The Hill Poem by Nissim Ezekiel

The Hill

Rating: 3.8


This normative hill
like all others
is transparently accessible,
out there
and in the mind,
not to be missed
except in peril of one's life.

Do not muse on it
from a distance:
it's not remote
for the view only,
it's for the sport
of climbing.

What the hill demands
is a man
with forces flowering
as from the crevices
of rocks and rough surfaces
wild flowers
force themselves towards the sun
and burn
for a moment.

How often must I
say to myself
what I say to others:
trust your nerves—
in conversation or in bed
the rhythm comes.

And once you begin
hang on for life.
What is survival?
What is existence?
I am not talking about
poetry. I am
talking about
perishing
outrageously
and calling it
activity.
I say: be done with it.
I say:
you've got to love that hill.

Be wrathful, be impatient
that you are not
on the hill. Do not forgive
yourself or other,
though charity
is all very well.
Do not rest
in irony or acceptance.
Man should not laugh
when he is dying.
In decent death
you flow into another kind of time
which is the hill
you always thought you knew.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Ratnakar Mandlik 06 September 2019

A profound poem raising basic questions of survival and existence. Well deserved modern poem of the Day.

2 1 Reply
M Asim Nehal 05 January 2016

Nice imagery in your poem........8

2 0 Reply
Dr Antony Theodore 06 September 2019

And once you begin hang on for life. What is survival? What is existence? philosophical expressions. tony

2 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 06 September 2019

CONGRATULATIONS Modern POD.

1 0 Reply
Rajnish Manga 06 September 2019

A beautiful poem on life and death involving the baggage and the tribulations in between. Thanks for sharing this philosophical treat.

1 0 Reply
Mahtab Bangalee 06 September 2020

I think this hill is the lesson of human life; human can learn from this hill the gravity in mentality, the calmness in mind, the liberal mood in heart from the hill as well as all parts of nature; beautiful poetic writing; pleasurable to read all

1 0 Reply
Khairul Ahsan 06 September 2020

'trust your nerves— in conversation or in bed the rhythm comes.' - Well, more often than not, it's true!

0 0 Reply
Mahtab Bangalee 06 September 2020

I say: be done with it. I say: you've got to love that hill. Be wrathful, be impatient that you are not on the hill. Do not forgive yourself or other, though charity is all very well.....this poem is very interesting about the hill and human mentality or character;

0 0 Reply

normative hill, Do not muse on it from a distance: it's not remote for the view only, it's for sport of climbing. A profound poem. Congratulations

0 0 Reply
Dr Antony Theodore 06 September 2020

What the hill demands is a man with forces flowering as from the crevices of rocks and rough surfaces wild flowers a very good poem. congrats for becoming POD

0 0 Reply
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