Keeping Quiet by Pablo Neruda

Now we will count to twelve 

And we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the earth 

Let's not speak in any language,

Lets stop for one second,

And not move our arms so much.

   Poet urges wach one of us to count upto 12 and be quiet. He wants a moment of silence on earth , land, where we stand.

Lets speak in language of silence. He wants us to remain motionless. 

It would be an exotic moment 

Without rush, without engines,

We would all be together 

In a sudden strangeness. 

Fishermen in the cold sea

Would not harm whales

And the man gathering salt 

Would look at his hurt hands.

The moment will be unusual and exciting.  It will have miraculous experience.  There will be no hurry or sound of machines to pollute the atmosphere.  The bonds of humanity will get stronger with this unfamiliar stillness. 

Humans wouldn't harm nature and humans and nature will recover from their own wounds.

 Those who prepare green wars,

Wars with gas, wars with fire,

Victory with no survivors,

Would put on clean clothes 

Abd walk about with their brothers

In the shade, doing nothing. 

Those who wage wars against humanity environment including use of chemical gases.  Wars that bring death destruction which leaves none to celebrate victory. 

People will shed their blood stained clothes and put on clean clothes and walk with their brothers building brotherhood. 

War torn world should be replaced by one with atmosphere of peace, brotherhood and harmony. 

What i want should not be confused 

With total inactivity. 

Life is what it is about;

I want no truck with death. 

If we were not so single minded

About keeping our lives moving,

And for once could do nothing,

Perhaps a huge silence 

Might interrupt this sadness

 Of never understanding ourselves 

And of threatening ourselves with Death. 

He makes a clarification that though he is advocating silence, his advice should not be confused with total inactivity.  He doesn't want  any  association with death. He says that life is meant to be lived.  For one moment they should not think of keeping their lives moving, meeting their ends and fulfilling duties.  They help over come sadness of failing to understand. People have been threatening themselves with death by their activities and this moment of silence will give them time to understand themselves better. 

Perhaps the Earth can teach us

As when everything seems dead 

And later proves to be alive. 

Now I'll count up to twelve 

And you keep quiet and i will go.

Earth can enlighten us and guide us in this process of keeping quiet.