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Let us remember, whenever we are told
To hate our brothers, it is ourselves
That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.
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.
To hate our brothers, it is ourselves
That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.
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.
Explanation:
The poet again urges the readers to remember the need to treat everyone equally, taking the tone used in the first stanza. The world has been manipulated into believing certain things that are not necessarily the truth. He asks the readers to be vigilant of what they are being told by the society. In the present world that is being materialised and commercialised, we are often told that one has to fight each other to reach the top, which is simply not true. We are asked to hate our own brothers and sisters who live across the globe. We are all similar people and deserve to live happy and peaceful life. When we hate our brothers, it is indirectly a way of hating ourselves because they are just a part of us. It is a way of betraying oneself as God has created life only to thrive and not to condemn and pull down each other. When we take arms and weapons to kill people across boundaries, just to satisfy our greed and hatred, we are only pursuing unwanted and irrelevant quests.
Boundaries do not create differences
The earth belongs to all human beings, and when one decides to take a life, it is worth polluting it. During wars, several dead bodies are spewed across the lands, thereby damaging the purity of the land. No one has the right to strip away the right to live off another human being. The poet compares the fires that are shot and the dust that ensues a war to hell, as it causes trouble to everyone who is associated with it. The family of the soldier who dies might be affected as well, even if they do not have any direct involvement. The world, in general, possesses an innocent air that might be completely polluted by the weapons and death caused by over-ambition and hatred. Humans should only aim to make the earth a better place and not pollute it with dead bodies, dust and smoke. In short, one should always remember that no men are foreign. It is humans who developed these terms such as foreign, different etc. No country is strange, and no man is different, as everyone is equal who has all the rights to live a good life.
Commotion during war
Meaning of difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meaning |
1 | Dispossess | Taking away possessions |
2 | Betray | Expose to danger by cheating |
3 | Condemn | Not agreeing to something |
4 | Defile | Making something impure |
5 | Outrage | Extreme shock with anger |
6 | Materialised | To make a material out of something |
7 | Vigilant | Being careful |
8 | Manipulate | Influence someone's mind |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2006). Beehive. No Men are foreign - James Kirkup (pp.80 -81). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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