Bird by Pablo Neruda - Poem / Poetry Appreciation / Exercises on Poem / Question-Answer on Poem / Theme and Summary of Poem / Poem Analysis

Bird 

Poet: Pablo Neruda

It was passed from one bird to another,

the whole gift of the day.

The day went from flute to flute,

went dressed in vegetation,

in flights which opened a tunnel

through the wind would pass

to where birds were breaking open

the dense blue air-

and there, night came in.

When I returned from so many journeys,

I stayed suspended and green

between sun and geography

I saw how wings worked,

how perfumes are transmitted

by feathery telegraph,

and from above I saw the path.

the springs and the roof tiles,

the fishermen at their trades,

the trousers of the foam;

I saw it all from my green sky.

I had no more alphabet

than the swallows in their courses,

the tiny, shining water

of the small bird on fire

which dances out of the pollen.

Vocabulary List 

Above (At a higher level) [উপরে], Air (The invisible gaseous substance) [বাতাস], Alphabet (A set of letters/language) [বর্ণমালা/ভাষা], Another (One more) [অন্যটি], Between (In the space separating two things) [মাঝে], Bird (A feathered creature) [পাখি], Birds (Plural of bird) [পাখিরা], Blue (A color) [নীল], Breaking (Separating into pieces/piercing) [ভেঙে ফেলা/ভেদ করা], Came (Moved towards) [এসেছিল], Courses (Routes or directions followed) [গতিপথ], Dances (Moves rhythmically) [নাচে], Day (A twenty-four-hour period) [দিন], Dense (Closely compacted/thick) [ঘন], Dressed (Clothed/covered) [সজ্জিত/পরিহিত], Feathery (Covered with or resembling feathers) [পালকযুক্ত/পালকের মতো], Fire (Combustion/intense energy) [আগুন/উত্তাপ], Fishermen (People who catch fish) [জেলে সম্প্রদায়], Flights (The action or process of flying) [উড্ডয়ন], Flute (A wind instrument/birdsong) [বাঁশি/পাখির ডাক], Foam (Mass of small bubbles) [ফেনা], From (Indicating starting point) [থেকে], Geography (The physical features of the earth) [ভূগোল/ভূপৃষ্ঠ], Gift (A thing given willingly) [উপহার/দান], Green (Of the color between blue and yellow/nature) [সবুজ/প্রাকৃতিক], Had (Possessed) [ছিল], How (In what way) [কীভাবে], In (Inside) [ভিতরে], It (This thing) [ইহা/এটি], Journeys (Acts of traveling) [ভ্রমণগুলো], Many (A large number) [অনেক], More (A greater amount) [আরও], Night (The period of darkness) [রাত], No (Not any) [না], Of (Belonging to) [এর], On (Physically in contact with) [উপরে], One (A single unit) [এক], Open (Allowing access/uncovered) [খোলা/উন্মুক্ত], Opened (Made available/cleared) [খুলেছিল/তৈরি করেছিল], Out (Away from) [বাইরে], Pass (Move or cause to move) [অতিক্রম করা], Passed (Transferred) [হস্তান্তরিত হয়েছিল], Path (A way or track) [পথ], Perfumes (Sweet smells) [সুগন্ধি/সুবাস], Pollen (Fine yellowish powder from flowers) [পরাগ], Returned (Came back) [ফিরে এসেছিলাম], Roof (The structure forming the upper covering of a building) [ছাদ], Saw (Perceived with eyes) [দেখেছিলাম], Shining (Giving out or reflecting light) [উজ্জ্বল/ঝলমলে], Sky (The region of the atmosphere) [আকাশ], Small (Of a size that is less than normal) [ছোট], So (To such a great extent) [এত], Springs (Sources of water) [ঝরনাগুলো], Stayed (Remained in the same place) [থেকেছিলাম], Suspended (Hanging/floating) [ভাসমান/ঝুলন্ত], Swallows (Small migratory birds) [আবাবিল পাখি], Telegraph (A system for transmitting messages) [টেলিগ্রাফ/বার্তা প্রেরক], Than (Used for comparison) [চেয়ে], The (Definite article) [টি/টা], Their (Belonging to them) [তাদের], There (In that place) [সেখানে], Through (Moving in one side and out of the other) [মধ্য দিয়ে], Tiles (Thin rectangular slabs) [টালিগুলো], Tiny (Very small) [ক্ষুদ্র], To (Expressing motion) [দিকে/প্রতি], Trades (Occupations) [পেশা/কাজ], Transmitted (Passed on from one place to another) [প্রেরিত/ছড়িয়ে পড়ে], Trousers (An outer garment/metaphor for shape) [প্যান্ট/ঢেউয়ের আকার], Tunnel (An artificial underground passage/pathway in the air) [সুড়ঙ্গ/পথ], Vegetation (Plants considered collectively) [গাছপালা/সবুজ প্রকৃতি], Was (Past tense of be) [ছিল], Water (A transparent fluid) [পানি/জল], Went (Moved to or from a place) [গিয়েছিল], Where (In what place) [যেখানে], Which (Asking for information) [যা], Whole (Entire) [সমগ্র/পুরো], Wind (The natural movement of the air) [বাতাস], Wings (Organs of flight) [ডানাগুলো], Worked (Operated/functioned) [কাজ করত].

Verse Paraphrase and Translation

English Verse	Paraphrase	Bangla Meaning
It was passed from one bird to another, / the whole gift of the day.	The entire beauty and joy of the daytime was shared sequentially from one bird to the next like a precious present.	দিনের সম্পূর্ণ উপহারটি (সৌন্দর্য) এক পাখি থেকে আরেক পাখির কাছে হস্তান্তরিত হয়েছিল।
The day went from flute to flute, / went dressed in vegetation,	The day progressed through the musical songs of the birds, fully surrounded by the lush green plants and trees.	দিনটি এক বাঁশি (পাখির ডাক) থেকে আরেক বাঁশিতে গড়িয়েছিল, সবুজ গাছপালায় সজ্জিত হয়ে,
in flights which opened a tunnel / through the wind would pass	As the birds flew, their movement seemed to carve out an invisible pathway through the air for the wind to follow.	সেইসব উড্ডয়নের মাঝে যা বাতাসে একটি সুড়ঙ্গ খুলে দিয়েছিল, যার মধ্য দিয়ে বাতাস বয়ে যেত
to where birds were breaking open / the dense blue air- / and there, night came in.	The birds flew so high that they seemed to pierce through the thick blue sky, and then evening finally arrived.	সেখানে যেখানে পাখিরা ঘন নীল আকাশকে ভেদ করছিল- এবং তারপর, সেখানে রাত নেমে এল।
When I returned from so many journeys, / I stayed suspended and green	After completing numerous travels, the speaker (like a bird) hovered in the air, deeply connected with vibrant nature.	যখন আমি এতগুলো ভ্রমণ শেষে ফিরে এলাম, আমি ভাসমান এবং সবুজ (প্রকৃতির সাথে একাত্ম) হয়ে রইলাম
between sun and geography / I saw how wings worked,	Floating between the sunlight above and the earth below, I finally understood the miraculous mechanics of flight.	সূর্য এবং ভূপৃষ্ঠের (ভূগোলের) মাঝখানে, আমি দেখলাম কীভাবে ডানা কাজ করে,
how perfumes are transmitted / by feathery telegraph,	I witnessed how the sweet scents of nature are carried across distances by the birds, like messages sent through a natural telegraph.	কীভাবে পালকযুক্ত টেলিগ্রাফের (পাখির ডানার) মাধ্যমে সুগন্ধিগুলো ছড়িয়ে পড়ে,
and from above I saw the path. / the springs and the roof tiles,	Looking down from the sky, I observed the winding roads, the water sources, and the tops of the houses.	এবং ওপর থেকে আমি পথ দেখতে পেলাম। ঝরনাগুলো এবং ছাদের টালিগুলো,
the fishermen at their trades, / the trousers of the foam;	I saw people working on the water catching fish, and the crashing sea waves looking like white garments.	জেলেদের তাদের কাজে ব্যস্ত দেখলাম, সমুদ্রের ফেনার প্যান্টগুলো (ঢেউয়ের আছড়ে পড়া রূপ) দেখলাম;
I saw it all from my green sky.	I observed this entire earthly scene from my elevated, nature-filled perspective in the heavens.	আমি আমার সবুজ আকাশ থেকে এর সবকিছুই দেখলাম।
I had no more alphabet / than the swallows in their courses,	I possessed no complex human language, only the simple, natural intuition of migratory birds flying on their paths.	তাদের নির্দিষ্ট পথে উড়ন্ত আবাবিল পাখিদের চেয়ে আমার আর কোনো বেশি বর্ণমালা (ভাষা বা জ্ঞান) ছিল না,
the tiny, shining water / of the small bird on fire / which dances out of the pollen.	My language was simply the pure, sparkling essence of a vibrant, energetic little bird emerging from the flowers' pollen.	শুধু ছিল পরাগ থেকে নেচে বেরিয়ে আসা আগুনে (উদ্দামে) প্রদীপ্ত ছোট পাখির সেই ক্ষুদ্র, উজ্জ্বল জলবিন্দু।

Summary

Pablo Neruda's poem "Bird" is a vivid exploration of the absolute freedom, sensory beauty, and simplicity of a bird's existence. The poem begins by describing how the joy of the day is shared among birds through their continuous songs, compared to musical flutes. As they fly over the lush vegetation, they seem to carve tunnels through the wind, piercing the dense blue sky until nightfall. The speaker then adopts the perspective of a bird returning from a long journey, hovering suspended between the sun and the earth. From this elevated, "green" viewpoint, the speaker observes human life and geography—fishermen at work, roof tiles, and ocean foam. In this state of pure, natural existence, human language and intellect are abandoned. The speaker admits having no more "alphabet" than the swallows, embracing a life defined not by words, but by movement, instinct, and the vibrant, pollen-dusted energy of a tiny bird shining in the sunlight.

[পাবলো নেরুদার "বার্ড" কবিতাটি একটি পাখির অস্তিত্বের পরম স্বাধীনতা, সংবেদনশীল সৌন্দর্য এবং সরলতার এক প্রাণবন্ত অন্বেষণ। কবিতাটি বর্ণনা করে কীভাবে পাখির ক্রমাগত গানের (যাকে বাঁশির সাথে তুলনা করা হয়েছে) মাধ্যমে দিনের আনন্দ এক পাখি থেকে অন্য পাখির মাঝে ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। সবুজ গাছপালার ওপর দিয়ে উড়ে যাওয়ার সময় তারা যেন বাতাসের মাঝে সুড়ঙ্গ তৈরি করে এবং রাত না আসা পর্যন্ত ঘন নীল আকাশ ভেদ করে উড়তে থাকে। এরপর বক্তা দীর্ঘ যাত্রা শেষে ফিরে আসা একটি পাখির দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি গ্রহণ করেন, যা সূর্য এবং ভূপৃষ্ঠের মাঝে ভাসমান। এই উঁচু এবং "সবুজ" দৃষ্টিকোণ থেকে, বক্তা মানুষের জীবন ও ভূগোল—জেলেদের কাজ, ছাদের টালি এবং সমুদ্রের ফেনা পর্যবেক্ষণ করেন। বিশুদ্ধ, প্রাকৃতিক অস্তিত্বের এই অবস্থায়, মানুষের ভাষা এবং বুদ্ধিবৃত্তিকে পরিত্যাগ করা হয়। বক্তা স্বীকার করেন যে তার কাছে আবাবিল পাখিদের চেয়ে বেশি কোনো "বর্ণমালা" বা ভাষা নেই। তিনি শব্দের দ্বারা সংজ্ঞায়িত জীবন নয়, বরং গতি, প্রবৃত্তি এবং রোদে জ্বলজ্বল করা পরাগমাখা এক ছোট্ট পাখির প্রাণবন্ত শক্তিকে গ্রহণ করেন।]

Theme

The central theme of the poem is the desire for boundless freedom and unity with nature. By adopting a bird's perspective, the poet emphasizes breaking away from the complex confines of human society and language ("alphabet"). It celebrates the pure, instinctual beauty of the natural world, suggesting that true understanding and peace come from experiencing life simply and harmoniously, just like a bird soaring freely above the earth.

[কবিতাটির মূলভাব হলো সীমাহীন স্বাধীনতা এবং প্রকৃতির সাথে একাত্মতার আকাঙ্ক্ষা। একটি পাখির দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি গ্রহণ করে, কবি মানব সমাজ এবং ভাষার ("বর্ণমালা") জটিল সীমাবদ্ধতা থেকে মুক্ত হওয়ার ওপর জোর দিয়েছেন। এটি প্রাকৃতিক জগতের বিশুদ্ধ, স্বজ্ঞাত সৌন্দর্য উদযাপন করে এবং ইঙ্গিত দেয় যে প্রকৃত উপলব্ধি ও শান্তি আসে জীবনকে সহজ ও সুশৃঙ্খলভাবে অনুভব করার মাধ্যমে, ঠিক পৃথিবীর ওপর মুক্তভাবে উড়ে বেড়ানো একটি পাখির মতো।]

Short Answer Questions on- Bird Poet: Pablo Neruda

1. How do the birds share "the whole gift of the day"?

The poet describes the day as a gift that is passed from one bird to another. They share this gift through their songs and their movements. It suggests that time in nature is not something to be used or sold, but a beautiful experience that all living creatures participate in together.

2. What is the meaning of the phrase "the day went from flute to flute"?

This is a metaphor for birdsong. A flute creates beautiful, clear music, just like the voice of a bird. By saying the day goes from "flute to flute," Neruda means that the world is constantly filled with the music of different birds from the start of the day until the end.

3. Explain the imagery of birds "breaking open the dense blue air."

When birds fly, especially in a large group or with great speed, they look like they are cutting through the sky. Neruda describes the air as "dense" and "blue," making it feel like a thick ocean that the birds must dive into or break through to move forward.

4. Why does the speaker describe himself as "suspended and green"?

After returning from many journeys, the speaker finds a sense of peace in nature. Being "green" symbolizes life, growth, and a connection to the earth. He feels "suspended" because he has stopped rushing through life and is now floating in a state of calm, balanced between the sun and the ground.

5. What is the "feathery telegraph" mentioned in the poem?

A telegraph is a way to send messages over long distances. Neruda uses this metaphor to show how birds carry the "perfumes" or scents of the earth as they fly. Their feathers pick up the smell of flowers and trees, moving those scents across the sky like a natural messaging system.

6. What human activities does the poet observe from his "green sky"?

From his high perspective among the trees and birds, the speaker looks down and sees the simple, daily lives of people. He notices the "roof tiles" of houses and "fishermen at their trades." This shows that from nature's perspective, human work is just one small, peaceful part of the big world.

7. What does the poet mean by the "trousers of the foam"?

This is a very creative and surreal image. It refers to the white, bubbly foam of the sea waves as they crash on the shore. It paints a picture of the sea "wearing" the foam like clothing, or it could refer to the spray of water on the legs of the fishermen as they work in the waves.

8. Why does the speaker say he has "no more alphabet" than the swallows?

The speaker is rejecting human language and formal education. He believes that the "alphabet" of the world is found in nature. To him, the patterns and paths that swallows fly in the sky are more meaningful and important than any words written in a book.

9. Describe the "small bird on fire" at the end of the poem.

This refers to a tiny, vibrant bird—perhaps a hummingbird—that is so full of energy and bright color that it looks like a small flame. It "dances" among the pollen of flowers, representing the pure, bright energy of life and the joy found in the smallest parts of nature.

10. What is the central theme of Neruda’s poem "Bird"?

The central theme is the unity and magic of the natural world. Neruda wants the reader to see that nature has its own rhythm, music, and language. He encourages us to step away from our busy human lives and find a "green" perspective where we can appreciate the simple beauty of a bird's flight or the scent of the wind.

Multiple-choice questions based on the poem:

1. Who is the poet of the poem "Bird"?

• A) Emily Dickinson

• B) Pablo Neruda

• C) Maya Angelou

• D) Robert Hayden

2. The day is described as passing from "flute to flute," which represents:

• A) Musical instruments in a band

• B) The songs of different birds

• C) The sound of the wind

• D) People whistling in the street

3. What do the birds' flights create through the wind?

• A) Clouds

• B) Tunnels

• C) Rain

• D) Mountains

4. The poet uses the phrase "feathery telegraph" to describe the transmission of:

• A) Secret letters

• B) Perfumes/Scents

• C) Electric signals

• D) Loud noises

5. Where does the speaker find himself "suspended and green"?

• A) In a deep cave

• B) Between the sun and geography

• C) Under a boat

• D) Inside a house

6. What surreal image does the poet use to describe the ocean's foam?

• A) Blankets of snow

• B) Trousers of the foam

• C) Clouds on the sand

• D) White hair of the sea

7. What does the speaker see from his "green sky"?

• A) Only the stars

• B) Springs, roof tiles, and fishermen

• C) A dark and empty void

• D) A busy city with cars

8. The poet says he has "no more alphabet" than the courses of which bird?

• A) Eagles

• B) Swallows

• C) Owls

• D) Parrots

9. The "small bird on fire" is seen dancing out of the —

• A) Water

• B) Pollen

• C) Fireplace

• D) Nest

10. What is the speaker’s attitude toward nature in this poem?

• A) Fearful and confused

• B) Deeply observant and connected

• C) Bored and uninterested

• D) Angry and destructive

Detailed Summary of "Bird"

Pablo Neruda’s poem "Bird" is a vivid, surreal, and deeply appreciative look at the world through the eyes of nature. It describes the transition of time and the beauty of the earth from a high, "green" perspective, suggesting that nature has its own language and wisdom that surpasses human understanding.

Detailed Summary of "Bird"

1. The Passing of the Day

The poem begins with the idea that the day is a "gift" shared among birds. It passes from "flute to flute," a beautiful metaphor for birdsong. As the birds fly, they seem to create "tunnels" in the wind, breaking through the "dense blue air" until the day ends and night arrives. This section shows nature as a coordinated, musical, and fluid system.

2. A New Perspective (The Green Sky)

The speaker describes returning from his own journeys and finding himself "suspended and green" between the sun and the earth. He stops being a mere human observer and starts seeing how nature really works. He observes the "mechanics" of wings and how scents are carried across the world like a "feathery telegraph." He is no longer looking at the sky; he is living within a "green sky" of leaves and life.

3. The Bird’s-Eye View

From this high vantage point, the speaker sees the world differently. He sees "springs and roof tiles" and "fishermen at their trades." He uses the surreal image "trousers of the foam" to describe the way waves break against the shore. This perspective makes the human world look like just one small part of a much larger, more magical landscape.

4. The Alphabet of Nature

In the final section, the speaker rejects human language. He says he has "no more alphabet" than the paths the swallows fly. He finds more meaning in the "tiny, shining water" and the small, vibrant bird that looks like it is "on fire" while dancing in pollen. He suggests that nature’s movements are a higher form of communication than any written words.

বিস্তারিত সারসংক্ষেপ

পাবলো নেরুদার "Bird" কবিতাটি প্রকৃতির চোখে দেখা এই পৃথিবীর এক প্রাণবন্ত ও পরাবাস্তব বর্ণনা। এটি মূলত পাখির দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি থেকে সময় এবং প্রকৃতির সৌন্দর্যকে তুলে ধরে এবং বোঝাতে চায় যে প্রকৃতির নিজস্ব একটি ভাষা ও জ্ঞান আছে যা মানুষের বোঝার অতীত।

১. দিনের আবর্তন: কবিতাটি শুরু হয় এই ধারণা দিয়ে যে ‘দিন’ হলো একটি উপহার যা পাখিরা একে অপরের মধ্যে ভাগ করে নেয়। এটি এক ‘বাঁশি’ থেকে অন্য ‘বাঁশিতে’ যায়—যা আসলে পাখিদের গানের একটি রূপক। পাখিরা যখন ওড়ে, তারা যেন বাতাসের মধ্যে সুড়ঙ্গ তৈরি করে এবং নীল আকাশকে ভেদ করে এগিয়ে যায়, যতক্ষণ না রাত নেমে আসে। এখানে প্রকৃতিকে একটি সুসংবদ্ধ ও ছন্দময় ব্যবস্থা হিসেবে দেখানো হয়েছে।

২. নতুন দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি (সবুজ আকাশ): বক্তা বা কবি নিজের ভ্রমণ থেকে ফিরে এসে নিজেকে সূর্য ও ভূগোলের মাঝে ‘সবুজ অবস্থায় ঝুলে থাকতে’ দেখেন। তিনি তখন কেবল একজন সাধারণ দর্শক নন, বরং প্রকৃতির গভীরে প্রবেশ করেন। তিনি দেখেন ডানা কীভাবে কাজ করে এবং সুগন্ধ কীভাবে পাখির পালকের মাধ্যমে এক জায়গা থেকে অন্য জায়গায় টেলিগ্রাফের মতো ছড়িয়ে পড়ে। তিনি তখন আর আকাশের নিচে নন, বরং জীবনের ‘সবুজ আকাশে’র ভেতরে বসবাস করছেন।

৩. পাখির চোখে দেখা পৃথিবী: এই উঁচু স্থান থেকে কবি পৃথিবীকে ভিন্নভাবে দেখেন। তিনি ঝর্ণা, ছাদের টালি এবং জেলেদের কাজ করার দৃশ্য দেখেন। তিনি সমুদ্রের ঢেউকে "ফেনিল প্যান্ট" (trousers of the foam) হিসেবে বর্ণনা করেছেন—যা এক অসাধারণ পরাবাস্তব চিত্র। এই দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি মানুষের জগতকে বিশাল প্রকৃতির এক ক্ষুদ্র অংশ হিসেবে তুলে ধরে।

৪. প্রকৃতির বর্ণমালা: শেষ অংশে কবি মানুষের তৈরি ভাষার অসারতা প্রকাশ করেছেন। তিনি বলেছেন যে আবাবিল (swallow) পাখিদের ওড়ার পথের চেয়ে বড় কোনো ‘বর্ণমালা’ তাঁর কাছে নেই। তিনি সেই ছোট্ট পাখির মধ্যে জীবনের মানে খুঁজে পান যা পরাগের ওপর নাচার সময় মনে হয় যেন ‘আগুন’ জ্বলছে। কবি বোঝাতে চেয়েছেন যে মানুষের লেখা শব্দের চেয়ে প্রকৃতির এই স্পন্দন অনেক বেশি অর্থবহ।