Page 190 - DENG201_ENGLISH_II

English - II

Notes and contraception could be thought of as a way out of the present muddle. One can certainly hope for
the better and propagate the best that is thought as unique.
In the second stanza, the readers get a peep into things - Indians as Gandhi’s heir, he would opt for
peace and non - violence. He is puzzled why others are not following Gandhi’s advice - while in this
estimate, the ancient Indian wisdom is correct, contrastively the modern generation takes it to whatever
is western and fashionable - like other Indians, he too has to improve his English language. The
student interest and petty agitations make him feel sickening line Antony’s appeal to the Roman
mob, he will call upon the fellow citizens to think of the past masters.
Thus in the third stanza, he pronounces, In order to get away from that which is disgusting, he wants
to have a cup of wine which is very good for digestion. It can be taken as equivalent to the western
wine if only a little salt is added to make it a lovely drink. The poet confesses that he is the total
abstainer from drinks while it is taken by addicts to gunch themselves, he for his part would turn to
simple drinks like lassi. Thus, the poet tries to receive the old Gandhi an days.In the fourth stanza,
the poet is able to think aloud and offer his comments on the world situation today. The present
conditions all over the world speak of a bad trend that give an edge to the production of dangerous
weapons and tiy to be superior to others. The countries of the world often tie with each other in
keeping themselves ahead of others in this mad competitive world. This retrace often leads to conflicts
resulting in loss of precious human lives. If only one considers the other as the brother; the trend
could be changed.
India is a land where the principle of ‘unity in Diversity’ is practiced. Here many communities live
together even though there are some problems. This ideal situation in which one Co-exists with the
other is described as Ram Rajya by the poet. He gives the hand of friendliness to the visitor and
expects him to come again. The poet is optimistic when he says that he enjoys every moment of good
company. So, he ends the poem by saying that he does not feel the necessity of celebrating ceremonies
Poet, Lover, Bird Watcher
The best poem of this volume ‘Poet, Lover, Bird-watcher’ displays Ezekiel’s views on poet’s problems.
He thinks the best poets wait for words, like ornithologists sitting in silence to see birds.Poet, Lover,
Birdwatcher is one of the better known poems of Ezekiel and has received considerable critical
attention. It epitomizes the poet’s search for a poetics which would help him redeem himself in his
eyes and in the eyes of the god. Parallelism is drawn between the poet, the lover and the Birdwatcher.
All the three have to wait patiently in their respective pursuits, indeed their ‘waiting’ is a sort of
strategy, a plan of action which bear fruit it persisted in and followed with patience. It is patient
waiting which crown the efforts of all the three with success.
Ezekiel attempts to define the poet in terms of a lover and the birdwatcher. There is a close resemblance
among them in their search for love, bird and word. All the three become one in spirit, and Ezekiel
expresses this in imagery noted for its precision and decorum:
The hunts is not an exercise of will
But patience love relaxing on a hill
To note the movement of a timid wing.
There is no action, no exercise of will in all the three cases, but ‘Patient waiting’ is itself strategy., a
kind of planned action to reach the goal. The patience of the birdwatcher is rewarded when the timid
bird is suddenly caught in the net; the patience of the lover is rewarded, when the woman loved,
risks surrendering. Similarly, if the poets wait still the moment of inspiration, heachieves some noble
utterance. “Bird - beloved - poem syndrome runs throughout the lyric”.The Second-stanza stresses
the fact that slow movement is good. One has to go to remote place just as one has to discover love in
a remote place like the heart’s dark floor. It is there, that women look something more than their
body, and that they appear like myths of light. And the poet, in zigzag movements, yet with a sense
of musical delight, manages to combine movements, yet with a sense of musical delight, manages to
combine sense and sound in such a way that ‘deaf can hear, the blind recover sight’. Highest poetry
is remedial in its action, it cures human apathy and deadness of spirit, activises human sense, and
makes man see and hear much more than he would have otherwise done.

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