No Men Are Foreign

Thinking about the Poem

Question 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 different types of dresses that the people wear.

(ii) The poet says that though they wear different types of dresses but there is a human body beneath those uniforms and we all walk on the same earth. All of us will also lie in the same earth when we die.

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

Answer: The poet points out five ways in which we are all alike. Here are the words from the poem:

– no men are strange

– no countries foreign

– a single body breathes

– the land our brothers walk upon

–(Earth) in which we all shall lie

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

Answer: The common features which we can find in stanza 2 are as follows:

aware of sun and air and water which means all humans are aware of the bright sunshine and fresh air and water.

 fed by peaceful harvests which means all humans are fed by grains coming from peaceful harvests.

Their hands are ours indicates that their hands are similar to ours

in their lines we read a labour not different from our own refers to the fact that they use their hands, which are similar to ours, to do the hard work.

Question 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: We are told to hate our brothers who are from different countries, religions or social groups during wars.

These are told by a few selfish people who always think of their own benefits. These selfish people provoke us to fight with one another so that they can have maximum advantage. No, we should not do as we are told at such times.

We should try our best so that people in various parts of the world can live with peace and harmony as we are all alike.