Summary and Exercises of poem Soft Storm

 

Soft Storm  

[Abhi Subedi : The Poet]

[Poet's Profile: Abhi Subedi is a Nepali poet, playwright, columnist, translator and critic, who writes in Nepali and English. He towers high in the field of literature in Nepal. Mr. Subedi started as as a teacher of English at Tribhuvan University, and after returning from Europe taught Stylistic there. He taught for forty years at the central department of English, and headed the department for more than a decade. 

His poetry collections like Manas (1974), Chasing Dreams : Kathmandu Odyssey (1996), and Shabdara Chot (1997) are extremely popular. 

This present poem is the poet's deep reflections on the present scenario of Nepalese society.  With a touch of compassion the poet contemplates over the absurdities of tumultuous times.]

1. An Overview of the Poem / (Short Summary):

This poem is an expression of the speaker's feelings at the modern heartless, faceless society, where helpless, poor, downtrodden (oppressed or treated badly by people in power) are always at trouble and injustice. The speaker's heart wrenches (a sudden and violent twist/ a feeling of extreme sadness) when he finds people remaining totally indifferent towards the miserable condition of the downtrodden people of the society.

The speaker has a mixed feeling of dissatisfaction, rage, rebel, and compassion at the sight of this inhuman chaotic world, where there is no social justice. He calls it a 'tumultuous' 'mad' times.

The speaker has presented pictures of certain situations as how we have been going through mad times and a particular group of people have grown heartless. He engages his audiences throughout the poem through such pictures and images.

Although the speaker doesn't have any solutions to such problems, he keeps hopeful. He is hopeful that the 'weeds' can be uprooted and the 'ripples' of love can be spread.

2. Explanation of the Poem : 

a. Ist Stanza :

I became soft

I became soft

after I heard the tumult and

crashed on the eerie stillness;

I inherited the soft

when the sky grew like crocuses

over stones and

became five inches taller

that very night

when moon skidded down your walls

speaking in the language 

of posters and politics 

rituals and reasons.

I became soft 

as the softness rose like a gale 

tearing my roofs

that very night

when the moon sang of 

lamp posts and gutters

in the seamless city.

Short Explanation: 

The poem starts with the speaker's journey through the lanes of Kathmandu in a moonlit night with his narration of the different situations of the different occasions when he feels soft.

Being soft is being loving, being compassionate (feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others), considerate and and supportive. He feels soft to the pathetic and poor situation of the common country people.

The tumultuous situation mentioned here is not only physical, it is an inner tumult as well. There is tumult is in the heart of the speaker. 

He started becoming 'soft' right with his journey through the streets and lanes of Kathmandu city at night. He felt soft  when he found a strange/ unusual stillness prevailing there after the tumult. This only shows the indifference of the society towards the miserable helpless condition of the people.

He inherited this softness of heart since the sky grew up and that very night the moonlight focused on politics and rituals, rather than focusing on downtrodden people. Here we find a nice juxtaposition and ironic contrast between the growing crocus plants (indicating hope and happiness) and the moon beams falling on posters, politics etc. (things of less importance).

[Crocues Flowers : Symbol of Hope and Happiness]

His softness rose higher and higher when suddenly the moon started singing of lampposts and gutters. Again some sort of contrast is there.

The poet calls Kathmandu (this city) a "seamless city". 'Seamless' is something moving one thing to another easily and without any interruptions or problems. He calls Kathmandu city a seamless one. Here the use of the adjective 'seamless' for Kathmandu is an irony. Is Kathmandu really a seamless city, smooth, without any problem or hindrances? Or perhaps it is a seamless city  only for the rich and wealthy, and rough and course for poor and unfortunate people !!

b. 2nd Stanza :

I became soft 

when homeless children in Thamel

cried with with hunger under the bat-bearing 

trees of Kesharmahal;

I became soft

when I returned 

from the melee 

where ceremony 

dances with mad steps 

on the unweeded gardens of history 

growing around protruded rocks.

Short Explanation :

This second stanza brings to notice poverty stricken homeless, parentless children in Thamel crying for food under the bat-bearing trees of Kesharmahal. In fact the speaker has tried to present the differences between haves and have-nots in a very ironical way. 

[Bat bearing trees]

Kesharmahal and Thamel symbolize aristocracy, richness and prosperity. If Kesharmahal is the living place of (the then) aristocrats, the ruling class, Thamel is a lively touristic hub. Besides other aspects, one can find a large variety of local food-stalls, restaurants cafes, etc. The situational irony is that hungry children are crying for food in such a lavish (very rich) place. The well-to-do people, who have more than enough to spare, are quite indifferent to such people.

The image of the children sitting under "bat bearing trees" has a specific meaning. Here 'bats' symbolically represent ominousness (foreshadowing evil) and misfortune. Through the image of the hanging bats the speaker implies the impending misfortune and dark future of such street children. It appeals to the reader's emotions to the children, and is successful in doing so.

The speaker also gets soft while walking past places where people celebrating ceremonies or parties perhaps in big hotels, mindlessly dancing with mad steps and are only only in confusion.

If 'dancing with mad steps' is a loss of rationality in society, 'melee' shows how we have been living in a confusing state, where there is no clear vision in the society. This can also be interpreted as a handful of people is busy in merrymaking; a large group people  have been struggling for food.

The speaker talks about "unweeded garden". In simple terms the "unweeded garden" means a neglected garden where weeds have been growing all around instead flower plants.

 Symbolically it indicates that previously the state (or the society) was a nice place to live in. It used to be a reasonable place and there were no social injustices. But now it is in a very bad state. Now it is lost in sin, corruption malpractices (the weeds). Thus the present society has become an 'unweeded' garden.

Again, here also we find the speaker not losing hope. The word "unweeded' also implies that it is still possible to save the garden because 'weeds' can be uprooted. 

In other words, the negative aspects like corruption, inhumanity, social injustices can be eliminated from the society (state). Only a strong will power is needed to make our society a reasonable place to live in.

c. 3rd stanza :

I became soft

when I alone turned to you 

leaving deep dents of words 

on these white sheets;

I became soft storm 

when I saw a forlorn child 

carrying transistor radio around his neck 

run around wailing 

to find his mother 

in the corridor of violent history.

I became a soft storm 

when I saw a man 

beaten mercilessly 

for no reason 

in no sensible times.

Short explanation :

This stanza portrays painful condition of street children/ parentless children. Here we find a poor lonely child (with a radio around his neck) crying and wailing around searching for his mother. She is lost somewhere. She might have been a victim of some cruelty of society, and the poor boy is unable to find her. 

It is not only at the sight of such scenes, but the speaker also becomes emotional while composing a realistic poem like this intimidating coercive society.

The other picture of increasing lawlessness and crime prevailing in the city is presented here. It has been so easy for somebody for bullying (oppressing/ tyrannizing) beating a person mercilessly before his family for no reason at all. The sad thing is that no body even dares opposing or stopping  such bullying behaviour.

No doubt, such events/ situations make the speaker's heart soft.

d. 4th Stanza :

I became soft

when I saw a blood-stained shirt 

speaking in the earth's ears

with bruised human lips

in the far corner 

under the moon 

of history and dreams 

playing hide and seek in open museums 

of human times.

Short explanation : 

This stanza is also a continuity of increasing crime occurrences in society. The goons in the streets commit crimes with impunity. They have no fear to be punished by the state. Here we find a man with blood stained shirt and bruised lips.

[Bruised lips]

He has been a victim of some powerful people, and has been silenced by them (perhaps for ever).

The dreams of the poor and weak people only play a hide and seek. Their dreams are not translated into reality. Such people rarely get any legal and social justice in this land.

e. 5th stanza :

I became soft 

since you gave words 

but did not listen to them,

gave storms 

but didn't wait to see its Leela

over the silent stone. 

Short explanation : 

 This stanza comes as a form of complaint to the God. His complain is that although He had given words (to the common people) for Raksha (protection from bad or evil or dangers), He didn't keep his words. He (the Lord)gave storm, but didn't even wait to see the effects of its Leela (the Divine game/ the storm) on the common people.

f. 6th stanza : 

Crocuses have grown

over the stone --

I saw last moonlit night,

storms have loitered

in the narrow lanes

where I too have walked alone 

pensively in rain tears

and little chuckles of sun laughter

that have risen and melted 

like rainbow.

Soft is my storm 

that rages and rages 

over silent pages, 

silent stones,

silent forlorn shirts carrying war memories,

silent dilapidations of God's abodes

where dances and songs 

are buried under helpless debris

in human courtyards.

Short explanation :

This stanza talks about loitering of the storm as well as the speaker's. It presents us both with despair as well as sparks of hope. If the grown crocuses indicate hope, the lurking storm indicates the hanging (impending) despair. Yet the little nudge (a light friendly touch to attract attention) appears but only for a momentary period ('chuckles like rainbow') . 

This stanza presents a shift in the speaker's emotion and tone. The softness of his heart gradually turns to rage (anger/ temper). Here he grows more rebellious towards the injustices, inequalities, and absurdities prevailing in the society. 

The speaker's contemplation over the absurdities of the modern Nepalese society, social injustices, etc. increase his rage, and he pours his rage on the white pages (in the form of poetry).

Here he wants to give voice to the poor and the downtrodden, which is otherwise silent ('silent forlorn shirts ... in human courtyards). 

Images like 'dilapidations of God's abodes', 'divine debris' tell about demoralization in society and the downfall of religious faiths in people. This shows spiritual emptiness, loss of faith and moral values of the modern times.

g. 7th stanza :

Soft is what you saw, 

I honour your mooneyes

but the mad time spools 

winding all that we see and live with,

stone growing in flower

moon humming melodies

history rushing under the lamppost

and over deforested land,

bird singing bizarre journeys

over the warming earth 

rhododendron blooming in winter,

mother earth telling of the tumults

in the songs of the sad birds.

All in unison have created  

this soft gale.

Short explanation :

In this stanza the speaker talks about 'mad times' which has been spooling winding everything, both positive and negative. That may be anything and everything that we live with -- from positive things (like growing crocuses) to deforestation and land degradation. Here 'mad times' indicates the tumultuous-times when society has lost reason and conscience (a person's moral sense of right and wrong).

It is not only a single factor that has created a soft gale in him, rather several factors together have made this gale in him, and has made his heart getting trouble.

h. 8th stanza

But in these hard times 

I want to melt like a rainbow

my soft storm in your minuscule sky.

My soft storm 

dances in ripples

of your uneasy lake.

Short explanation :

This is the concluding stanza. Here the speaker concludes with a hope for a better situation. He wants his rainbow melt in the tumultuous lake of the mad times. Rainbows have always been symbols of hope. There goes a saying "Somewhere over the rainbow dreams come over true and troubles melt like lemon drops."

Ripples represent spreading love. The ripples you make represent your passion for life. They are also your kindness for others, and your need to help to those unfortunate. You give them hope, joy and confidence. Here the ripples created by his soft storm tell us the speaker's effort to spread love and hope to others.

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3. Questions and Answers

Before Reading :

Answer the following questions 

Question a. Have you ever grown sad/happy observing things around you ?

Answer : Our environment and surroundings influence our mood. If beautiful and pleasant surroundings make us happy, a sad gloomy or depressing environment sad or depressed.

I become extremely sad when I see poor little children begging for alms in the streets, and people insulting them.

I become happy when I find people celebrating their festivals together forgetting their cast or creed.

Question b. Point out three things you are happy about within your surroundings.

Answer : There are lots of things that I am not happy about within my surroundings.

Three of them are: 

• whenever I hear that someone got raped, bullied or harassed or assaulted
• whenever I find people being judged on the basis of their cast, colour or wealth
• whenever I see people not valuing the importance of food and wasting  them.

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Understanding the text:

Answer the following questions :

Question a : When does the speaker grow soft ? Enlist the occasions when he grows soft.

Answer : The speaker grows soft on several occasions. Some of them are as follows :

• when he hears the tumult and crash on the eerie stillness
• when homeless children cry with hunger 
• when the speaker is in confusion whether there is celebration or hunger
• when he finds a forlorn child searching for his mother from whom he has been separated
• when he sees poor helpless people bullied or harrassed by rich people, etc .

Question b : What do you understand by 'this seamless city' ?

Answer : A 'seamless city' is a city which is orderly, friendly, and where life is smooth for all citizen. Here the phrase is ironically used for Kathmandu, which is in fact seamless (easy to live in/ without any problem) only for rich people, and is coarse and most difficult for the poor and the down trodden. 

Question c : Describe the poor children portrayed in in the poem.

Answer : The poor children are in a very pitiful situation. They are homeless and are hungry. Most of them move around in Thamel or such places in search of food.

Question d : What do you understand by 'the unweeded gardens of history' ?

Answer : This phrase means the present society which has been full if sins, corruptions, malpractices and social injustices since past. Such undesirable elements are still ignored and not addressed yet.

Question e. Why was the forlorn child wailing ?

Answer : The forlorn child was wailing because he had been separated from his mother. She was lost somewhere.

Question f. What do you understand by 'soft storm' ?

Answer : 'Soft storm' indicates the trubulent stormy/ storm tossed) heart of the speaker at the sight of the social injustices, inequalities and absurdities. Although his emotions and feelings get intense at such sights, but not violent and destructive to make him a core rebel.  

Question g. Why does the speaker call our time 'mad time' ?

Answer : 'Mad times' here indicates the present tumultuous-times when society has lost its reason and conscious (a person's moral sense of right and wrong).

Question f. What does the speaker want to do in 'hard times' ?

Answer : He wants to melt like a rainbow and let his soft storm dance in ripples in the uneasy lake.

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Reference to the Context:

Question a. The poet uses the word 'soft' with the words like 'storm' and 'gale', which generally refer to disorder and violence. What effect does the poet achieve through the use of such anomolous expressions ?

Answer : By juxtaposing 'soft' with words like 'storm' and 'gale' the poet wants to bring a contrasting effect. 

Words like 'soft' and 'gale' are strong words. They  are related with his strong feelings like bitter indignant feelings. They show his growing rage at the turmoil and violence of the society. 

But he has modified his rage by using the adjective 'soft'. This shows although he feels a rage at his heart, he feels compassion for the victims of this situation. Then he gets soft, and thus his storm also becomes soft.

Thus he wants to bring a balance in his feelings.

Question b. What is the speaker's attitude towards the time he describes in the poem ?

Answer : The time described in the poem is tumultuous, confused and disorderly. There is loss of humanity, morals and and religious values. There is also degradation of environment in the modern times. There is humanity left in the society. 

If on the one side the richer and more powerful people are mad with their position, the common and downtrodden people have been the victims at the hands of them. 

Question c. What is the speaker like? Is he a rebel? Why? Why not?

Answer : There is no doubt that the speaker is raged at the different social absurdities and helplessness of the common people in the modern society. He feels rebellious at his heart. 

But this emotion is again softened by the feelings of compassion for the victims of such social and economic inequalities. 

This poem ends with a positive note. So we can say that the storm in heart is soft, it is not harsh or hard to turn him a core rebel.

Question d. Explain the stanza below in your own words: 

I became soft

when I saw

a blood-stained shirt

speaking in the earth's ears

with bruised human lips

in the far corner

under the moon

of history and dreams

playing hide and seek

in open museums

of human times.

Answer : This stanza is also a continuity of increasing crime occurrences in society. The goons in the streets commit crimes with impunity. They have no fear to be punished by the state. Here we find a man with blood stained shirt and bruised lips.

He has been a victim of some powerful people, and has been silenced by them (perhaps for ever).

The dreams of the poor and weak people only play a hide and seek. They rarely get legal and social justice in this land.

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Reference beyond the text

Question a. Write an essay, highlighting your dissatisfaction towards social, cultural, economic and political issues prevailing in Nepal at present.

Answer : Nepal has big reasons for being proud of it. It has a glorious past and a rich culture. Its identity has been as the land of Lord Buddha and Sagarmatha. In spite  of every benefit, our country could not prosper as much as it should have . 

There are certain social, cultural, economic and political issues in our country. If they are not addressed timely, it would be even more and more difficult to prosper in future.

The backbone of all development of any country is education.  It is in this field, where I have much dissatisfaction. Our education sector is not good. It is flawed. If children from richer families go to costly private boarding schools, common people are forced to send their children to community schools. This is creating two different types manpower in our society. This system leads to inequalities and social injustices. 

Further, both educated and uneducated youths are running to foreign countries for employment. This foreign employment leads to brain drain. If we talk about villages, it is mostly populated by old people who can't involve in agriculture.

The foreign trade is in poor condition. The heavy import and negligible export has made the country's economy all the more vulnerable. This is causing an increasing trade deficit. The inflation rate is increasing and increasing. 

We are losing our cultural identity. Our faith in religion is gradually fading away. Only writing on face walls will not make situation any better. 

All such problems are directly related with the political scenario of our country. We have never had a stable government in our country. Our governments change very frequently. An unstable government can't make or pursue any long term economic or other policies.

Besides, there is open nepotism and favoritism. That's the central reason of many of such problems.  My blood boils when I see instances of this. 

The other problems which rage me are cast system and untouchability. And the list is very long.

The time has come now. In a democratic country like ours, voters have a great role to play. So it is our duty to elect for right parties and right people, this will help in addressing many of our problems.

Question b. Suppose you are a rebel, who wants to change the society by eliminating malpractices and anomalies prevailing in the society. Draft a speech outlining your vision for change.

Answer : 

Dear friends

Here I stand before you to share my opinions about the present day situation of our society. 

Well, where from to start and where to end !! The world has changed a lot, both technically and from perspectives. But we haven't been able to keep up with the same speed. We are lagging behind, and this hampers our progress.

The main reason of it is that we are in chains. Chains like societal, malpractices and anomalies are prevalent every where in our society. They have always obstructed from walking with the pace of world development. 

It's not that you are unaware of such malpractices. Haven't you heard about untouchability, or superstitions, alcoholism or illiteracy ?? Or are you unaware of our high rate of inflation, or unemployment !! There are many such anomalies in our society. 

I have often seen you writing and protesting against these on social media. 

But you know your face book posts might lodge your dissent or even rage, they won't play any role in changing our society for better. 

So get up friends. Don't be contented only with face book posts. Leave your inertia, and get up for the betterment of our country. 

 Doesn't your blood boil when you listen to the news of political or economic scams, or about nepotism !! Don't you love your society ? Country and society need you.

So come together, and try to change at least the political system, and that would help in eliminating other malpractices too.

Thank you ....

(Image Credit : Google Images)

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