[Literature Form Three] Poem Poisoned Talk

Synopsis

The title of this poem signifies the main content of the poem itself that is the poisoning of
the environment by pollution. In each stanza, the poem reveals what has happened to the
environment. A question will be posed, then followed by an answer. The answer given kind of
exposing or showing a confession. Throughout the poem, we will find out that the real culprit
who is responsible polluting the environment is man. The poet was trying to tell us how man's
greed destroys the environment.

Paraphrase of the Poem

Stanza 1
The narrator posed a question on who killed cock robin. The worm confesses and took responsibility.
The cause of the bird's death is poisoning due to eating the poisonous worm. The worm is poisonous
because it was poisoned by the acid soil which is toxic and harmful to plants and trees. That is why the
tree where cock robin died is 'a withered tree', that means a weak and dry tree.

Stanza 2
The narrator asks who killed the heron and the fish confesses. It killed the heron when the bird fed on
his poisoned flesh. The fish further confesses that he killed all the birds of the lake including duck,
drake and tern.

Stanza 3
The narrator posed a question on who killed the lake. 'Industry' boasts that he's the culprit. 'Industry'
explains that he poisoned the fish, weeds and the plants in the lake with mercury. Mercury is a
hazardous and poisonous substance that is released into the environment through industrial processes
and reckless disposal of industrial waste. 'Industry' claimed that he poisoned the lake to please 'greedy
men' (referring to mankind/people) who do not want to spend money to dispose hazardous industrial
waste properly. They simply want to gain more profits.

Stanza 4
The narrator asks who killed the flowers. The wind admitted to the crime. The wind explained that he
killed the flowers by carrying acid rain over the land, be it cultivated field, flooded land or wetlands.
Like acid soil, acid rain destroys plants.

Stanza 5
The narrator posed a question on who killed the forest. Sulphur dioxide takes accountability. He made
sure the forest died along with all the wildlife and creatures. Sulphur dioxide is a smelly gas or liquid
produced through industrial processes and the burning of coal and petroleum. It dissolves in water to
form acid. Air polluted by sulphur dioxide turns rain into acid rain, which is harmful to plants and
wildlife. Sulphur dioxide claims that he killed all life from the earthworm to the linnet, showing us how
powerful and lethal sulphur dioxide is.
Themes

 Accountability for the destruction and damage of the environment and wildlife.
On the surface, it seems like the worm, fish, Industry, wind and sulphur dioxide committed the crimes.
However, they are not the real killers. If we follow the chain of cause and effect, we realise that the
real killer in all the crimes is man/human.

For instance, the fish confessed to the killing of heron. The heron died due to the tainted flesh of the
fish, poisoned by water pollution. So, the real killer here is not the heron, but the person who polluted
the lake instead.
 The consequences of man's greed on the environment.

Man's greed influences them to use shortcuts in order to gain profit. They use cheaper sources of
energy like coal-burning and dispose industrial waste in a wrong way. These actions lead to the
pollution of the environment and destruction of nature and life.

Point of View

 Third person
 The persona asks questions and reports the replies (answers).
Language and Style

1. Easy to read and understand

2. The poem has 5 verses consisting of 5 lines each.
3. Each verse begins with a question about a crime committed against nature and
environment. The answer to the question is in italicised text.

Tone, Mood and Atmosphere

Tone: Ironic and sombre

The characters that confess to the killings in each verse are actually not the real killers. The poet uses
irony to draw attention to the truth where in fact, humans are the real killers.

For instance, the worm confesses that he killed cock robin. Ironically, the worm himself is twice a
victim. First, he was poisoned by the acid soil. Then, he was eaten by the bird.

Mood : Grim and chilling

The poem focuses on unnatural death and killing. In the last stanza, the last killer says that he ensured
that the forest and all the creatures in it died.

Atmosphere: Grim
The use of words like 'killed, 'great harm', 'died', 'withered', 'poisoned', 'tainted', and 'moaned' created
the grim atmosphere.

Vocabulary:
sombre - dark or dull in color or tone; gloomy
grim - depressing or worrying to consider, forbidding or uninviting
withered - i. (of a plant) become dry and shriveled ii. cause harm or damage to
tainted - contaminate or pollute (something)

Rhyme and Rhythm

Rhyme pattern: abbcc

POETRY DEVICES
 Irony - use of irony can be seen in the confessions to the crimes. Each culprit confesses to the
killing/the crime is actually not the real killer. Though there seems to be so many killers, at the end of
the day, there is only one killer i.e. man.
 Repetition - 'Who killed', 'I'
 Symbolism
i. poison - pollution
ii. killing of cock robin - destruction to wildlife via the natural food chain as a result of land pollution
iv. killing of the heron and the birds of the lake - the lethal effect of water pollution
v. killing of the lake - danger of industrial waste
vi. killing of the flowers by the wind - air pollution
vii.killing of the forest - threat to the whole Earth
 Personification
i. Those who confess to the killings referred to themselves using the first person pronouns 'I' and 'my'.
ii. They speak pertaining to the crimes in a human-like voice.
iii. 'Industry' begins with a capital letter like a name and 'boasted' like a man.
iv. The wind 'moaned' and prowls
v. Sulphur dioxide 'ensured' the forest died.

MESSAGES
Through 'Poisoned Talk', the author wants to convey these messages:

Love the environment

We should not pollute and harm our nature. It is for our own good and also for the generations after us.
We need a clean and healthy place to live.

Learn to take responsibility for our crimes against nature.

In this poem, the author wants us to really think and comprehend, who is the real killers that should be
blamed for the crime committed. All the deaths are caused by pollution, made by human beings.

Protect the environment, stop pollution

A polluted environment is not the best place to live. Hence, we need to stop polluting the environment
with our acts. The author has pointed out that many animals have died due to pollution committed by
man. We need to do something to stop pollution in order to avoid the destruction of the environment.

MORAL VALUES
1. We must love our nature and the environment.
2. We must be accountable for what we have done to the environment.
3. We must take responsibility for our crimes against nature.
4. We must take all reasonable steps to protect the environment.
5. We must be moderate in life, avoid being greedy and wanting more than we need so
that we will not infringe the right of others.
Settings

PLACE

 Countryside where all kinds of animals and plants live

 England and Europe where birds like robins, terns, herons, ducks, and linnets are commonly
found
 Not far from the industrial area which polluted the place

TIME
 20th century - scientists only began studying the effects of acid rain in the late 1960s.