
there is always a shift. However, the essence remains the same at the end.

Stanza Four
I, also, leave my spear leaning by the tree

and try to make a sign.

In this stanza of ‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai, the second speaker remarks that,
like the person who believed in the god-like qualities of the mountain, the speaker also makes a
sign of reverence when the mountain comes into sight. It seems that the second speaker is the
poet herself. Through this section, she participates in the dramatic monologue of the mountain.
Stanza Five
I am an old man sipping the breeze

that is forever young.

(…)

Instructed with history and miracles.

‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai the poet again comes to the soliloquy of the
mountain. The mountain says he is like an old man who is sipping the forever young breeze to
keep his soul fresh. In this section, the poet uses the breeze as a symbol of youthfulness and
vigor. Moreover, the mountain says it is the macrocosm of the universe. Within his voice, one
can hear the sea waves, and the wind circling the mountain peak. Whereas the language of
humans changes gradually, the voice of the mountain doesn’t change. It’s eternal.

According to the poet, it is like the “chance syllable” that orders the world. It is the voice of the
creator. In the mountain’s ancient language one can find the history and miracles of mankind.
Through this reference, the poet associates the concept of the “universal language” about which
Paulo Coelho has talked about in ‘The Alchemist’.

Stanza Six
I am the desert and the rain.

The wild bird that sits in the west.

(…)

A cloud is this uncertain pulse

that sits over my heart.

Thereafter, in the sixth stanza of ‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai, the mountain
asserts his universality. He says he has the aridity of the desert and the moisture of the monsoon.
The mountain even finds its manifestation in a bird that lives in the west. Several episodes of the
past reiterate their importance through the voice of the mountain. Each particle of life that clutch
and cling for thousands of years, was nothing but the echo of the mountainous spirit.

Thereafter, the mountain, like an old man who recollects his thoughts while speaking, says “I
know” twice to emphasize his wisdom and experience. There is a gift from Mamang Dai to the
readers in this simile, “as rocks know, burning in the sun’s embrace,/ about clouds, and sudden
rain”. As for the rocks, the mountain knows about every little thing that occurs in the world.

In the following line, there is a marvelous use of the pun. The mountain says he knows a “cloud”
is a “cloud”. Here, the “cloud” symbolizes uncertainty and pessimism. The poet associates both
of the ideas in this repetition. However, in the last two lines of this stanza, the mountain refers to
the clouds that embrace its heart. Here, the “clouds” symbolize grievous thoughts.

Stanza Seven
In the end the universe yields nothing

(…)

A moment of rest comes after long combat:

In the seventh stanza of ‘The Voice of the Mountain’, Mamang Dai refers to the hopelessness at
the end of the universe. What remains, is a dream of permanence. This dream is what keeps
every living embodiment moving with the spirit of the world. Thereafter, the poet uses a
paradoxical affirmation that “Peace is falsity” or daydream. Only “a moment of rest” comes after
long combat. Whereas, the war of life continues. There are only pauses in the sentence of the
universe. To live in peace is to live in an illusion.

Stanza Eight
From the east the warrior returns

(…)

who survives, with happiness to carry on.

In the eighth stanza of ‘The Voice of the Mountain’ by Mamang Dai, the first two lines are
connected using enjambment with the idea of the last stanza. Here, the poet refers to the warrior
who returns with the “blood of peonies”. Such a contrasting image refers to the coexistence of
struggle and beauty. Thereafter, the mountain says that his child-like spirit died at that edge of
the world where he stands firmly. Moreover, the poet creates another contrast in the following
lines. Here, she refers to the starlit sky and the scorching summer. Moreover, the mountain says
he was once a woman but lost in the translation of time. However, he still survives in eternal
happiness.

Stanza Nine

I am the breath that opens the mouth of the canyon,

(…)

I am the sleep in the mind of the mountain.

In the last stanza of ‘The Voice of the Mountain’, the mountain refers to its magnanimity. He
creates a passage for the canyon to breathe. Moreover, he is like the sunlight on the tip of trees.
Thereafter, he refers to the narrow gorge where the wind is always in haste. He is also there.
Apart from that, the mountain is a place where memory escapes from one’s mind. Here, the
“myth of time” doesn’t work. One loses the track of time as if it halts near the mountain in awe.
At last, the poetic persona says she is the sleep that exists in the mind of the mountain. In this
way, the poet presents her similarity with the spirit of the mountain.
For Your Lanes, My Country
[ Key Poem Information
Central Message: Always have hope in the face of oppression
Themes: Disappointment, Failure, Love
Speaker: Unknown
Emotions Evoked: Bravery, Freedom, Hope, Pain
Poetic Form: Free Verse
Time Period: 20th Century]
(In ‘For Your Lanes, My Country,’ Faiz Ahmad Faiz passionately addresses the social and
political struggles of Pakistan through powerful imagery and metaphors, urging its people
towards a more just and equal society.)
-Faiz Ahmed Faiz
[Faiz Ahmad Faiz is a prominent Pakistani poet, known for his progressive and revolutionary
poetry.
His poetry focuses on social and political issues in Pakistan.]

For your lanes, my country,

I can sacrifice all I have
But the custom these days is
No one walks with head held high.
The lovers looking for each other must sneak out
Afraid of life and limb, and
For them, a new order of the day now:
The bricks and stones are imprisoned
and the stray dogs free to roam.
For the many apologists of tyranny.
it’s enough that a few of your dear friends
have turned into power-seekers, judges and plaintiffs.
Who can you ask to represent you,
Who can you ask justice from?
But people do survive, away from you,
worry about you, day and night but manage somehow.
When the prison gratings darken,
My heart sees stars sprinkled in your hair,
When I see light through these gratings
I know your face would be bathed in dawn.
In any case,
I live in imagined days and nights,
I exist in the shadow of the prison walls.
This is how people fight oppression,
their ritual isn’t new, nor are my ways new.
This is how we always grew flowers in fire,
their defeat isn’t new, our victory isn’t new.
That’s why I don’t complain to the Heaven,
or make myself sad thinking about you.
We are apart today, but tomorrow
we’ll be together;
separation for one night isn’t much,
What if my rivals are riding high today
their reign of a few days isn’t much.
Those who remain true to you
understand what the daily turmoil really means.

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Hilary Benard
M.A. in Comparative Literature & Critical Theories and B.A. Honors in Comparative History
Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ is a zealous appeal for social and political
change in the poet’s country. The poet conveys his deep solitude and anxiety about the state of
affairs in his country via powerful imagery and metaphors. This poem is a call to action to his
compatriots to stand up for their rights and work towards a more just and equal society.

Faiz interweaves the themes of love, sacrifice, oppression, tyranny, hope, and resilience
throughout the poem. He points out the sacrifices ordinary people have made and emphasizes
their resilience amid adversity. Ultimately, the poem conveys a message of determination and
hope, reminding readers that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for a better future.

Summary
‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ depicts the struggle of people against oppression and tyranny.
The poet is ready to sacrifice for his country.

The poem begins with the poet’s willingness to sacrifice everything he has for his country, but
he laments that in today’s society, no one walks with their head held high. The lovers in the
country have to sneak out to meet each other due to the fear of the consequences. The new order
of the day is that bricks and stones are imprisoned while the stray dogs are free to roam.

The apologists of tyranny find solace in the fact that a few of the poet’s friends have turned into
power-seekers, judges, and plaintiffs. This makes it hard to find someone to represent them or
seek justice from. However, people manage to survive away from their country and worry about
it day and night.

The poet finds hope in the darkness of the prison gratings as he sees stars sprinkled in the hair of
his beloved country. He believes that when he sees light through the gratings, he knows that his
country’s face would be bathed in the dawn.

The poet understands that fighting oppression is not new, and people have always grown flowers
in a fire. He doesn’t complain to Heaven or make himself sad thinking about his country’s plight.
He believes that separation for one night isn’t much, and his rivals’ reign of a few days isn’t
much either. Those who remain true to their country understand the daily turmoil and struggles
that it faces.

In essence, ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ poem depicts the poet’s unshakable affection and
loyalty towards his nation and his conviction that its fight against oppression will eventually
result in success. Despite the obstacles and hardships encountered by his country, the poet
remains optimistic and resolute in his allegiance to his motherland.

Structure and Form

Faiz Ahmad Faiz wrote the poem ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ in free verse; it lacks a
fixed rhyme scheme or meter. He structured the verse into five stanzas, with each having a
different number of lines.

The first stanza brings to the fore the poem’s central theme; his willingness to sacrifice
everything for his country. The second stanza goes ahead to describe the difficulties that lovers
in the country face; they must sneak out to meet each other owing to the fear of the
consequences. In the third stanza, the narrator laments the new order of the day: bricks and
stones are imprisoned while the stray dogs are free to roam. The fourth stanza reflects on the
poet’s hope for his country’s future, despite its struggles. The fifth stanza concludes the poem
by emphasizing the resilience and strength of those who remain true to their country.

The poem’s structure and form are reflective of the poet’s message. The lack of a
fixed rhyme scheme or meter creates a sense of fluidity and freedom, which mirrors the poet’s
desire for his country to be free from oppression. The varying length of the stanzas also adds to
the poem’s organic and natural flow. The poem’s structure allows the poet to explore multiple
aspects of his country’s struggles, from the difficulties faced by lovers to the challenges of
seeking justice in a corrupt system.

In a nutshell, the poem’s structure and form enhance its message of hope, resilience, and
dedication to the cause of freedom and justice.

Themes

The poem ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ by Faiz Ahmad Faiz touches upon various themes,
including love, sacrifice, oppression, tyranny, hope, and resilience. Here are some relevant
examples of how the poet addresses these themes:

Love
It is evident that the narrator’s love for his country is central to the poem. This comes out
through his willingness to sacrifice everything he has for the sake of his country. He remains
hopeful that his love for the country will ultimately lead to its victory, even in times of struggle
and hardship.

Sacrifice

I can sacrifice all I have

The theme of sacrifice is closely linked to love in the poem. The narrator expresses his
willingness to give up everything he has for his country and further acknowledges that this is
what is required of him in these difficult times.

Oppression and Tyranny

But the custom these days is No one walks with head held high.

The poem highlights the oppression and tyranny that the people of the country face. The lovers
in the country have to sneak out to meet each other due to the fear of the consequences, and the
new order of the day is that bricks and stones are imprisoned while the stray dogs are free to
roam. The apologists of tyranny find solace in the fact that a few of the narrator’s friends have
turned into power-seekers, judges, and plaintiffs.

Hope and Resilience

But the custom these days is

No one walks with head held high.

The lovers looking for each other must sneak out

Afraid of life and limb, and

For them, a new order of the day now:

The bricks and stones are imprisoned and the stray dogs free to roam.

Despite the challenges and difficulties faced by the country, the poet remains hopeful and
steadfast in his dedication to his homeland. He sees stars sprinkled in his country’s hair even in
the darkness of prison gratings and believes that his country’s face will be bathed in the dawn
when he sees the light through the gratings. He understands that fighting oppression is not new,
and people have always grown flowers in the fire.

In any case, I live in imagined days and nights, I exist in the shadow of the prison walls.

Overall, the themes of love, sacrifice, oppression, tyranny, hope, and resilience are interwoven
throughout the poem, and the narrator presents a poignant and powerful reflection on the
struggles of his country and its people.

Literary Devices

Faiz Ahmad Faiz employs a range of literary devices in his poem ‘For Your Lanes, My Country‘
to convey his message effectively. Here are some examples:

 Metaphor: The poet uses metaphor to describe the oppression faced by the people
of his country. For instance, he says, “The bricks and stones are imprisoned, and
the stray dogs free to roam.” Here, bricks and stones represent the people who are
imprisoned, while stray dogs symbolize those in power who are free to do as they
please.
 Imagery: The poet employs vivid imagery to create a visual picture of the
situation in his country. For example, he describes how his heart sees stars
sprinkled in his country’s hair even in the darkness of prison gratings and how he
imagines his country’s face will be bathed in the dawn when he sees the light
through the gratings.
  Personification: Faiz Ahmad Faiz personifies the country in several instances in
the poem. For example, he writes, “For your lanes, my country,” implying that the
country has its own identity and personality.
 Repetition: The poet uses repetition to emphasize his message. For instance,
he repeats the phrase “I can sacrifice all I have” to underscore his willingness to
do whatever it takes to serve his country.
 Alliteration: The poet employs alliteration to create a musical quality in the poem.
For example, he uses the phrase “lovers looking” and “shadow of the prison
walls” to create a rhythmic effect.
 Irony: Faiz Ahmad Faiz uses irony to criticize the apologists of tyranny who find
solace in the fact that a few of his friends have turned into power-seekers, judges,
and plaintiffs. He writes, “For the many apologists of tyranny, it’s enough that a
few of your dear friends have turned into power-seekers, judges, and plaintiffs.”
This statement is ironic because these friends were originally fighting against
tyranny but have now become part of the problem.

Detailed Analysis

Lines 1-4

For your lanes, my country, I can sacrifice all I have

But the custom these days is

No one walks with head held high.

No one walks with head held high.

These lines introduce the poem’s main theme of sacrifice for the country. Faiz Ahmad Faiz
asserts his willingness to give up everything for his country but notes that it is no longer
fashionable for people to walk with pride and dignity. The phrase “head held high” creates a
vivid image of confidence and self-respect, highlighting how the people in the country are losing
their sense of pride and identity.

The repetition of “my country” emphasizes the speaker’s deep attachment and loyalty to their
homeland. The use of “lanes” instead of “streets” or “roads” implies a more intimate connection
to the place, perhaps indicating a smaller, more personal community within the country. The
phrase “I can sacrifice all I have” also speaks to the idea of patriotism and the willingness to
make personal sacrifices for the greater good of the country.

However, the phrase “the custom these days” suggests a shift in societal values, where pride and
confidence are no longer celebrated or encouraged. This could be interpreted as a commentary
on the current state of affairs in the country, where corruption and inequality have eroded the
people’s sense of pride and self-respect. The contrast between the speaker’s willingness to
sacrifice and the lack of pride in the people around them sets up a tension between personal
loyalty and societal decay. Overall, these lines capture the complex relationship between an
individual’s love for their country and the societal forces that shape their sense of identity and
belonging.

Lines 5-9

The lovers looking for each other must sneak out

(…)

and the stray dogs free to roam.

These lines illustrate the harsh realities of life under an oppressive regime. People cannot freely
express their love or even meet without fear of persecution. The use of the phrase “life and limb”
emphasizes the danger they face. Faiz contrasts the plight of ordinary people with that of those in
power, who are free to do as they please. The metaphorical description of “bricks and stones” as
imprisoned and stray dogs as free, emphasizes the injustice of the situation.

Faiz also uses imagery to contrast the lovers who must sneak out with the stray dogs who roam
freely. The image of stray dogs represents society’s chaos and lawlessness, while the lovers
represent humanity’s desire for connection and love. By juxtaposing these two images, Faiz
highlights the ruling regime’s distorted priorities, which have stripped people of their basic
human rights and instead promote a culture of fear and oppression.

Overall, these lines convey the message that people’s basic rights and freedoms are restricted
under an oppressive regime, and they are forced to live in constant fear. The metaphor of
imprisoned bricks and stones and free-roaming stray dogs is a powerful critique of the unjust
nature of the current order. In these lines, Faiz’s use of vivid imagery and strong metaphors
effectively conveys the pain and suffering of those living under such conditions, making the
poem a powerful commentary on the human experience of oppression.

Lines 10-14

For the many apologists of tyranny.

(…)

Who can you ask justice from?

In these lines, the narrator criticizes those who defend tyranny, suggesting that they are complicit
in its perpetuation. He points out how those who were once advocates for justice have now
become part of the oppressive regime. The rhetorical questions highlight the lack of justice and
representation for the people in the country.
Faiz emphasizes the people’s betrayal by those who were once their allies and have now become
part of the oppressive system. The phrase “dear friends” emphasizes the sense of betrayal felt by
those who trusted and supported these people. Faiz also implies that those in power are
uninterested in justice, leaving the people with nowhere to turn. The phrase “who can you ask for
justice from?” emphasizes the despair felt by those who have been abandoned by their former
allies and by their fellow citizens.
Furthermore, Faiz suggests that tyrants are content with the few friends who have turned into
power-seekers, judges, and plaintiffs because they provide them with a sense of security and
power. The word “enough” emphasizes their complacency in the face of oppression,
emphasizing their willingness to ignore the suffering of others. Faiz challenges them to question
their own morality and values, asking if their support for tyranny is worth sacrificing their fellow
citizens’ rights and dignity.

Lines 15-36

But people do survive, away from you,

(…)

understand what the daily turmoil really means

These lines expose how people endure and resist oppression. The poet highlights the resilience of
ordinary people who manage to survive despite the odds. He emphasizes that the struggle against
oppression is not new, and people have been fighting it for generations. The line “That’s why I
don’t complain to the Heaven” suggests that Faiz has accepted the situation and is not looking
for divine intervention. Instead, he is focused on using his own means to resist and fight back.

In a nutshell, Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ employs emotive language to
condemn tyranny and oppression, highlighting ordinary people’s sacrifices and perseverance in
the face of adversity. Ultimately, the poem’s message is one of hope: people can withstand and
resist even the darkest of times, and their quest for justice and liberty will eventually triumph.

What could have inspired Faiz to compose the poem, ‘For Your Lanes, My Country?’

Faiz Ahmad Faiz lived during Pakistan’s tumultuous period of social and political upheavals.
He was a socialist and humanist who believed in the power of poetry to bring about social
change. In the 1950s, Pakistan struggled with governance, democracy, and social inequality;
 thus, it is possible that ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ was a response to these issues,
reflecting Faiz’s own experiences and observations. Progressive writers and thinkers from
within and outside Pakistan influenced him, and he was committed to the cause of social
justice and equality, hoping for a better future for his country and its people.
Who is Faiz Ahmad Faiz speaking to in ‘For Your Lanes, My Country?’

In the poem ‘For Your Lanes, My Country,’ Faiz Ahmad Faiz is addressing his beloved
country, Pakistan. The poem is a reflection on the political and social situation in Pakistan
during the 1950s and expresses the poet’s deep concern and anxiety about the state of affairs
in his country. The title itself, ‘For Your Lanes, My Country,’ suggests a sense of loyalty and
devotion to the country, and the poem can be seen as an appeal to the people of Pakistan to
stand up for their rights and work towards a more just and equal society. Throughout the
poem, Faiz uses vivid imagery and powerful metaphors to convey his message, and the poem
can be seen as a passionate plea for social and political change in Pakistan.
What message does ‘For Your Lanes, My Country’ convey to the readers?

Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s ‘For Your Lanes, My Country‘ is a powerful poem that emphasizes hope
and resilience amidst injustice and oppression. Using vivid imagery and metaphors, Faiz
expresses his deep concern and anxiety for Pakistan. The poem passionately urges social and
political change and encourages people to work towards a just and equal society. Ultimately,
it conveys a message of determination and hope, reminding readers that even in the darkest of
times, a better future is possible.
Why did Faiz Ahmed Faiz use the term Lane rather than road or street?

It’s conceivable that Faiz Ahmad Faiz intended to evoke closeness and familiarity when he
used the word “lane” in his poem “For Your Lanes, My Land.” A lane is often a small road
that locals mostly use in residential areas. Faiz may have been attempting to highlight his
intimacy with his country and its citizens by using the phrase “lane.” A lane is also sometimes
associated with a community; by using this metaphor, Faiz may have been trying to suggest
that the nation is a small-town community to which he has a strong connection.
Moreover, because lanes are frequently constrained and bounded by walls or buildings, the
word “lane” may also imply a sense of confinement or constraint. This might serve as
 a metaphor for the limitations and challenges a repressive government places before its
citizens. So, it’s possible that Faiz chose this phrase specifically to convey a number of
meanings and give the poem’s topics more nuance.

Toba Tek Singh

[Inspired by the story of Manto, Gulzar’s ‘Toba Tek Singh’ follows Bishan Singh as he battles to
understand the impacts of the 1947 partition.]
-Gulzar
[Gulzar, also known as Gulzar Saab, is an Indian poet.
He began his career as a lyricist for films in the 1960s.]

I’ve to go and meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah

I’m told he still stands on his swollen feet

Where Manto had left him,
He still mutters:
“Opad di gud gud di moong di dal di laltain”
I’ve to locate that mad fellow
Who used to speak up from a branch high above:
“He’s god
He alone has to decide – whose village to whose side.”

When will he move down that branch

He is to be told:
“There are some more – left still
Who are being divided, made into pieces –
There are some more Partitions to be done
That Partition was only the first one.”

I’ve to go and meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah,

His friend Afzal has to be informed –
Lahna Singh, Wadhwa Singh, Bheen Amrit
Had arrived here butchered –
Their heads were looted with the luggage on the way behind.
Slay that “Bhuri”, none will come to claim her now.
That girl who grew one finger every twelve months,
Now shortens one phalanx each year.
It’s to be told that all the mad ones haven’t yet reached their destinations
There are many on that side
And many on this.
Toba Tek Singhís Bishan beckons me often to say:
“Opad di gud gud di moong di dal di laltain di Hindustan te Pakistan di dur fitey munh.”

poemanalysis.com
Poem Analyzed by Sudip Das Gupta
First-class B.A. Honors Degree in English Literature
‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar talks about Bishan Singh who is from the town of Toba Tek Singh,
now in Pakistan. Bishan Singh is the main character of Saadat Hasan Manto’s short story “Toba
Tek Singh” published in 1955. Gulzar is deeply touched by the agony of Bishan Singh as well as
the partition pangs described in Manto’s story. So he directly adopts the title and adapts the story
through his poetic imagination. He has something more to tell Bishan Singh about what
happened even after the official partition of 1947.

Summary of Toba Tek Singh

‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar presents what the poet wants to say to Bishan Singh, the main
character of Manto’s short story ‘Toba Tek Singh’.
‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar begins with the poet’s urge to meet Bishan Singh at the Wagah
border. He is still there, lying in the no man’s land ruthlessly clinging on the edge where Manto
has ended his story. The poet has to tell him what has happened with others just like him. They
were either butchered or wandering like a lunatic in their homeland. However, it was no more
their country. Everything had changed overnight. The partition changed the political map of
undivided India. Moreover, the poet has to tell Bishan Singh’s friend Afzal about the deaths of
his dear ones. At last, the poet reiterates the infamous quote of Manto that ironically made the
Manto’s ‘Toba Tek Singh’ dear to the readers.

Structure of Toba Tek Singh

‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar consists of eight stanzas. There are two major sections according to
the subject matter of the poem. The first section presents a preliminary sketch of Bishan Singh
and the second section contains the main idea of the poet. Moreover, the translated text is in free
verse. The absence of rhyming in the poem depicts the horror of partition. Apart from that, the
contraction of lines in between the stanzas breaks the flow of the poem. However, the poem
doesn’t contain any metrical scheme. There are occasional spondees accompanied by the
iambic meter.

Literary Devices in Toba Tek Singh

‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar begins with an allusion to “Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan”. Manto’s
story is based on the life of Bishan Singh. In “He’s god”, the poet presents a metaphor. Here, the
poet metaphorically compares Bishan Singh to god. There is also an irony in this line and the line
following it. Moreover, the poet uses the word “partition” as a pun. At first, it refers to the
amputation of body parts. Secondly, it refers to the political event of geographical segmentation
that occurred in 1947. In the line, “Their heads were looted with the luggage on the way behind”,
there is a metaphorical reference to Pakistan. At last, the poet alludes to the mutterings of Bishan
Singh. This quote represents how the partition caused havoc in his mind and others like him.

Analysis of Toba Tek Singh

Lines 1–5
I’ve to go and meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah

(…)

Opad di gud gud di moong di dal di laltain

‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar presents the main character of Manto’s story in the first line. At the
end of Manto’s story, Bishan Singh lies in the no-man’s-land at Wagah having refused to leave
his motherland during partition. Gulzar finds him still there. His swollen feet remind the poet of
his mental agony. Moreover, the poet refers to his incoherent muttering, “Opad di gud gud di
moong di dal di laltain”. The verbatim meaning of this line doesn’t portray a complete sense.
However, it is just a reference to the boiling of lentils. It seems that the line refers to the political
turmoil during the partition and how it impacted a commoner like Bishan Singh.

Lines 6–9

I’ve to locate that mad fellow

(…)

He alone has to decide – whose village to whose side.”

Thereafter, in ‘Toba Tek Singh’, Gulzar says he has to find “that mad fellow” somehow. He used
to speak up from a branch from a higher branch of a tree as if “He’s god”. Moreover, the poet
says he has to decide which village is in Pakistan and which one belongs to India. Through this
line, the poet ironically refers to the politicians who acted as if they had lost control over their
minds. They weren’t different from “that mad person” who sits on a branch of a tree thinking
himself to be a god. Here, the higher branch of a tree is a symbol of political power.

Lines 10–15

When will he move down that branch

(…)

That Partition was only the first one.”

In this section of ‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar, the poet talks about what he has to say to Bishan
Singh. When he will descend from the tree, the poet can tell him about the climax of the
partition-story. According to the poet, Bishan was not the only person whose mind was divided
into pieces as well as the body. Others were going to be killed and amputated sooner or later. At
last, the poet ironically refers to the partition of 1947 that led to a series of continuing partitions.
The meaning of the second partition is different though.

Lines 16–20

I’ve to go and meet Toba Tek Singh’s Bishan at Wagah,

(…)

Their heads were looted with the luggage on the way behind.

In this stanza of ‘Toba Tek Singh’, Gulzar says he has to tell Bishan’s friend Afzal about the
deaths of his dear ones namely Lahna Singh, Wadhwa Singh, and Bheen Amrit. They somehow
managed to escape from Pakistan but in the end, they were butchered. Bloodthirsty men not only
displaced their heads but also looted their belongings. This line refers to the ruthlessness of men
during the partition.

Lines 21–28

Slay that “Bhuri”, none will come to claim her now.

(…)

Toba Tek Singhís Bishan beckons me often to say:

“Opad di gud gud di moong di dal di laltain di Hindustan te Pakistan di dur fitey munh.”

In the last section of ‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar, the poet refers to the nameless killings of
thousands of humans. Moreover, they didn’t even leave a little girl, here referred to as “Bhuri”.
Her parents might have been killed and only she survived. But, they thought what was the
meaning of keeping that girl alive and the rest is history. The girl who grew “one finger” height
every year. After her death at the hands of nationalistic men, her dead body got shortened each
year. This imagery refers to the brutality of partition.

Moreover, the poet says there were a lot of mad people like Bishan who had yet to reach their
destinations. They were standing on either side of the newly-drawn border between India and
Pakistan. At last, the poet again quotes the mutterings of Bishan Sigh. But this time there is an
addition. The last part of this quote, “Hindustan te Pakistan di dur fitey munh”, means “India and
Pakistan go to the bloody hell”.

Historical Context

‘Toba Tek Singh’ by Gulzar refers to the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947. The overall
poem is based on Saadat Hasan Manto’s short story “Toba Tek Singh”. This 1955 short story
depicts the brutality and horror of the partition. People like Bishan Singh and Afzal collectively
represent the inhabitants of India who suffered due to the political turmoil of that period.
However, the partition has given birth to many stories, ironically to the sad and heart-wrenching
ones.