Keeping Quiet- Pablo Neruda

1. Keeping Quiet
by:
Pablo Neruda

2. In English:
Now we will count to twelve What I want shouldn't be confused
and we will all keep still. with final inactivity:
This one time upon the earth, life alone is what matters,
let's not speak any language, I want nothing to do with death.
let's stop for one second, If we weren't unanimous
and not move our arms so much. about keeping our lives so much in motion,
It would be a delicious moment, if we could do nothing for once,
without hurry, without locomotives, perhaps a great silence would
all of us would be together interrupt this sadness,
in a sudden uneasiness. this never understanding ourselves
The fishermen in the cold sea and threatening ourselves with death,
would do no harm to the whales perhaps the earth is teaching us
and the peasant gathering salt when everything seems to be dead
would look at his torn hands. and then everything is alive.
Those who prepare green wars, Now I will count to twelve
wars of gas, wars of fire, and you keep quiet and I'll go.
victories without survivors,
would put on clean clothing
and would walk alongside their brothers
in the shade, without doing a thing.

3. In Spanish:
Ahora contaremos doce No se confunda lo que quiero
y nos quedamos todos quietos. con la inaccion definitiva:
Por una vez sobre la tierra la vida es solo lo que se hace,
no hablemos en ningun idioma, no quiero nada con la muerte.
por un segundo detengamonos, Si no pudimos ser unanimes
no movamos tanto los brazos. moviendo tanto nuestras vidas,
Seria un minuto fragante, tal vez no hacer nada una vez,
sin prisa, sin locomotoras, tal vez un gran silencio pueda
todos estariamos juntos interrumpir esta tristeza,
en una inquietud instantanea. este no entendernos jamas
Los pescadores del mar frio y amenazarnos con la muerte,
no harian danio a las ballenas tal vez la tierra nos ensenie
y el trabajador de la sal cuando todo parece muerto
miraria sus manos rotas. y luego todo estaba vivo.
Los que preparan guerras verdes, Ahora contare hasta doce
guerras de gas, guerras de fuego, y tu te callas y me voy.
victorias sin sobrevivientes,
se pondrian un traje puro
y andarian con sus hermanos
por la sombra, sin hacer nada.

4. Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
This one time upon the earth,
let's not speak any language,
let's stop for one second,
and not move our arms so much.
Why do you think the author wants us to keep quiet and still?

5. It would be a delicious
moment,
without hurry, without
locomotives,
all of us would be
together
in a sudden
uneasiness .
• Why do you think Neruda says that people
would be “uneasy” without locomotives? Is it
true?

6. The fishermen in the cold
sea
would do no harm to the
whales
and the peasant gathering
salt
would look at his torn
hands.
What kind of scene does he
set with this stanza?

7. What do you think Neruda means
when he says “ victories without
survivors” ?
Those who prepare green
wars,
wars of gas, wars of fire,
victories without survivors,
would put on clean clothing
and would walk alongside
their brothers
in the shade, without doing
a thing.

8. What I want shouldn't be
confused
with final inactivity:
life alone is what matters,
I want nothing to do with
death.
What is the difference between
what he is suggesting people do
and inactivity?

9. If we weren't unanimous
about keeping our lives so much in
motion,
if we could do nothing for once,
perhaps a great silence would
interrupt this sadness,
this never understanding ourselves
and threatening ourselves with death,
perhaps the earth is teaching us
when everything seems to be dead
and then everything is alive.
Now I will count to twelve
and you keep quiet and I'll go.
Do you think people would understand
themselves better or be less violent if the world
and life was quieter?

10. •
Biography
Pablo Neruda, born Neftali
Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, was
born in 1904 in Chile.
• He travelled the world for
many years, and returned to
Chile in 1943.
• In 1945, he joined the
Communist Party of Chile and
became senator of the
Republic.
• In 1971, Neruda won the
Nobel Prize for Literature.
• He died in 1973.
• He wrote over 140 poems.