2. Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing.
Questions
(a) Who are the people who wage green wars? 1
(b) How will the few moments of introspection affect the people? 1
(c) Explain the irony in ‘Victory with no survivors”.
a) The poet is referring to people who indulge in the willful and wanton destruction of nature and wage green wars.
b) The poet wishes us to be still, to cease our hurried and confused movements and try to be calm for a change rather than being restless all the time. The poet suggests that there is life in nature under apparent stillness through the example of the earth which seems dead but later proves to be alive. The earth is a living creature but it keeps still and does not make a noise, we do not need proof for its life because it gives life to everything around it and on it. In the context of the poem, stillness indicates a harmony with nature, being attuned to the inner workings of this universe whereas keeping quiet would refer to a willful resolution to maintain silence. One has to make an effort to keep quiet while stillness means a quietness that comes from attaining peace, in tune with the world. The poet urges us to keep quiet because we seemed to have lost our ability to hear the still, sad music of humanity.
c) No matter which side wins or loses, the losses on both sides are so immense that even those who are victorious are aware of the fact that their victory has come at a huge cost, in terms of both life and property.
b) The poet wishes us to be still, to cease our hurried and confused movements and try to be calm for a change rather than being restless all the time. The poet suggests that there is life in nature under apparent stillness through the example of the earth which seems dead but later proves to be alive. The earth is a living creature but it keeps still and does not make a noise, we do not need proof for its life because it gives life to everything around it and on it. In the context of the poem, stillness indicates a harmony with nature, being attuned to the inner workings of this universe whereas keeping quiet would refer to a willful resolution to maintain silence. One has to make an effort to keep quiet while stillness means a quietness that comes from attaining peace, in tune with the world. The poet urges us to keep quiet because we seemed to have lost our ability to hear the still, sad music of humanity.
c) No matter which side wins or loses, the losses on both sides are so immense that even those who are victorious are aware of the fact that their victory has come at a huge cost, in terms of both life and property.