Keeping Quiet Keeping Quiet by: by:

Pablo NerudaPablo Neruda

In English:In English:Now we will count to twelveNow we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.and we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,This one time upon the earth,

let's not speak any language,let's not speak any language,

let's stop for one second,let's stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.and not move our arms so much.

It would be a delicious moment,It would be a delicious moment,

without hurry, without locomotives,without hurry, without locomotives,

all of us would be togetherall of us would be together

in a sudden uneasiness.in a sudden uneasiness.

The fishermen in the cold seaThe fishermen in the cold sea

would do no harm to the whaleswould do no harm to the whales

and the peasant gathering saltand the peasant gathering salt

would look at his torn hands.would look at his torn hands.

Those who prepare green wars,Those who prepare green wars,

wars of gas, wars of fire,wars of gas, wars of fire,

victories without survivors,victories without survivors,

would put on clean clothingwould put on clean clothing

and would walk alongside their brothersand would walk alongside their brothers

in the shade, without doing a thing.in the shade, without doing a thing.

What I want shouldn't be confusedWhat I want shouldn't be confused

with final inactivity:with final inactivity:

life alone is what matters,life alone is what matters,

I want nothing to do with death.I want nothing to do with death.

If we weren't unanimousIf we weren't unanimous

about keeping our lives so much in about keeping our lives so much in motion,motion,

if we could do nothing for once,if we could do nothing for once,

perhaps a great silence wouldperhaps a great silence would

interrupt this sadness,interrupt this sadness,

this never understanding ourselvesthis never understanding ourselves

and threatening ourselves with death,and threatening ourselves with death,

perhaps the earth is teaching usperhaps the earth is teaching us

when everything seems to be deadwhen everything seems to be dead

and then everything is alive.and then everything is alive.

Now I will count to twelveNow I will count to twelve

and you keep quiet and I'll go.and you keep quiet and I'll go.

In Spanish: In Spanish: Ahora contaremos doceAhora contaremos doce

y nos quedamos todos quietos.y nos quedamos todos quietos.Por una vez sobre la tierraPor una vez sobre la tierra

no hablemos en ningun idioma,no hablemos en ningun idioma,por un segundo detengamonos,por un segundo detengamonos,no movamos tanto los brazos.no movamos tanto los brazos.

Seria un minuto fragante,Seria un minuto fragante,sin prisa, sin locomotoras,sin prisa, sin locomotoras,todos estariamos juntostodos estariamos juntos

en una inquietud instantanea.en una inquietud instantanea.Los pescadores del mar frioLos pescadores del mar frio

no harian danio a las ballenasno harian danio a las ballenasy el trabajador de la saly el trabajador de la salmiraria sus manos rotas.miraria sus manos rotas.

Los que preparan guerras verdes,Los que preparan guerras verdes,guerras de gas, guerras de fuego,guerras de gas, guerras de fuego,

victorias sin sobrevivientes,victorias sin sobrevivientes,se pondrian un traje purose pondrian un traje puro

y andarian con sus hermanosy andarian con sus hermanospor la sombra, sin hacer nada.por la sombra, sin hacer nada.

No se confunda lo que quieroNo se confunda lo que quierocon la inaccion definitiva:con la inaccion definitiva:

la vida es solo lo que se hace,la vida es solo lo que se hace,no quiero nada con la muerte.no quiero nada con la muerte.Si no pudimos ser unanimesSi no pudimos ser unanimes

moviendo tanto nuestras vidas,moviendo tanto nuestras vidas,tal vez no hacer nada una vez,tal vez no hacer nada una vez,tal vez un gran silencio puedatal vez un gran silencio pueda

interrumpir esta tristeza,interrumpir esta tristeza,este no entendernos jamaseste no entendernos jamas

y amenazarnos con la muerte,y amenazarnos con la muerte,tal vez la tierra nos ensenietal vez la tierra nos enseniecuando todo parece muertocuando todo parece muerto

y luego todo estaba vivo.y luego todo estaba vivo.Ahora contare hasta doceAhora contare hasta doce

y tu te callas y me voy.y tu te callas y me voy.

Now we will count to twelveNow we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.and we will all keep still.

This one time upon the earth,This one time upon the earth,

let's not speak any language,let's not speak any language,

let's stop for one second,let's stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.and not move our arms so much.

Why do you think the author wants us to keep quiet and still?Why do you think the author wants us to keep quiet and still?

It would be a delicious It would be a delicious moment,moment,

without hurry, without without hurry, without locomotives,locomotives,

all of us would be all of us would be togethertogether

in a sudden in a sudden uneasinessuneasiness..

• Why do you think Neruda says that Why do you think Neruda says that people would be “uneasy” without people would be “uneasy” without locomotives? Is it true?locomotives? Is it true?

The fishermen in the The fishermen in the cold seacold sea

would do no harm to would do no harm to the whalesthe whales

and the peasant and the peasant gathering saltgathering salt

would look at his torn would look at his torn hands.hands.

What kind of scene What kind of scene does he set with does he set with

this stanza?this stanza?

What do you think Neruda What do you think Neruda means when he says “victories means when he says “victories

without survivors”?without survivors”?Those who prepare green Those who prepare green

wars,wars,

wars of gas, wars of fire,wars of gas, wars of fire,

victories without victories without survivors,survivors,

would put on clean would put on clean clothingclothing

and would walk alongside and would walk alongside their brotherstheir brothers

in the shade, without in the shade, without doing a thing.doing a thing.

What is the difference What is the difference between what he is between what he is

suggesting people do and suggesting people do and inactivity?inactivity?

What I want What I want shouldn't be shouldn't be

confusedconfused

with final inactivity:with final inactivity:

life alone is what life alone is what matters,matters,

I want nothing to do I want nothing to do with death.with death.

Do you think people would Do you think people would understand themselves better or understand themselves better or

be less violent if the world and life be less violent if the world and life was quieter?was quieter?

If we weren't unanimousIf we weren't unanimous

about keeping our lives so much about keeping our lives so much in motion,in motion,

if we could do nothing for once,if we could do nothing for once,

perhaps a great silence wouldperhaps a great silence would

interrupt this sadness,interrupt this sadness,

this never understanding this never understanding ourselvesourselves

and threatening ourselves with and threatening ourselves with death,death,

perhaps the earth is teaching usperhaps the earth is teaching us

when everything seems to be deadwhen everything seems to be dead

and then everything is alive.and then everything is alive.

Now I will count to twelveNow I will count to twelve

and you keep quiet and I'll go.and you keep quiet and I'll go.

BiographyBiography• Pablo Neruda, born Neftali Pablo Neruda, born Neftali

Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, was born in 1904 in Chile. was born in 1904 in Chile.

• He travelled the world for He travelled the world for many years, and returned many years, and returned to Chile in 1943.to Chile in 1943.

• In 1945, he joined the In 1945, he joined the Communist Party of Chile Communist Party of Chile and became senator of the and became senator of the Republic.Republic.

• In 1971, Neruda won the In 1971, Neruda won the Nobel Prize for Literature.Nobel Prize for Literature.

• He died in 1973.He died in 1973.• He wrote over 140 poems.He wrote over 140 poems.