JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 10 From : I Explain a Few Things

Pablo Neruda was a great Chilian poet. (Chile is situated along half the length of the west coast of South America.) He was sent to Spain on a diplomatic mission (1933-38) and became very popular in Spain also. Some great Spanish poets like Raul, Rafael and Federico became his friends. The Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936, and it lasted three years (1936-39). There was a terrible bloodshed. The poet’s friends (Raul, Rafael and Federico) were also killed most brutally. It left the poet deeply shocked. The present poem is an extract from ‘I Explain a Few Things’ which he wrote as a lamentation on the Spanish Civil War.

In this poem, the poet first describes the immense natural beauty of Spain. He also makes a mention of the people with whom he had become very friendly while living in Spain. Then at once the mood of the poet changes as he begins to narrate the scenes of death and destruction witnessed during the civil war. There was a terrible bloodshed all over Spain. Numberless innocent children were killed. It gave the poet a very rude shock.

But the poem ends with a note of hope. The poet hopes that there would be another uprising in Spain. The common people would rise up in arms against those perpetrators of bloodshed and have a befitting revenge.

The poet says that he has now stopped writing poems on the beauty of nature. To those, who might ask him why he has done so, he says –

‘Come and see the blood through the streets.’

Now the poet writes poems on a different theme. Now the subject of his poems is not the beauty of nature, but the poor working classes who have been oppressed and deprived of their rights.

From : I Explain a Few Things Summary in Hindi

पेबलो नेरुदा एक महान चिलियन (चिलि देश का ) कवि था । (चिलि दक्षिणी अमरीका के आधे पश्चिमी तट के साथसाथ फैला हुआ एक देश है।) उसे एक राजनयिक कार्य (1933-38) के लिए स्पेन भेजा गया और वह स्पेन में भी बहुत लोकप्रिय हो गया। स्पेन के रौल, रफील और फेड्रिको जैसे कुछ महान कवि उसके मित्र बन गए । वर्ष 1936 में स्पेन में गृह-युद्ध छिड़ गया और यह तीन वर्ष (1936-39) तक चलता रहा । वहां भयानक रक्तपात हुआ । कवि के मित्र (रौल, रफील और फेड्रिको) भी अत्यन्त क्रूरता से मार दिए गए। इससे कवि को गहरा सदमा महसूस हुआ । यह कविता ‘मैं कुछएक बातें समझाता हूं’ नामक कविता में से लिया गया एक अंश है जिसे उसने स्पेनी गृह युद्ध पर एक विलापगीत के रूप में लिखा था ।

इस कविता में कवि पहले स्पेन की अत्यन्त प्राकृतिक सुन्दरता का वर्णन करता है । वह उन लोगों का ज़िक्र भी करता है जिनके साथ वह स्पेन में रहते हुए बहुत मैत्रीपूर्ण हो गया था। फिर कवि की मुद्रा तुरन्त बदल जाती है जब वह मृत्यु और विनाश के उन दृश्यों का वर्णन करना शुरू करता है जो गृह युद्ध के दौरान देखने को मिले थे। पूरे स्पेन में भयानक रक्तपात हुआ। अनगिनत मासूम बच्चे मारे गए। इससे कवि को एक भारी सदमा महसूस हुआ।

किन्तु कविता एक आशा के स्वर के साथ समाप्त होती है। कवि आशा करता है कि वहां स्पेन में एक अन्य विद्रोह होगा। साधारण लोग सशस्त्र हो कर रक्तपात मचाने वाले उन अत्याचारियों के विरुद्ध खड़े हो जाएंगे और उनसे एक उचित बदला लेंगे।

कवि कहता है कि अब उसने प्रकृति की सुन्दरता के बारे में कविताएं लिखना बन्द कर दिया है। ऐसे लोगों को जो शायद उससे पूछें कि उसने ऐसा क्यों किया है, वह कहता है –

‘आइए और देखिए, गलियों में बहते हुए खून को।’

ग़रीब अब कवि एक भिन्न विषय पर कविताएं लिखता है। अब उसकी कविताओं का विषय प्रकृति की सुन्दरता नहीं होता, अपितु मज़दूर वर्गों के लोग होते हैं जिन्हें उत्पीड़ित किया गया है और जिन्हें उनके अधिकारों से वंचित रखा गया है।

I lived in a quarter in Madrid, with bells

With clocks, with trees.

From there could be seen

The dry face of Castille

Like a sea of leather.

My house was named

The house of the flowers, because everywhere

Geraniums exploded it was

A beautiful house

With dogs and little children.

Raul, you agree ?

You agree, Rafael ?

Federico, you agree

Beneath the earth,

You agree about my house with balconies where

The light of June drowned flowers in your mouth?

Brother, brother !

The build of roofs with a cold sun on which

The weather vane tires,

The fine frenzied ivory of potatoes,

Tomatoes multiplied down to the sea.

Word-meanings : 1. Madrid— स्पेन की राजधानी; 2. quarter – किसी नगर का एक हिस्सा या मण्डल; 3. Castille— स्पेन का केन्द्रीय भाग; 4. the dry face of Castille—स्पेन का पठारी इलाका; 5. leather—यहां इसका अर्थ नारंगी रंग के एक लम्बी पूंछ वाले पक्षी से है जिसे लेदर या ओरेंज भी कहते हैं; 6. geranium – एक फूलदार गुच्छों वाला पौधा; 7. exploded— भरपूर खिले हुए थे; 8. frenzied ivory of potatoes—हाथी दांत के रंग जैसे आलुओं की भरपूर फसल ।

Explanation: In these lines, the poet gives a description of the place where he used to live in Madrid, the capital of Spain. It was a charming place with its church bells, big clocks and lovely trees. It was a place from where one could see the dry face of Castille that looked like a sea of leather. In other words, the dry plateau of Castille hummed with life and activity. The poet’s house was named the house of flowers because there were geraniums blooming everywhere. It was a beautiful house with dogs and little children frolicking everywhere.

The poet recalls some of his friends who used to visit his house. They included poets like Raul, Rafael and Federico. They were all killed during the civil war. Now they were lying dead under the earth. Recalling them, the poet says that they would admit what he has said about his house. It was a house with balconies where with the coming of June, flowers grew so high that they reached above the mouth of a person. The poet calls those dead friends his brothers. Referring to the roof of his house, the poet says that it looked marvellously beautiful in the light of the winter sun. There was a weather vane that looked tired moving all the time. From the roof of his house, one could also see the rich crops of potatoes and tomatoes extending up to the sea.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि उस जगह का ब्योरा देता है जहां वह मड्रीड में रहा करता था जो स्पेन की राजधानी है। यह एक सुन्दर जगह थी, जहां गिरजों के घण्टे, बड़े-बड़े क्लॉक और प्यारे-प्यारे पेड़ देखने को मिलते थे। यह एक ऐसी जगह थी जहां व्यक्ति केस्टिली (स्पेन का मुख्य केन्द्रीय प्रदेश जो एक विशाल पठार के जैसा है) का नज़ारा देख सकता था जो चमड़े के एक सागर ( अर्थात् चमड़े के वस्त्र पहने लोगों के एक सागर जैसा) लगता था। अन्य शब्दों में, केस्टिली का पठार जीवन और गतिविधियों से भरपूर था। कवि का घर फूलों वाला घर कहा जाने लगा क्योंकि यहां जरेनियम के फूल हर जगह खिले हुए थे। यह एक सुन्दर मकान था जहां हर जगह कुत्ते और बच्चे मस्ती करते हुए दिखाई देते रहते थे। ।

कवि अपने कुछ मित्रों को याद करता है जो उससे मिलने उसके घर आया करते थे। उनमें रौल, रफील और फेड्रिको जैसे कवि शामिल थे। वे सभी गृह युद्ध के दौरान मारे गए थे। अब वे धरती के नीचे मरे पड़े थे। उन्हें याद करते हुए वह कहता है कि अपने घर के बारे में जो बातें उसने कही हैं, उन्हें वे भी मानते होंगे। यह एक छज्जों वाला घर था जहां जून महीने के आने के साथ फूल इतने ऊंचे उग आते थे कि किसी व्यक्ति के मुंह से ऊपर तक पहुंचने लगते थे। कवि उन मृत मित्रों को अपने भाई कहता है। अपने मकान की छत का ज़िक्र करते हुए कवि कहता है कि यह शीत ऋतु के सूर्य की रोशनी में अद्भुत रूप से सुन्दर दिखाई देती थी । वहां एक वातदिशा-दर्शक था जो हर समय हिलते रहने से थका हुआ प्रतीत होता था। उसके घर की छत पर से समुद्र किनारे तक फैली हुई आलू और टमाटर की भरपूर फसलें भी देखी जा सकती थीं।

And one morning all of that burned

And one morning the bonfires

Leapt from the earth

Devouring beings,

And from that moment fire

Gunpowder from that moment,

And from that moment blood.

Thugs with planes, and the Moors,

Thugs with signet rings, and duchesses,

Thugs with black friars blessing

Came through the sky to slaughter children,

And through the streets the blood of the children

Flowed easily, like the blood of children.

Jackals that the jackals would drive away,

Stones that the dry thistle would bite and spit out,

Vipers that the vipers would hate !

Word-meanings : 1. bonfires — विशाल अग्नि: 2. devouring – निगलते हुए; 3. gunpowder – बारूद; 4. thugs— लुटेरे; 5. Moors–उत्तर-पश्चिमी अफ्रीका में रहने वाला एक कबीला; 6. signet-rings —मुद्रिकाएं; 7. duchesses — शाही घरानों की औरतें: 8. friars—फकीर लोग, भिक्षु; 9. jackals — मक्कार लोग ।

Explanation : In these lines, the poet describes how the peaceful life of Spain was spoiled one morning when suddenly big fires broke out. These fires rose high into the sky and devoured large numbers of men. From that moment, it was fire and gunpowder exploding everywhere. From that moment, it was blood and blood everywhere. Dangerous criminals and Moors came in aeroplanes and killed the people. There were among them rich aristocratic people and their ladies also who robbed the people and killed them. They were bandits who had the support of religious friars. They came through the sky to kill children. They killed so many children that the blood of children ran freely through the streets. Those people were jackals who could be driven away by jackals only. They were stones which even dry thistles would be afraid to bite. They were vipers whom even vipers would hate.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि बताता है कि स्पेन का शांतिपूर्ण जीवन किस तरह एक प्रातः अस्त-व्यस्त हो गया जब अचानक आग की बड़ी-बड़ी लपटें उठने लगीं। ये लपटें आकाश में बहुत ऊंची उठ रही थीं और इसने भारी गिनती में लोगों को निगल लिया। उस पल से लेकर हर जगह आग और बारूद फटने लगा था । उस पल से लेकर हर जगह खून ही खून बहने लगा था। भयानक अपराधी और अफ्रीकी मूर कबीले के लोग वायुयानों में सवार होकर आते और लोगों को मारकर भाग जाते। वहां उनमें धनी उच्च वर्ग के लोग और उनकी औरतें भी हुआ करतीं, जो लोगों को लूटते और मार डालते । वे लुटेरे और बदमाश लोग हुआ करते थे जिन्हें धार्मिक मठधारियों की मदद प्राप्त होती थी । वे वायुयानों पर सवार हुए आते और बच्चों को मारकर भाग जाते। उन्होंने इतने बच्चे मार दिए कि बच्चों का खून गलियों में हर जगह बहने लगा था। वे लोग सियार (मक्कार) थे जिन्हें सियार (मक्कार) ही भगा सकते थे (लेकिन स्पेन में कोई सियार नहीं थे ) । वे ऐसे पत्थर थे जिन्हें सूखी कांटेदार झाड़ियां भी काटने से डरती थीं। वे ऐसे जहरीले सांप थे जिनसे साधारण ज़हरीले सांप भी घृणा करते थे ।

Opposed to you I have seen the blood

Of Spain rise up

To drown you, in a single wave

Of pride and knives !

Generals

Traitors :

Consider my dead house,

Consider Spain, broken:

But from every dead house burning metal flows

Spain rises,

But from every dead child rises a gun with eyes,

But from every crime are born bullets

That will find you one day in the house

Of the heart.

You will ask why his poetry

Has nothing of the earth, of the leaves,

Of the grand volcanoes of his native country?

Come and see the blood through the streets,

Come and see

The blood through the streets,

Come and see the blood

Through the streets !

Word-meanings: 1. the blood of Spain – स्पेन के खूनी लोग; 2. pride and knives – घमण्डी और हिंसक लोग; 3. my dead house— मेरा नष्ट किया गया घर; 4. burning metal – क्रोधपूर्ण दृढ़ निश्चय; 5. hollow – घाटी; 6. a gun with eye – मनुष्य के रूप में तोप; 7. in the house of the heart – दिल रूपी मकान में, अर्थात् तुम्हारे असली दिलों को पहचान जाएंगे।

Explanation: Let’s first have a brief look at the political situation in Spain in those days. In 1930, dictatorship was overthrown in Spain and the Republicans came to power (1930-35). They made all kinds of laws for the benefit of workers. Pablo Neruda was then in Spain as a diplomat. He was very happy with the political developments in the country. But then in 1936, a civil war broke out. A revolt was led by General Francisco Franco. He was helped by the other dictators like Hitler and Mussolini in Europe. The revolutionaries caused a terrible bloodshed during the civil war. About one million people were killed and there was fire and destruction all around. The power of the country came into the hands of Franco who brought in military dictatorship. All this filled Pablo Neruda with terrible pain. In these lines, the poet expresses hope that the people of Spain will one day rise up and have their revenge on these perpetrators of cruelty and bloodshed.

Here the poet says that he has seen the bloody revolutionaries of Spain causing a terrible destruction and killing people. Among those killed ones, there were his friends also. The heartless revolutionaries tried to drown the whole of Spain in blood. They were blind in their pride and stabbed people to death with their knives. They were traitors in the form of military generals. The poet’s own house was all broken and destroyed. Luckily for the poet, he was not in Spain at that time. He had been recalled home in Chile.

In spite of all this destruction, the poet had a firm hope in his heart. He was certain that in Spain a fiery determination would now grow in place of flowers in every house. There would be an uprising in every part of Spain. In place of every dead child, there would be born a child with a gun in his hand. And in answer to every crime, there would be born children with bullets in their hands. And they would find their targets in the hearts of those criminals and killers.

The poet has now stopped writing poems on the beauty of nature. The theme of his poems has now changed. People could ask him why he no longer wrote poem’s of the earth, of the leaves and of the great volcanoes of his native country (i.e. Chile). The poet tells such people to come and see the blood flowing in the streets. Then they will themselves know why the poet has stopped writing poems on the beauty of nature. With a deep pain in his heart, he repeats :

“Come and see the blood through the streets.”

आइए, पहले हम उन दिनों के स्पेन की राजनैतिक स्थिति पर एक नज़र डालें । वर्ष 1930 में स्पेन में तानाशाही शासन समाप्त कर दिया गया और गणतन्त्रवादी सत्ता ( 1930-35) में आ गए। मज़दूरों के लाभ के लिए उन्होंने अनेक कानून बनाए। पेबलो नेरुदा स्पेन में तब एक राजनयिक के रूप में रह रहा था । वह देश में होने वाले राजनैतिक परिवर्तनों से बहुत प्रसन्न था। किन्तु फिर 1936 में एक गृह युद्ध शुरू हो गया । जरनैल फ्रांसिस्को फ्रेंको के नेतृत्व में एक विद्रोह शुरू हो गया। यूरोप में हिटलर और मुसोलिनी जैसे अन्य तानाशाह लोगों ने उसकी मदद की । गृह युद्ध के दौरान क्रान्तिकारियों ने भयानक रक्तपात मचाया । लगभग दस लाख लोग मारे गए और सभी जगह आग और विनाश के दृश्य थे। देश की शक्ति फ्रेंकों के हाथ में आ गई जिसने सैनिक तानाशाही शुरू कर दी । इन सब बातों ने पेबलो पेरुदा को भयानक पीड़ा से भर दिया। इन पंक्तियों में कवि इस आशा को व्यक्त करता है कि स्पेन के लोग एक दिन उठ खड़े होंगे तथा बर्बरता और रक्तपात करने वाले इन लोगों से बदला लेंगे ।

यहां कवि कहता है कि उसने स्पेन के खूंखार क्रान्तिकारियों को भयानक तबाही मचाते हुए और लोगों को मारते हुए देखा है। उन मारे गए लोगों में उसके मित्र भी थे । निर्दय क्रान्तिकारियों ने पूरे स्पेन को खून में डुबोने की कोशिश की। वे अपने घमंड में अन्धे हो चुके थे और उन्होंने अपने चाकू घोंप – घोंप कर लोगों को मौत के घाट उतार दिया। वे सैनिक जरनैलों के रूप में गद्दार थे । कवि का अपना घर पूरा तोड़ दिया गया और नष्ट कर दिया गया। कवि की खुशकिस्मती थी कि वह उस समय स्पेन में नहीं था । उसे (चिलि में) घर वापस बुला लिया गया था ।

इस सब तबाही के बावजूद कवि को अपने दिल में एक पक्की आशा थी । उसे विश्वास था कि स्पेन के हर घर में अब फूलों की जगह एक भयानक निश्चय – शक्ति का जन्म होगा । स्पेन के प्रत्येक भाग में एक बग़ावत होगी। प्रत्येक मृत बच्चे की जगह वहां अपने हाथ में बन्दूक लिए हुए एक बच्चे का जन्म होगा । तथा प्रत्येक अपराध के उत्तर के रूप में वहां अपने हाथों में गोलियां लिए हुए बच्चों का जन्म होगा । तथा उन्हें अपने लक्ष्य-रूपी निशाने उन अपराधियों और घातकों के दिलों में मिल जाएंगे।

कवि ने अब प्रकृति की सुन्दरता पर कविताएं लिखनी बन्द कर दी हैं। उसकी कविताओं का विषय अब बदल गया है। लोग अब उससे पूछ सकते थे कि वह अपनी मातृभूमि (अर्थात् चिलि) की धरती, वहां के पेड़-पत्तों और वहां के बड़े-बड़े ज्वालामुखियों के बारे में कविताएं क्यों नहीं लिखता था । कवि ऐसे लोगों से कहता है कि वे आकर गलियों में बहता हुआ खून देखें | तब उन्हें स्वयं पता चल जाएगा कि कवि ने प्रकृति की सुन्दरता के बारे में कविताएं लिखनी क्यों बन्द कर दी हैं। अपने दिल में गहरी पीड़ा लिए हुए वह फिर से कहता है –

‘आओ और देखो, गलियों में बहते हुए खून को ।’

Ans. The poet used to write poems about the beauties of nature. He wrote poems on the grand volcanoes of his country. But now he is a changed man. He no longer writes the poetry of sweet dreams. In this poem, he explains why he has changed the theme of his poems. That is why he uses the title ‘I Explain a Few Things’ for his poem. Here he escribes the terrible scenes of bloodshed during the Spanish Civil War. These happenings gave him a rude shock. Now he could see in streets the blood of the poor. He became a changed man. In his poem, the poet explains the causes behind this change.

Ans. The poet recalls the time when he lived in Spain. He had been sent there on a diplomatic mission. In this poem, he recalls the beauty of the house in Madrid where he lived. He makes a mention of the Spanish poets also he had made friends with. The house he lived in had so many flowers in it, that it came to be called the house of flowers. Dogs and little children could be seen frolicking about in it all the time. The city hummed with activity all the time. It was surrounded with rich natural beauty.

Ans. Later, there was a terrible bloodshed in the country. There was a Civil War. Some military generals under the leadership of General Francisco Franco overthrew the republican government. They killed about one million innocent people. There was fire and destruction all around. Some of the poet’s friends were also killed mercilessly. All these happenings left a deep pain in the poet’s heart.

Ans. The terrible bloodshed during the Spanish Civil War had left the poet in a terrible shock. About a million innocent people were killed in this war. They included some of his best friends also. Numberless children were also killed. Blood ran in the streets freely. Now the poet was in no mood to write the poetry of sweet dreams. Now he could only write about the sufferings of poor workers who were oppressed and deprived of their rights. In his poems, he would say, ‘Come and see the blood through the streets.’

‘My house was named the house of flowers.’

Ans. The poet here refers to his house in Madrid. It was a place surrounded with great natural beauty. There were church bells, big clocks and lovely trees all around the capital city. The poet’s house itself was full of geraniums. It was a beautiful house and came to be called the house of flowers. Some of the Spanish poets, who were his close friends, often visited this place.

geraniums exploded : ……………..

Ans. The poetic devices used in these lines are imagery and simile. Simile is used in the line “The dry face of castile like a sea of leather’. The poet first creates an image of a sea of leatherback turtles. Through this image, he tries to create a mental picture of the dry plateau of castille that was visible from the place where he lived. Then he creates an image of the flowery surroundings of his house where geraniums grew all around. He calls his house the house of flowers.

I lived in a quarter

In Madrid with bells

With clocks, with trees.

From there could be seen

The dry face of Castille

Like a sea of leather.

My house was named

The house of flowers, because everywhere

Geraniums exploded : it was

A beautiful house

With dogs and little children.

A	B
(a) sea (b) quarter (c) exploded	(i) a district or part of a town (ii) burst apart (iii) a very large expanse of water.

1. The poet lived in Madrid, the capital of Spain.

2. From there, one could see the dry face of Castille like a sea of leather. It means the dry plateau of Castille hummed with life and activity.

3. (a) sea = a very large expanse of water

(b) quarter = a district or part of a town.

(c) exploded = burst apart.

4. there were geraniums blooming everywhere.

5. The name of the poem is ‘From : I Explain A Few Things’ and the poet is Pablo Neruda.

I. The poet first creates an image of a sea of leatherback turtles. Through this image, he tries to create a mental picture of the dry plateau of Castille that was visible from the place where he lived. Then he creates an image of the flowery surroundings of his house where geraniums grew all around. He calls his house the house of flowers.

II. The poet has used here the poetic device of dramatic monologue. He has also used the house and the flowers as symbols of love, peace and coexistence. On the other hand, the phrase beneath the earth’ refers to the terrible consequences of war.

Raul, you agree ?

You agree, Rafael ?

Federico, you agree

Beneath the earth,

You agree about my house with balconies where

The light of June drowned flowers in your mouth?

Brother, brother !

The build of roofs with a cold sun on which

The weather vane tires,

The fine frenzied ivory of potatoes,

Tomatoes multiplied down to the sea.

Expressions used in the poem	To suggest that
(a) multiplied (b) fine (c) benealth (d) agree	(i) rough (ii) divided (iii) deny (iv) above

1. The poet refers to a few Spanish poets, who used to visit his house.

2. Raul, Rafael and Federico

3. The poet says that they would agree with what he has said about his house.

4. (a) multipled = divided (b) fine = rough (c) beneath = above (d) agree = deny.

5. The name of the poem is From: I Explain A Few Things’ and the poet is Pablo Neruda.

And one morning all of that burned

And one morning the bonfires

Leapt from the earth

Devouring beings,

And from that moment fire

Gunpowder from that moment,

And from that moment blood.

In these lines, the poet describes how the peaceful life of Spain was spoiled (a) ………….. when suddenly (b) ………… broke out. These fires rose high into (c) …………… and devoured large numbers of (d) ………….. . From that moment, it was fire and (e) ………….. exploding everywhere. From that moment, it was (f) ………………. everywhere.

(a) one morning (b) big fires (c) the sky (d) human beings (e) gunpowder (f) blood and blood.

Thugs with planes, and the Moors,

Thugs with signet rings, and duchesses,

Thugs with black friars blessing

Came through the sky to slaughter children,

And through the streets the blood of the children

Flowed easily, like the blood of children.

1. The bandits came in aeroplanes.

2. The Moors, aristocrats and religious friars supported them.

3. They killed many children.

4. (a) thugs = robbers (b) slaughter = massacre.

5. Pablo Neruda

Opposed to you I have seen the blood

Of Spain rise up

To drown you, in a single wave

Of pride and knives !

Generals

Traitors:

Consider my dead house,

Consider Spain, broken :

But from every dead house burning metal flows

In place of flowers,

But from every hollow of Spain

Spain rises,

But from every dead child rises a gun with eyes.

The poet says that he has seen the bloody revolutionaries of Spain causing terrible destruction. They tried to (a) ………….. the whole of Spain in blood. They were blind in their (b) ………………. of power. They were (c) …………….. in the form of military generals. The poet’s own house was all (d) ……………… and destroyed. In spite of all this destruction, the poet was certain that in Spain, a fiery determination would now grow in place of (e) …………………. in every house. In place of every dead child, there would be born a child with a (f) ……………….. in his hand. Identify and comment upon the literary devices used in the lines above.

I. (a) drown (b) pride (c) traitors (d) broken (e) flowers (f) gun.

II. The literary device used in these lines is personification – the blood of Spain’.

But from every hollow of Spain

Spain rises,

But from every dead child rises a gun with eyes,

But from every crime are born bullets

That will find you one day in the house

Of the heart.

A	B
(a) crime (b) rises (c) hollow	(i) an area that is lower than the surface around it (ii) an offence for which one may be punished (iii) begins to fight against one’s government or rules.

1. A child with a gun in his hand would rise from every child.

2. The bloody revolutionaries of Spain caused terrible destruction and killed many innocent people in which there were many children also. That was the reason for the revenge to be taken.

3. born children with bullets in their hands.

4. (i) crime = an offence for which one may be punished

   (ii) rises = begins to fight against one’s government or rules.

   (iii) hollow = an area that is lower than the surface around it.

5. The name of the poem is From I Explain A Few Things’ and the poet is Pablo Neruda.

The poetic device of repetend or repetition has been used in these lines. The repetition of the word ‘every’ reinforces the horror of the Civil War that caused a terrible bloodshed in Spain. Not even the children were spared. Every house bore signs of death and destruction.