Keeping Quiet About the poet | Class 12 English Notes
By ConceptScroll Team · Published on 17 July 2026 · 2 min read
Keeping Quiet About the poet – this guide gives you a concise, exam-ready overview of Keeping Quiet About the poet from Class 12 English, written by ConceptScroll editors and reviewed against the latest NCERT textbook.
Poem Text and Explanation - Stanza 1
The first stanza of the poem reads: 'Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.' This opening line invites a collective action—counting to twelve and keeping still. The number twelve can symbolize completeness, such as twelve hours on a clock or twelve months in a year, suggesting a full cycle or a moment of total pause. The poet asks everyone to stop moving and speaking, to create a moment of silence and stillness. This is not just physical stillness but also mental calmness. The stanza continues to describe this moment as 'exotic,' meaning unusual and rare, free from the usual noise and rush of life, including engines and movement. The poet imagines a sudden strangeness where all people are together in peaceful silence, emphasizing unity and calm. This stanza sets the tone for the poem, highlighting the value of quietness as a break from constant activity and noise.
📊 Diagram: The poem’s first stanza is presented with a background image of calm nature, symbolizing peace and quiet.
🔗 Connection: Prepares readers to understand the deeper implications of silence and stillness in the following stanzas.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Pablo Neruda, and what is significant about his contribution to literature?
Pablo Neruda was the pen name of Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, a Chilean poet born in 1904. He is significant for his vivid and accessible poetry and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
What does the title 'Keeping Quiet' suggest about the theme of the poem?
The title suggests silence, calmness, and a pause from activity. It implies the poem is about the importance of quietness and introspection.
In the poem's first stanza, the poet asks everyone to count to twelve and keep still. What is the significance of the number twelve here?
Twelve symbolizes completeness, like twelve hours or months
Which of the following best describes the 'exotic moment' mentioned in the first stanza?
A rare moment of silence and stillness without rush or engines
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