This is the way that autumn came to the trees:
it stripped them down to the skin,
left their ebony bodies naked.
It shook out their hearts, the yellow leaves,
scattered them over the ground.
Anyone could trample them out of shape
undisturbed by a single moan of protest.
The birds that herald dreams
were exiled from their song,
each voice torn out of its throat.
They dropped into the dust
even before the hunter strung his bow.
Oh, God of May have mercy.
Bless these withered bodies
with the passion of your resurrection;
make their dead veins flow with blood again.
Give some tree the gift of green again.
Let one bird sing.
Notes
(translated by Naomi Lazard)
Each of the translations in The True Subject is a consequence of long and arduous collaborations between Lazard and Faiz -- Faiz would first provide Lazard with a literal translation of the poem, Lazard would then interrogate him on each and every aspect of the text to understand every nuance, every image, and every metaphor before beginning its English incarnation. The final result is remarkable: a reader familiar with both languages cannot fail to realize that the verses in both incarnations are the work of the same poet.
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Incredible
From guest Kulwinder (contact)
Was he talking of Partition? A violent Autumn that shook two trees; India and Pakistan. Millions dead. Brilliant. Faiz is without parallel. -
analysis for english 10 honors
From guest hayleypm93 (contact)
“When Autumn Came” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz is metaphoric personification of change having a huge impact on something near and dear to him. The first couple lines say, “This is the way that autumn came to the trees:/it stripped them down to the skin,/left their ebony bodies naked,” which means that autumn, representing change, has destroyed the ‘trees’ and left them without their outward protection. These trees could symbolize anything, but later on through this poem and after reading the information from www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/1558 I have been to led to believe that they stand for Faiz’s country, or Faiz himself. This is simply because Faiz had a bit of a rough life since he was in war and arrested and sentenced to death. “It shook out their hearts, the yellow leaves,/scattered them over the ground,” (lines 4 through 5) go into deeper detail of how badly these trees were hurt and wounded from the big change that occurred earlier. Perhaps the great war going on, World War 2, could take the place of autumn, and Faiz is referring to how badly countries and their people were injured throughout it. “Anyone could trample them out of shape/undisturbed by a single moan of protest,” (lines 6 through 7) portray the vulnerability of their country, the trees. Line 7 suggests that possibly the country is already too weak to protest. In lines 8 through 11, Faiz states that “The birds that herald dreams/were exiled from their song,/each voice torn out of its throat./The dropped into the dust/even before the hunter strung his bow,” meaning that the things that gave people hope before this war have long been gone. Even before the war started, perhaps the country was collapsing somehow, leaving people hopeless. This also could mean that people were losing hope and dreading the war before it came just because they knew some kind of violence like that was bound to occur. The crying out to the “God of May” (12) seems a teeny bit ironic since I do believe Pakistani religion is hugely Muslim. Why would a Muslim beg mercy from the God of May? I’m assuming Faiz was only referring to his one god, and simply putting an emphasis on May since it represents spring and fertility. “Bless these withered bodies/with the passion of your resurrection;/make their dead veins flow with blood again,” (lines 13 through 15) illustrates how the people, including Faiz, are crying out for a rebirth to end this dreadful autumn. In other words, the people are sick of suffering from the war, and they deeply long for it to stop and for things to go back to normal. Lastly, “Give some tree the gift of green again./Let one bird sing,” (lines 16 and 17) show how desperate Faiz is for the war to end. The people are suffering so much that they would even appreciate one little thing changing and giving them hope. These people aren’t demanding everything to change, but pleading for even something tiny to go back to normal. -
From guest Ellen Clare (contact)
Of course it is a metaphor. The seasons tend to be used as a metaphor for life. Spring is the resurrection. I think the trees are a representation of his country and the birds are his people and he is asking his god to give them new life and new hope. To let their way of life be revived. On another level (This poem certainly has more than one level) he is also talking about death, life and heaven. Beautifully done. -
about the poem
From guest raghav agarwal (contact)
its a fantastic poem..i just loved reading it..the way faiz ji has depicted the violence of autumn is marvellous... -
I loved the first stanza...it had something that the others did not. A beautiful piece.
Sam
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I am not familair with Faiz but I wonder if it may not be a metaphor for other things a beautiful metaphor indeed but not talking about nature at all. People poverty wretchedness I am not sure but it makes me wonder. God of May. I would have to read the original to know who exactly is addressed in this. Faiz being a muslim would not normally address any particular God but ONE GOD the all encompassing the absolute. Here I think it is not a God of May but THE GOD who is God of everything and also the God of May.
Most of the famous poets of the sub continent who were Faiz' contemporaries had marxist sympathies. This poem makes me have no doubt that Faiz too wrote of the suffering of the people. India and Pakistan after Independence were stepped in poverty, yet in both countries rich landowners existed who exploited the poor farmers who caught between the landlords and moneylenders had no hope of survival. Besides the urban factory workers too were steeped in their own brand of misery. there were people from all occupations who were bound with one common factor that was poverty. The poetry of this time reflects a social conscience. many a poet spent time in jail for their concerns and outspokenness in the earlier years. Though later they had more freedom to speak out.
Edited on Feb 22, 4:55 because ''. -
The stanza gave the images that it presented, and it did it well. And the rest didn't exactly give me the excellent images as the first but it did sing with a voice that spoke many words.
A good piece written by this author.
To BrokenGemini,
I believe that line is a metaphor for the naturistic viewing of a forest of some kind (tho I may be wrong and in that case if I am then it would be towards a Muslim viewing and not a Christian one).
And from your second comment it seems you have a better understanding of the piece then I feel your first comment relays.
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This is a beautiful plea to nature, to mother nature, to life. . . to Spring. . . . and, in this long-lasting winter, I too, and making a case to the God of May.
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This poem is filled with personification, and I absolutely love it. It's just the right length. . . . I like the line -- Bless these withered bodies. . . it sounds like something I would say as an interfaith minister.
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