POEMS
Unit-11
Corona Says
- Vishnu Singh Rai (Nepali Poet)
Summary
The poet presents coronavirus as the speaker to suggest human nature as the cause of their own suffering. Forgetting that wars have killed millions, humans curse corona because lock-down made them like caged animals.
But it also reduced pollution and the earth got some rest. They feel superior and use plants and animals for their benefits. But this planet equally belongs to other lives, not just humans. Therefore, they show their presence like coronavirus. More dangerous ones may come in the future. And our life could be difficult like ancient cave days.
Theme
The poem is a satire on man’s misconduct. It views COVID 19 as the byproduct of man’s treatment to nature. The poet tells us that our activities are responsible for our sufferings. He also warns about other possible outbreaks if we don’t correct our attitudes.
Questions
Why has the speaker come to the Earth?
The speaker, Corona, has come to make human beings realize their mistake. He wants to give some rest to mother Earth from our exploitation. Like human beings, all plants and animals have a rightful share of this planet.
What human behaviours are responsible for the suffering in people’s lives?
People suffer because of their own behaviours. Greed, self-interest, egoism and superiority feelings are the common causes. There are wars, violence, addictions and crimes kill many people. Technological craze and careless experiments also produce new viruses and diseases, and millions die.
How does an epidemic differ from pandemic?
Epidemic and pandemic both affect a large number of people. But there are some points of difference. Epidemics are within a region or country. Pandemics spread over continents. Coronavirus started in China as an epidemic. Then it reached everywhere and became a pandemic.
Briefly explain the impact of Corona Virus on human life and environment.
Coronavirus had mainly negative impacts on human life. It spread fast and billions of people got infected. More than a million have died. We faced lock-down for months, like caged animals. In poor countries, people suffered more due to the lack of food supplies and medical care. business and education are badly affected.
But there are some positive effects on the environment. Pollution decreased when vehicles became less after lock-downs. The sky again became clear without dust and smoke. The earth got some rest and other species got some relief from human torture.