The stunted, unlucky heir
Of twisted bones, reciting a father's gnarled disease,
His lesson from his desk. At back of the dim class One unnoted, sweet and young. His eyes live in a dream,
Of squirrel's game, in the tree room, other than this.
(i) Who is the unlucky heir and what has he inherited?
(ii) What is the stunted boy reciting?
(iii) Who is sitting at the back of the dim class?
For once on the face of the earth
Let's not speak in any language
Let's stop for one second,
arid not move our arms so much.
(i) Why does the poet want us to keep quiet?
(ii) What does he want us to do for one second?
(iii) What does he mean by ‘not move our arms’?
(i) The poet wants us to keep quiet and give up endless activity to be able to introspect. He wants us to break free of the barriers of language and be united in a moment of eloquent silence.
(ii) The poet wants us to give up our endless, incessant activities and be lost in eloquent, calm and peaceful silence break free of all barriers of language and communication.
(iii) When the poet says ‘ not move our arms’, he wishes to convey that in the moment of eloquent peaceful silence we must all give up whatever we are doing. He means to say there must be absolutely no action, no activity and no communication or interaction whatsoever.