Tuesday 4 December 2018
“Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign
Beneath, all uniforms, a single body breathes.”
The poem begins by asking us to constantly remind ourselves that no human being is strange or different. Beneath the superficial surface of our bodies, all human beings have hearts, minds and souls. The lines also drive home the point about the futility of war. All those who have divisive mindsets, or are caught up in war, need to remember that behind such superficial “uniforms” are living and breathing human beings just like you and me.
Now, read and reflect on the next few lines of this thoughtful poem. The poem beautifully builds upon the theme of the humanity in each human being. Each and every line tries to raise our level of consciousness to a deeper and spiritual level.
“Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon,
Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie,
They too aware of sun, air, and water
Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.”
Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read,
A labor not different from our own.”
Each and every land like each and every human being is nourished by sun, air and water. People may have adapted to different conditions and situations, but we are all one in the spirit. We are all able to sustain our lives during peacetime and would starve to death if wars disrupt on earth. Any division of labor is in fact superficial, and our hands, whether we are in a digital field, an agricultural field or any other field, speak of the humanity in us with hearts, souls and minds capable of loving, feeling and thinking.
NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
EXPLANATION OF LINES
Now, reflect on the next few lines.
“Remember that they have eyes that wake,
Or sleep, and strength that can be won
By love”
Beneath, all uniforms, a single body breathes.”
The poem begins by asking us to constantly remind ourselves that no human being is strange or different. Beneath the superficial surface of our bodies, all human beings have hearts, minds and souls. The lines also drive home the point about the futility of war. All those who have divisive mindsets, or are caught up in war, need to remember that behind such superficial “uniforms” are living and breathing human beings just like you and me.
Now, read and reflect on the next few lines of this thoughtful poem. The poem beautifully builds upon the theme of the humanity in each human being. Each and every line tries to raise our level of consciousness to a deeper and spiritual level.
“Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon,
Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie,
They too aware of sun, air, and water
Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.”
Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read,
A labor not different from our own.”
Each and every land like each and every human being is nourished by sun, air and water. People may have adapted to different conditions and situations, but we are all one in the spirit. We are all able to sustain our lives during peacetime and would starve to death if wars disrupt on earth. Any division of labor is in fact superficial, and our hands, whether we are in a digital field, an agricultural field or any other field, speak of the humanity in us with hearts, souls and minds capable of loving, feeling and thinking.
NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
EXPLANATION OF LINES
Now, reflect on the next few lines.
“Remember that they have eyes that wake,
Or sleep, and strength that can be won
By love”
The poet here again reminds us of the humanity in each human being.
We all wake up each new day with hope and then take rest. It is only
love that can really keep humanity going. With love and looking at
each human being with kindness, we can truly create a paradise-like
situation on earth.
Now, read and introspect on the following lines.
“Let us remember, whenever we are told
To hate our brothers, it is ourselves,
That we shall dispossess, betray and condemn”
The poet then reminds us that by trying to hate and even exploit
others and their lands, we will be betraying and condemning ourselves.
Such kind of exploitation will only lead to superficial short-term
success and no deep or spiritual kind of redemption.
Now, read the very compelling closing lines of the poem.
“Remember, we who take arms against each other
It is the human earth that we defile
Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence
Of air that is everywhere our own,
Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.”
In the last lines of this compelling poem, the poet again reminds us
that taking “arms against each other,” that is war, is in fact futile.
The very human earth is ruined through war, hatred and exploitation of
any kind. The earth can become ravaged and polluted through war and
exploitation with the constant firing, destruction and piling up of dust
and debris. The air that we breathe also becomes polluted as a
result. The poet ends with the refrain “no men are foreign, and no
countries strange.” We need to constantly remember that we are all one
in the spirit and encourage mutual respect, discussion and dialogue for a
truly humane, just and sustainable world in the future.
NCERT SOLUTION
Page No: 81
Thinking about the Poem
1. (i) “Beneath all uniforms…” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about?
(ii) How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?
Answer
(i) The poet is probably speaking about the uniforms that the soldiers wear at the time of war. The word “uniform” here could also mean the traditional dresses of a country.
(ii) The poet suggests that all people on earth are the same as they breathe, buried, wake, sleep, hate, love and labour. The importance of the sun and air and water is equal for everyone. Everyone needs peace and suffers from starvation during wars.
(i) The poet is probably speaking about the uniforms that the soldiers wear at the time of war. The word “uniform” here could also mean the traditional dresses of a country.
(ii) The poet suggests that all people on earth are the same as they breathe, buried, wake, sleep, hate, love and labour. The importance of the sun and air and water is equal for everyone. Everyone needs peace and suffers from starvation during wars.
2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick out the words.
Answer
Words which suggest the five ways in which we all are like are:
Words which suggest the five ways in which we all are like are:
Each of us has a similar body
All of us breathe
All of us walk
We live and die on the same earth
3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2? Pick out the words.
Answer
There are five common features in stanza 2. These features are the sun, the air, the water, peaceful harvest, hands and the labour.
There are five common features in stanza 2. These features are the sun, the air, the water, peaceful harvest, hands and the labour.
4. “…whenever we are told to hate our brothers…” When do you think this happens? Why? Who ‘tells’ us? Should we do as we are told at such times? What does the poet say?
Answer
Whenever there is war, leaders tell people to hate the other country. They tell us to do so because of their personal gains. But we should not act as a puppet in their hands and do as they say. We should understand that war is futile and analyses the situation before jumping to conclusions.. The poet says that if we fight against them, we kill and condemn ourselves.
