Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher by Nissim Ezekiel | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Nissim Ezekiel | Word Meaning | Questions Answers | Critical Appreciation | Themes | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher
(Nissim Ezekiel)
To force the pace and never to be still
Is not the way of those who study birds
Or women. The best poets wait for words.
The hunt is not an exercise of will
But patient love relaxing on a hill
To note the movement of a timid wing;
Until the one who knows that she is loved
No longer waits but risks surrendering –
In this the poet finds his moral proved
Who never spoke before his spirit moved.
The slow movement seems, somehow, to say much more.
To watch the rarer birds, you have to go
Along deserted lanes and where the rivers flow
In silence near the source, or by a shore
Remote and thorny like the heart’s dark floor.
And there the women slowly turn around,
Not only flesh and bone but myths of light
With darkness at the core, and sense is found
But poets lost in crooked, restless flight,
The deaf can hear, the blind recover sight.
Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher: YouTube Link
Poet Lover Birdwatcher Analysis
To force the pace and never to be still
Is not the way of those who study birds
Or women. The best poets wait for words.
The hunt is not an exercise of will
But patient love relaxing on a hill
To note the movement of a timid wing;
Until the one who knows that she is loved
No longer waits but risks surrendering –
In this the poet finds his moral proved
Who never spoke before his spirit moved.
Reference to Context:
In “Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher”, Nissim Ezekiel talks about the patience and care needed in poetry, love, and nature observation. He uses birdwatching as a metaphor to show that the best way to understand nature, poetry, or love is not by rushing, but by waiting quietly and observing carefully. The poem teaches that when writing poetry or loving someone, it is important not to force things. Instead, we should let things happen naturally and wait for the right moment. The message is clear: patience and sensitivity are essential for deeper understanding, whether in creating poetry, experiencing love, or watching birds.
Explanation:
The poem opens with the lines “To force the pace and never to be still / Is not the way of those who study birds / Or women.” Here, Ezekiel immediately sets the tone by rejecting haste and force. The “pace” refers to the hurried or impatient actions people often take in life, but the poet insists that true understanding, whether of birds, women, or poetry, comes from patience. Both birdwatching and relationships require calm observation, not aggressive pursuit.
The next lines, “The best poets wait for words,” reveal the poet’s belief that creativity cannot be forced. The poet is not someone who churns out verses under pressure, but someone who waits for the right words to come, allowing the spirit to guide the process. This highlights the idea that poetry, like love, is a process of receptivity rather than willful effort.
Ezekiel uses the metaphor of birdwatching to elaborate: “The hunt is not an exercise of will / But patient love relaxing on a hill / To note the movement of a timid wing.” Here, the act of watching a bird is likened to love—both require patience. The “timid wing” symbolizes vulnerability, and the “hill” suggests a high, calm vantage point from which to observe. The poet emphasizes that both in love and in art, one must wait for the right moment to notice and appreciate the subtle movements of the world.
The lines “Until the one who knows that she is loved / No longer waits but risks surrendering” shift the focus to love. They suggest that when a woman feels secure in her lover’s affection, she no longer needs to wait for reassurance. Instead, she surrenders herself to the love offered. This “surrendering” is a natural consequence of being understood and loved. The poet believes this moment of surrender is where the “moral” of the poem is found, mirroring the poet’s own realization when true inspiration comes.
Finally, “Who never spoke before his spirit moved” reflects the ultimate message of the poem: the poet (and lover) must act only when they are truly moved, not out of impulse or compulsion. This echoes the central theme of the poem—the importance of waiting, listening, and allowing time for things to unfold naturally.
Poetic Devices:
Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds enhances the poem’s rhythm and draws attention to key phrases, such as the repeated “w” sound in “wait for words” emphasizes the theme of patience and careful observation.
Metaphor: Ezekiel uses the metaphor of birdwatching to illustrate the act of writing poetry and experiencing love. Just as birdwatching requires patience and careful observation, so does writing and loving. The “timid wing” represents the delicate and subtle nature of both poetry and relationships.
Imagery: The imagery of “relaxing on a hill” and “timid wing” creates a serene, peaceful scene, which contrasts with the hustle and impatience of modern life. This image reinforces the theme of patience in both love and art. Similarly, the image of “surrendering” captures the emotional openness that comes from true affection and trust.
Personification: The poem personifies both poetry and love, presenting them as living, responsive entities. The poet “waits for words,” and love is described as something that can “surrender” once it is understood. This personification adds depth to the idea that both love and poetry are organic, evolving processes.
Antithesis: The contrast between “to force the pace” and “wait for words” introduces the central tension of the poem: the difference between rushing and waiting. This antithesis highlights the futility of impatience and reinforces the idea that true meaning in both love and poetry comes only with time.
Enjambment: The use of enjambment, where the sentence runs beyond the line break (e.g., “The hunt is not an exercise of will / But patient love relaxing on a hill”), mirrors the uninterrupted flow of natural processes, whether it’s the flow of poetry or the unfolding of love.
Symbolism: Birds symbolize both the elusive nature of poetry and love. The “timid wing” suggests fragility and vulnerability, and the “hill” symbolizes a place of calm observation. These symbols reinforce the idea that patience, rather than force, is key to understanding both nature and human relationships.
The slow movement seems, somehow, to say much more.
To watch the rarer birds, you have to go
Along deserted lanes and where the rivers flow
In silence near the source, or by a shore
Remote and thorny like the heart’s dark floor.
And there the women slowly turn around,
Not only flesh and bone but myths of light
With darkness at the core, and sense is found
But poets lost in crooked, restless flight,
The deaf can hear, the blind recover sight.
Reference to Context:
This part of Nissim Ezekiel’s poem “Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher” talks about the importance of being patient and observing carefully to understand nature, love, and poetry. Ezekiel compares birdwatching to love and poetry, showing that rushing does not help in understanding them. Instead, waiting calmly and paying attention brings deeper understanding. He explains that women, nature, and poetry are complex, like mysteries. To truly understand them, we need to be quiet, thoughtful, and open-minded. Ezekiel highlights the beauty of patience and how it leads to meaningful connections and insights in life.
Explanation:
The lines “The slow movement seems, somehow, to say much more” suggest that patience and slowness convey deeper meaning than hurried or forceful actions. The slow, deliberate approach of birdwatching and of loving allows for a richer, more insightful experience. This slow, contemplative pace is linked to the natural world, where much is discovered in stillness.
Ezekiel then writes: “To watch the rarer birds, you have to go / Along deserted lanes and where the rivers flow / In silence near the source, or by a shore / Remote and thorny like the heart’s dark floor.” This further develops the metaphor of birdwatching, comparing the search for rare birds to the journey of understanding difficult or elusive truths. “Deserted lanes” and “remote shores” suggest places that are quiet, distant, and undisturbed by the noise of the world. These quiet, almost inaccessible places are likened to the inner emotional life—complex, obscure, and sometimes painful (“thorny like the heart’s dark floor”). The poet suggests that one must be willing to venture into these silent, uncharted territories to understand both nature and human emotions.
“And there the women slowly turn around, / Not only flesh and bone but myths of light / With darkness at the core, and sense is found” speaks to the complexity of women and relationships. Women are depicted as more than just physical beings; they are “myths of light,” representing both beauty and mystery, but with “darkness at the core.” This suggests that, like poetry or love, women are layered and complex, with an inner depth that requires patience to understand. The “myths of light” can also symbolize the ideals we often project onto women, while the “darkness at the core” reminds us of their complexity and contradictions.
The next lines “But poets lost in crooked, restless flight, / The deaf can hear, the blind recover sight” highlight the contrast between those who rush or seek meaning without the necessary stillness and patience (poets in “crooked, restless flight”) and those who are open to deeper, more profound revelations. The phrase “the deaf can hear, the blind recover sight” suggests a paradox, where the seemingly incapable (the deaf and the blind) are able to gain insight or understanding—perhaps because they are more attuned to what is not immediately apparent or what is not perceived through ordinary senses. It reinforces the idea that true insight comes not through conventional methods but through patience and a deeper, often non-visual, understanding.
Poetic Devices:
Alliteration: The repetition of “s” sounds in “silent near the source” creates a soft, calm atmosphere, mirroring the stillness needed for true understanding.
Metaphor: Ezekiel uses metaphors like “myths of light” and “darkness at the core” to convey the complexity of women and relationships. The metaphor of the “heart’s dark floor” connects the emotional realm with the remote, thorny places in nature, emphasizing the difficulty of accessing true feelings or understanding.
Imagery: Strong visual imagery is used throughout, such as “deserted lanes,” “remote shores,” and “myths of light with darkness at the core.” These images evoke a sense of mystery and depth, reinforcing the themes of complexity and patience. The image of women turning around slowly adds to this mystery, indicating a gradual unveiling of deeper truths.
Symbolism: The “rarer birds” symbolize elusive, difficult truths, whether in nature, love, or poetry. The “thorny” shore symbolizes emotional pain or complexity. Women, as described in the poem, are symbolic of the complexities of love, human connection, and the difficulty of truly understanding another person.
Contrast: Ezekiel contrasts the quiet, patient approach to life with the restless, “crooked” flight of poets. This opposition highlights the futility of impatience and suggests that true insight comes from a quiet, reflective approach, rather than through restless action.
Irony: The statement “the deaf can hear, the blind recover sight” is an example of irony, suggesting that those who might seem to be lacking in perception or understanding may, in fact, gain deeper insights. This emphasizes the idea that true understanding often comes from being open to what cannot be immediately seen or heard.
Personification: The poem gives human qualities to abstract concepts, such as “the heart’s dark floor” and “myths of light,” which adds emotional depth to the natural and emotional landscapes Ezekiel is exploring.
