POEM

2.5 SATIRE
VERY INDIAN POEM IN DINDIAN ENGLISH

ANALYSIS:

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.

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” 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.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS:

Q: What is the central theme of Nissim Ezekiel's poem "The Very Indian Poem in Indian English"?
A: The central theme of the poem is the struggle to express Indian identity and culture using the
English language. Ezekiel grapples with the challenge of conveying the nuances of Indian culture
while writing in English.

Q: How does the poem address the idea of cultural hybridity?

A: The poem addresses cultural hybridity by highlighting the tension between Indian and English
cultural elements. It reflects the poet's endeavor to fuse these two worlds while staying true to
his Indian roots.

Q: What are some specific cultural references in the poem?

A: The poem makes references to Indian cultural elements such as "bindi," "Brahmin," and "sitar."
These references underscore the attempt to infuse Indian culture into English poetry.

Q: How does the poem play with language and syntax?

A: Ezekiel's poem plays with language and syntax by deliberately incorporating Indian linguistic
influences into the English language. He uses unique word choices and sentence structures that
are characteristic of Indian English.

Q: What is the significance of the phrase "Indian English"?

A: The phrase "Indian English" in the poem highlights the poet's intention to create a distinct
linguistic and cultural space within the English language. It emphasizes the uniqueness of English
as spoken and written in India.

Q: How does the poem reflect the poet's struggle with identity?
A: The poem reflects the poet's internal struggle with his identity as an Indian writing in English.
Ezekiel grapples with the tension between his Indian heritage and the colonial legacy of English,
a struggle that many Indian writers faced during the post-independence period.

Q: What is the poet's attitude towards the English language in the poem?
A: In the poem, the poet has a complex attitude towards the English language. He acknowledges
the English language's influence and utility but also seeks to redefine it within the context of
Indian culture and identity.

Q: How does the poem convey a sense of irony?

A: The poem conveys irony by juxtaposing the inherently Indian elements with the English
language, creating a sense of cultural collision. The poet's use of humor and irony highlights the
absurdity of trying to fit the rich tapestry of Indian culture into the constraints of the English
language.

Q: What impact did Nissim Ezekiel's poem have on Indian English literature?
A: Nissim Ezekiel's poem "The Very Indian Poem in Indian English" made a significant impact on
Indian English literature. It challenged conventional notions of language and identity, paving the
way for future generations of Indian writers to explore their unique voices and cultural identities
within the English language.