Class 9, Poem 6: No Men Are Foreign

NCERT solutions for Poem 6, "No Men Are Foreign," by James Kirkup, from the Beehive textbook for Class 9.

**Thinking about the Poem**

**I.**

**1. (i) “Beneath all uniforms…” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about?**

    **(ii) How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same?**

**Answer:**

**(i)** The poet is speaking about the uniforms worn by soldiers of different countries. These uniforms often represent different nationalities, armies, or factions and can create a superficial sense of difference. By extension, "uniforms" can also symbolize any external differences like culture, language, or societal attire that distinguish groups of people.

**(ii) The poet suggests that all people on earth are the same in several ways:**

    * **A single body breathes:** Beneath all external appearances (uniforms), every human being has the same living, breathing body.

    * **The land is the same everywhere:** The land our "brothers" (people of other countries) walk upon is the same Earth as ours.

    * **All will be buried in the same earth:** Ultimately, everyone, regardless of nationality, will die and lie in the same earth.

    * **They too are aware of sun and air and water:** People everywhere share the same fundamental natural resources and experiences (stanza 2).

    * **They are fed by peaceful harvests and starved by war’s long winter:** The experience of peace bringing prosperity (harvests) and war bringing suffering (starvation) is common to all (stanza 2).

    * **Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read / A labour not different from our own:** People everywhere work with their hands, and their hard work is similar to ours (stanza 2).

    * **They have eyes that wake or sleep, and strength that can be won by love:** The basic human functions (waking, sleeping) and emotional responses (being won by love) are universal (stanza 3).

    * **In every land is common life that all can recognise and understand:** The fundamental aspects of life and human experience are recognizable and understandable across all cultures (stanza 3).

**2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick out the words.**

**Answer:**

In stanza 1, five ways in which we all are alike, and the corresponding words/phrases, are:

    1. "no men are strange" - No human is inherently alien.

    2. "no countries foreign" - All land is part of one Earth.

    3. "a single body breathes" - Everyone has the same basic physical being.

    4. "the land our brothers walk upon / Is earth like this" - We all share the same planet.

    5. "in which we all shall lie" - We all share a common end in the same earth.

**3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2? Pick out the words.**

**Answer:**

Common features in stanza 2 include:

    1. "aware of sun" - All experience the sun.

    2. "aware of... air" - All breathe the same air.

    3. "aware of... water" - All need the same water.

    4. "Are fed by peaceful harvests" - All benefit from peace and prosperity.

    5. "by war’s long winter starv’d" - All suffer from the deprivations of war.

    6. "Their hands are ours" - Similar physical capabilities (hands).

    7. "in their lines we read / A labour not different from our own" - Similar types of work and effort.

**4. “…whenever we are told to hate our brothers…” When do you think this happens? Why? Who ‘tells’ us? Should we do as we are told at such times? What does the poet say?**

**Answer:**

* **When this happens:** This usually happens during times of conflict, war, or political tension between countries or groups.

* **Why:** It happens to create a sense of "us" versus "them," to demonize the other side, and to justify aggression or discrimination. It's often a tool to manipulate public opinion and garner support for a particular agenda.

* **Who ‘tells’ us:** We are often told this by powerful people or groups with vested interests, such as political leaders, propagandists, or those who benefit from division and conflict. Sometimes, it can also be societal or cultural conditioning.

* **Should we do as we are told?:** No, we should not do as we are told at such times.

* **What the poet says:** The poet says that when we hate our "brothers" (people from other countries), we actually "dispossess, betray, condemn" ourselves. He implies that hating others is a self-destructive act that harms our own humanity and defiles the earth we all share ("our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence / Of air that is everywhere our own"). The poet advocates for recognizing our common humanity and rejecting hatred.