Very Indian Poem In Indian English by Nissim Ezekiel – Critical Analysis

Very Indian Poem In Indian English: The title of Nissim Ezekiel’s “Very Indian Poem in Indian English’ clearly unfolds the poet’s attempt to convey the typical Indian thought processes. Nissim Ezekiel, one of the renowned modern poets, is known for his irony and satire who skillfully exploited the weakness of the Indian people to use Standard English usage. He employed free verse in his poems with colloquial speech pattern as a modernist writer. The poem “Very Indian Poem in Indian English’ was published in a sixteen-poem collection called “Hymns in Darkness’ in 1976.

Very Indian Poem in Indian English Critical Analysis

Nissim Ezekiel was greatly influenced by major poets of the period such as William Butler Yeats, William Carlos Williams, and Robert Graves. He employed unrhymed stanza form with colloquial speech pattern with irony and satire in his poems. Like his other poems such as “Goodbye Party for Miss  Pushpa T.S.’, and “The Railway Clerk’, Ezekiel’s poem “Very Indian Poem in Indian English’ presents a realistic picture of the contemporary period and it expresses existential and physical concern of the speaker.

VERY INDIAN POEM IN INDIAN ENGLISH- CRITICAL APPRECIATION

“Very Indian Poem in Indian English” by Nissim Ezekiel clearly describes the mental anguish and melancholy of the speaker who witnesses utter darkness everywhere. He is a man of patriotic feeling and sentimental by nature who believes in peace and non-violence the doctrines propounded by Mahatma Gandhi. The poem begins with a series of questions which require no answers. The speaker asks:

“I am standing for peace and non-violence

Why world is fighting, fighting

Why all people of the world

Are not following Mahatma Gandhi

I am simply not understanding.”

The speaker of the poem expresses his concern about the disorder and disturbance all around him. Nissim Ezekiel has artistically employed the Indian habit of using present progressive tense in place of simple present.

Ancient Indian Wisdom is 100 % correct

I should say even 200 % correct.

But modern generation is neglecting –

Too much going for fashion and foreign thing.”

The speaker of the poem who is a patriot; and filled the spirit of non-violence and peace expresses his concern about the growth in foreign fashions and things. Ezekiel has artistically described the wrong way of using English which clearly indicates the thought-processes of the speaker. The use of present progressive tense in place of simple present can be also observed in the second stanza.

Another example is the use of 100 % and 200 % is quite humorous. As a staunch supporter of ‘Swadeshi’, the speaker thinks that the new generation is paying no heed to Indian culture and values. It has forgotten the gospel of peace and non-violence preached by Mahatma Gandhi. The speaker says:

“Other day I’m reading in newspaper

(Every day I’m reading Times of India

To improve my English Language)

How one goonda fellow

Throw stone at Indirabehn.

Nissim Ezekiel has employed the use of typical Indian words like “one goonda fellow,” and “Indirabehn” in order to imply Indian manner and tone of using English. Chetan Karnani remarks, “It is to the credit of Ezekiel that in one poem, he has reflected not only what many Indian think but also the way they think in English.”

Must be student unrest fellow, I am thinking,

Friends, Romans, Countrymen, I am saying

(to myself)

Lend me the ears.”

The speaker alludes to William Shakespeare’s famous Roman Play “Julius Caesar” by quoting a few words of Mark Antony because he wants to attract the attention of everybody to his speech. The speaker says:

“Everything is coming –

Regeneration, Remuneration, Contraception.

Be patiently, brothers and sisters.

You want one glass lassi?

Very good for digestion.

With little salt lovely drink,

Better than wine;

Not that I am ever tasting the wine.

I’m the teetotaller, completely total

But I say

Wine is for drunkards today.”

The poet has employed irony in the third stanza with the words, “Regeneration, Remuneration, Contraception”. There is fine blending of the trivial and significant placed in order of their importance. The speaker feels the need of order, law, and disciple in society. He also feels the need of prohibition in the country.

Ironically, he becomes extremely conscious and expresses his preference for ‘a glass of lassi’ to a glass of liquor. He tells that he is out and out a teetotaller; and he indirectly hints at the social evil of drinking. He also thinks that a glass of lassi is good for appetite and effective digestive syrup. Once, again, Nissim Ezekiel has employed colloquial speech in order to get the desired effect. The speaker further says that:

“What you think of prospects of world peace?

Pakistan behaving like this

China behaving like that,

It is making me very sad, I am telling you

Really, most harassing me.

All men are brothers, no?

In India also.”

The expression of the speaker such as, “Pakistan behaving like this, China is behaving like that” is characteristically Indian; and it clearly hints at the threat from the neighbouring countries to India. He also expresses his concern over world peace. The poet has skillfully described it in a typical Indian manner and tone.

The speaker emphasizes the need of social integrity and unity which is essential for safety and peace. The feeling of brotherhood among people brings in security and order in society. The speaker gets disheartened at the thought of violence and war. There is fine use of rhetorical question in the stanza.

Gujaraties, Maharashtrians, Hindiwallahs

All brothers –

Though some are having funny habits.

Still, you tolerate me,

I tolerate you,

One day Ram Rajya is surely coming.”

The speaker thinks that the feeling of brotherhood is essential for national integration though there is diversity in India. He also emphasizes the need of tolerance in society due to its diversity. The feeling of brotherhood is just like an unwritten bond between people of diverse sections of society.

The speaker expresses his concern over social disintegration and fragmentation in society in the name of region and caste. In the concluding part of the stanza, the speaker expresses his hope that one day the dream of ‘Ram Rajya’: an ideal state will surely come true. Thus, the fourth stanza concludes with an optimistic note.

“You are going?

But you will visit again

Any time, any day,

I am not believing in ceremony.

Always I am enjoying your company.”

In the concluding stanza of the poem, Nissim Ezekiel has again employed colloquial speech of the speaker. The speaker uses present progressive tense in place of simple present tense for mental processes like thinking and believing. It is glaring mistake in Standard English usage. The speaker says that he enjoys the company of people and likes to share his thoughts to them. He is pretty much sure that they will definitely dome to him once again.

Conclusion:

Thus, Nissim Ezekiel’s poem “Very Indian Poem in Indian English” is an experiment I free verse or verse libre. Though it has limited appeal and success, it unveils the charm of irony, satire and humour of the poet. It has a serious message against the backdrop of the comedy of its poor English. The poem “Very Indian Poem in Indian English” presents self-blinding confusion, a complacent attitude of people towards problems, and inability to understand the modern world.

It is important to note that Nissim Ezekiel was not the first to use Pidgin English in English Poetry. Furtado has made fine use of Indian English in several of his poems before Ezekiel. Ezekiel has only used it only for humorous and satirical aim. His poetic style is characterized by the controlling idea of balance.

Whether it be rhymed verse or free verse, Ezekiel shapes his poems often in tongue-in-cheek style, owing to his experiments some of his poems even lack beauty and appeal. But there is no doubt that he is a master craftsman in the arena of Indo-Anglian poetry; and his place in the Indian poetry as significant as any other Indian poet in English.

Nissim Ezekiel’s poem “Very Indian Poem in Indian English”-

 I am standing for peace and non-violence.
Why world is fighting fighting
Why all people of world
Are not following Mahatma Gandhi,
I am simply not understanding.
Ancient Indian Wisdom is 100% correct.
I should say even 200% correct.
But modern generation is neglecting-
Too much going for fashion and foreign thing.

Other day I’m reading in newspaper
(Every day I’m reading Times of India
To improve my English language)
How one goonda fellow
Throw stone at Indirabehn.
Must be student unrest fellow, I am thinking.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, I am saying
(to myself)
Lend me the ears.

Everything is coming-
Regeneration, Remuneration, Contraception.
Be patiently, brothers and sisters.

You want one glass lassi?
Very good for digestion.
With little salt lovely drink,
Better than wine;
Not that I am ever tasting the wine.
I’m the total teetotaller, completely total.
But I say
Wine is for the drunkards only.

What you think of prospects of world peace?
Pakistan behaving like this,
China behaving like that,
It is making me very sad, I am telling you.
Really, most harassing me.
All men are brothers, no?
In India also
Gujaraties, Maharashtrians, Hindiwallahs
All brothers
Though some are having funny habits.
Still you tolerate me,
I tolerate you,
One day, Ram Rajya is surely coming.

 You are going?
But you will visit again
Any time, any day,
I am not believing in ceremony.
Always I am enjoying your company.

  Read it also: Dominant Themes in Indo-Anglian Fiction