The Terrorist, He’s Watching

The bomb in the bar will explode at thirteen twenty.

Now it’s just thirteen sixteen.

There’s still time for some to go in,

And some to come out.

The terrorist has already crossed the street.

That distance keeps him out of danger,

and what a view- just like the movies:

A woman in a yellow jacket, she’s going in.

A man in dark glasses, he’s coming out.

Teenagers in jeans, they’re talking.

Thirteen seventeen and four seconds.

The short one, he’s lucky, he’s getting on a scooter,

but the tall one, he’s going in.

Thirteen seventeen and forty seconds.

That girl, she’s walking along with a green ribbon in her hair.

But then a bus suddenly pulls in front of her.

Thirteen eighteen.

The girl’s gone.

Was she that dumb, did she go in or not,

we’ll see when they carry them out.

Thirteen nineteen.

Somehow no one’s going in.

Another guy, fat, bald, is leaving, though.

Wait a second, looks like he’s looking for something in his

 pockets and

at thirteen twenty minus ten seconds

he goes back in for his crummy gloves.

Thirteen twenty exactly.

This waiting, it’s taking forever.

Any second now.

No, not yet.

Yes, now.

The bomb, it explodes.                                                   

 

Wislawa Szymborska

Wislawa Syzmborska is from Poland received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1996.  During 1953-1981 she worked as poetry editor and columnist in the Kraków literary weekly “Zycie Literackie” where the series of her essays “Lektury nadobowiazkowe” appeared (the series has been renewed lately in the addition to “Gazeta Wyborcza”-“Gazeta o Ksiazkach”). The collection “Lektury nadobowiazkowe” was published in the form of a book four times.  The Academy praised her poetry for the ironic elegance which brings out the human reality. Her poetry has noted for its wit, irony and deceptive simplicity.

Analysis

“The Terrorist, He’s watching" is a poem describes about the narrator who is watching eagerly for a planted bomb to explode in a bar. The narrator was watching those who are entering in and existing. It is such a thrilling moment for him to see the innocent people who are busy with their day to day activities, but in a few minutes, they may be collected as dead bodies.

 Stanza 1

The terrorist is closely watching for a planted bomb to explode in a bar at twenty past one. The terrorist is watching those who entering and existing. It is such a thrilling moment for him to see the innocent people who are busy with their day to day activities but in a few minutes, they may be collected as dead bodies.

Stanza 2

The poet says that the terrorist is already safe and watching from the other side of the road.  Standing from there he could see the bar and he could clearly imagine the future events of that bar.

Stanza 3

The terrorist could watch a woman in a yellow Jacket enters the bar and man with a dark glass leaves the bar, also few boys in jeans, they are talking very happily to each other. The terrorist become restless and checks the time again and again.  It is sixteen minutes past and four seconds, now two others enter, one tall and man and the other short person. Shorter one walks out of the bar.  The terrorist thinks he is lucky enough to escape from the danger.  The taller one is an unlucky chap who walks into the bar.  He might get killed in the blast.  One would be saved and the other would be killed.

Stanza 4

The time is ticking fast. The terrorist wants to see the explosion as he is the reason for the explosion. Now he sees a girl walk by with green ribbon in her hair. Suddenly she disappears as a bus that passes by. The terrorist is confused and could not understand where she went. The terrorist is very inhuman and thinks he could possibly see dead body.

Stanza 5

Nineteen minutes passed and nobody seems to be entering in or exists out. A fat bold man leaves searching his pocket for his gloves just 10 seconds left for the blast. Just then he enters into the bar to search in glove, like death was waiting for him. It was a sad sight to see the unfortunate fate of the man.

Stanza 6

The time is up but the terrorist eagerly waits for the drastic destruction due to the explosion of the bomb.

The author’s purpose is to shows the uncertainty of life and destiny. The poet does not express any detail about the terrorist or terrorism. It is about the explosion of a bomb which was planted by a terrorist. It is an incident / which is caused by the terrorist, and it is going to kill many. The purpose of the poet is to bring out the fact the life is precious and even a small decision can change everything and anything.

“The girl’s gone was she that dump,

Did she go in or not. “We’ll see when they carry them out.”

These lines bring out the inhuman approach of the terrorist. He would confirm the death of the girl by the body/ bodies which would be collected and carried out after the explode. The words like “fat” and “bald” are used to describe the customers who come to that bar. This shows a normal day to day scene of the bar.

The countdown method of the author gives a suspenseful atmosphere. This creates the situation dragging for a long time. The way the terrorist expects the explosion seem cruel and inhuman. The description of each customer who enter and exist creates sympathy, for they are not VIPs or political figures. They are just an ordinary people who come daily for a happy get together. The final part of the poem “The bomb it explodes” leave an eerie silence.

The poet has communicated well. The readers feel sorry, and sad for the characters. But after the blast the feeling changes. The readers feel sad depression & angry. The regretting point is the readers cannot do anything for this explosion. But he could be grateful for his own life as he escapee and now he feels the value of life.

The poem has a great lesson to the readers, where everyone could understand the value of life. The work has deep significant meaning because it involved the emotion of the human. The poet’s real purpose to convey the message and it is worth reading to understand its meaning in depth.

 The poet wants the readers to learn

• The Value of life which is taken by another                                             
• Fragile day to day life                                                    
• Unexpected and uncertain life which can end up in anyway                                      
• Third person/
• Ignores others emotion, as the emotion has no significance.
• Life is uncertain
•  No regrets for their actions which causes the destruction
• No conscience as they know what they do
• In human in thinking and enjoys the suffering of others.

 

The title describes the flow of thoughts of the terrorist.

• Casual actions of the terrorist who knows nothing about the value of life
• Full of suspense for the readers as the atmosphere is well brought out
• Blessed to be alive 
• Effective in words as each line describes the tenses atmosphere
• Deep thinking for humans as certain groups do not value life
• Personal views will be in disappointing
• Shocking and angry to see the inhuman nature of the terrorist
• Tone is too real
• Thought provoking to love the life
• Life is uncertain so love it and make it worth

 Written in

• Present tense 
• Relatable, timeless
• We see through the eyes of the terrorist

 Punctuations are significant

First sentence is long to give a deep start

End punctuation, monotone, abrupt and leave the readers to conclude.

Rhyme and Rhyme

• No rhyme as the theme of life is given significance.
• Fast & slow Rhythm to feel the situation.
• Slow timing to give the tension
• Repetition of time to make us feel for the situation.

 

Literary Devices

Simile

Watching a movie is what we do for entertainment terrorist feels the same way, he makes us to be a part of the scene.

Diction

“We’ll see when they carry them our” - Terrorist talk about the people like they are objects

“Fat bald one” – produces degrading effect

“Yellow jacket” – represents weakness and the weak position the people face.

“Green Ribbon”- stands for youth, the young girl with green ribbon, it is Sad to note, as the girl has whole life to live. Young or old life is precious.

 This poem is an Universal message to the world about the effects of terrorism.  Futility of war is another message which could create awareness among the ordinary innocent people who are ready to take weapon as a solution for their problems.

 

 

 

  Thank you