Endangered Species List Blues by Jayne Cortez - Poem / Poetry Appreciation / Exercises on Poem / Question-Answer on Poem / Theme and Summary of Poem / Poem Analysis

Endangered Species List Blues

by Jayne Cortez

A snow leopard does not know

It's on the endangered species list

Mr. &. Mrs. Crab are not into

destroying the world

they are crawling to the mud flats

to take in some rotten insects

It's not what's up that's going down when

you smell yourself on

the threshold of extinction

It's you and your portable chemical toilet

going to hell under friendly fire

It's you and your missile receptor

exploding to pieces

It's not what's up up that's going down

The person who OK's biological weapons

should not cry about the stench of

new diseases

The one who cuts off the trees

so the orang-utans can't hang

should not wonder about ecological devastation

It's not what's up that's going down

It's what's down that's going up

It's not what's up that's going down

It's what's down that's going up

Vocabulary List 

Biological (Relating to biology or living organisms; used in warfare) [জৈবিক], Chemical (Relating to chemistry; a distinct compound or substance) [রাসায়নিক], Crawling (Moving forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground) [হামাগুড়ি দেওয়া], Crab (A crustacean with a broad carapace and five pairs of legs) [কাঁকড়া], Cry (Shed tears, especially as an expression of distress or pain) [কাঁদা/বিলাপ করা], Cuts (Makes an opening, incision, or wound in something with a sharp-edged tool) [কাটে], Destroying (Putting an end to the existence of something by damaging or attacking it) [ধ্বংস করা], Devastation (Great destruction or damage) [ধ্বংসযজ্ঞ], Diseases (Disorders of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant) [রোগব্যাধি/অসুখ], Down (Towards or in a lower place or position) [নিচে], Ecological (Relating to or concerned with the relation of living organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings) [পরিবেশগত], Endangered (Seriously at risk of extinction) [বিপন্ন], Exploding (Bursting or shattering violently as a result of the rapid release of energy) [বিস্ফোরিত হচ্ছে], Extinction (The state or process of a species, family, or larger group being or becoming extinct) [বিলুপ্তি], Fire (Combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen; shooting) [আগুন/গোলাগুলি], Flats (Areas of low level ground, especially near water) [সমতল ভূমি/কাদামাটি এলাকা], Friendly (Kind and pleasant; in military terms, fire from one's own forces) [বন্ধুত্বপূর্ণ/স্বপক্ষের], Going (Moving or traveling from one place to another) [যাচ্ছে], Hang (Suspend or be suspended from above with the lower part dangling free) [ঝুলানো/ঝুলে থাকা], Hell (A place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering) [নরক/জাহান্নাম], Insects (Small arthropod animals that have six legs and generally one or two pairs of wings) [পোকামাকড়], Know (Be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information) [জানা], Leopard (A large, solitary cat that has a fawn or brown coat with black spots) [চিতাবাঘ], List (A number of connected items or names written or printed consecutively) [তালিকা], Missile (An object which is forcibly propelled at a target, either by hand or from a mechanical weapon) [ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র], Mud (Soft, sticky matter resulting from the mixing of earth and water) [কাদা], New (Not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently or now for the first time) [নতুন], OK's (Approves or sanctions) [অনুমোদন দেয়], Orang-utans (Large apes of Borneo and Sumatra) [ওরাংওটাং], Pieces (Portions of an object or of material, produced by cutting, tearing, or breaking the whole) [টুকরোগুলো], Portable (Able to be easily carried or moved) [বহনযোগ্য], Receptor (An organ or cell able to respond to light, heat, or other external stimulus and transmit a signal; receiving point) [রিসেপ্টর/গ্রাহক যন্ত্র], Rotten (Suffering from decay) [পচা], Smell (Perceive or detect the odor or scent of) [গন্ধ পাওয়া], Snow (Atmospheric water vapor frozen into ice crystals) [তুষার/বরফ], Species (A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding) [প্রজাতি], Stench (A strong and very unpleasant smell) [তীব্র দুর্গন্ধ], Threshold (The magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested) [দ্বারপ্রান্ত/সূচনা], Toilet (A fixed receptacle into which a person may urinate or defecate) [শৌচাগার/টয়লেট], Trees (Woody perennial plants) [গাছপালা], Up (Towards a higher place or position) [উপরে], Weapons (Things designed or used for inflicting bodily harm or physical damage) [অস্ত্রশস্ত্র], Wonder (Desire or be curious to know something) [অবাক হওয়া].

Verse Paraphrase and Translation

English Verse	Paraphrase	Bangla Meaning
A snow leopard does not know / It's on the endangered species list	Innocent wild animals, like the snow leopard, are completely unaware that human actions have pushed them to the brink of extinction.	একটি তুষার চিতা জানে না, যে সে বিপন্ন প্রজাতির তালিকায় রয়েছে।
Mr. &. Mrs. Crab are not into / destroying the world	Simple creatures in nature, personified as Mr. and Mrs. Crab, have absolutely no part in ruining the earth's environment.	মিস্টার এবং মিসেস কাঁকড়া বিশ্ব ধ্বংস করার কাজে লিপ্ত নয়।
	they are crawling to the mud flats / to take in some rotten insects	They are merely going about their natural business, moving through the mud to find food and survive.
It's not what's up that's going down when / you smell yourself on / the threshold of extinction	The real danger isn't coming from harmless nature; it occurs when humanity realizes its own self-destructive habits are leading directly to its own end.	এটা ওপরের কোনো বিষয় নয় যা নিচে নেমে আসছে, যখন তুমি নিজেকে বিলুপ্তির দ্বারপ্রান্তে গন্ধ পাও (উপলব্ধি করো)।
It's you and your portable chemical toilet / going to hell under friendly fire / It's you and your missile receptor / exploding to pieces	Humans, with their toxic waste, military accidents ("friendly fire"), and advanced weaponry, are the ones violently destroying themselves and the planet.	এটি তুমি এবং তোমার বহনযোগ্য রাসায়নিক শৌচাগার, যা নিজেদের গোলাগুলিতেই (ফ্রেন্ডলি ফায়ার) নরকে যাচ্ছে; এটি তুমি এবং তোমার ক্ষেপণাস্ত্রের গ্রাহক যন্ত্র, যা বিস্ফোরিত হয়ে টুকরো টুকরো হচ্ছে।
It's not what's up up that's going down / The person who OK's biological weapons / should not cry about the stench of / new diseases	The disaster originates from human decisions; those leaders who authorize deadly biological warfare have no right to complain when new, horrific plagues emerge as a result.	ওপরের কোনো বিষয় নিচে নেমে আসছে না; যে ব্যক্তি জৈবিক অস্ত্রের অনুমোদন দেয়, তার নতুন রোগের তীব্র দুর্গন্ধ নিয়ে কাঁদা উচিত নয়।
The one who cuts off the trees / so the orang-utans can't hang / should not wonder about ecological devastation	The people responsible for extreme deforestation, which destroys the habitats of animals like orang-utans, shouldn't be surprised when the entire environment collapses.	যে ব্যক্তি গাছগুলো কেটে ফেলে, যাতে ওরাংওটাংরা ঝুলতে না পারে, তার পরিবেশগত ধ্বংসযজ্ঞ নিয়ে অবাক হওয়া উচিত নয়।
It's not what's up that's going down / It's what's down that's going up	The destruction isn't a natural disaster falling from the sky; rather, the toxic consequences of human actions on the ground are rising to engulf everything.	এটা ওপরের কোনো বিষয় নয় যা নিচে নামছে; এটি নিচের বিষয় যা ওপরে উঠছে।
It's not what's up that's going down / It's what's down that's going up	(Repetition for emphasis) The threat comes from our own earthly, destructive behaviors catching up with us.	এটা ওপরের কোনো বিষয় নয় যা নিচে নামছে; এটি নিচের বিষয় যা ওপরে উঠছে।

Summary

Jayne Cortez's poem "Endangered Species List Blues" is a sharp, satirical critique of humanity's destructive impact on the natural world and itself. The poem points out that innocent animals, like the snow leopard or crabs looking for food in the mud, are not responsible for destroying the planet. Wild species are entirely unaware that human actions have placed them on endangered lists. Instead, the real cause of ecological devastation and potential extinction is modern man. The poet heavily criticizes humanity's reliance on toxic chemicals, military violence ("friendly fire," "missile receptor"), and horrific warfare technologies. The poem argues that humans reap what they sow: leaders who authorize biological weapons shouldn't complain about new diseases, and those who cut down forests, leaving orangutans homeless, shouldn't be surprised by environmental collapse. Ultimately, the repeated chorus emphasizes that the threat isn't coming from above as a natural act of fate, but from the toxic, destructive actions created down below by humanity, putting human lives under the exact same threat of extinction.

[জেইন কর্টেজের "এনডেঞ্জারড স্পিসিজ লিস্ট ব্লুজ" কবিতাটি প্রাকৃতিক জগৎ এবং নিজেদের ওপর মানুষের ধ্বংসাত্মক প্রভাবের একটি তীক্ষ্ণ, ব্যঙ্গাত্মক সমালোচনা। কবিতাটি উল্লেখ করে যে তুষার চিতা বা কাদায় খাবার খোঁজা কাঁকড়ার মতো নিরীহ প্রাণীরা পৃথিবী ধ্বংসের জন্য দায়ী নয়। বন্য প্রজাতিরা সম্পূর্ণ অজ্ঞাত যে মানুষের কর্মকাণ্ড তাদের বিপন্ন প্রজাতির তালিকায় ফেলে দিয়েছে। বরং, পরিবেশগত ধ্বংসযজ্ঞ এবং সম্ভাব্য বিলুপ্তির আসল কারণ হলো আধুনিক মানুষ। কবি বিষাক্ত রাসায়নিক, সামরিক সংঘাত ("ফ্রেন্ডলি ফায়ার", "মিসাইল রিসেপ্টর") এবং ভয়ংকর যুদ্ধ প্রযুক্তির ওপর মানবতার নির্ভরতার তীব্র সমালোচনা করেছেন। কবিতাটি যুক্তি দেয় যে মানুষ যা বপন করে তাই কাটে: যেসব নেতা জৈবিক অস্ত্রের অনুমোদন দেন, তাদের নতুন রোগব্যাধি নিয়ে অভিযোগ করা উচিত নয়; এবং যারা বন কেটে ওরাংওটাংদের গৃহহীন করে, তাদের পরিবেশগত বিপর্যয় নিয়ে অবাক হওয়া উচিত নয়। পরিশেষে, বারবার বলা স্তবকটি জোর দেয় যে হুমকি ওপর থেকে কোনো প্রাকৃতিক নিয়তির কাজ হিসেবে আসছে না, বরং নিচে মানবতার দ্বারা সৃষ্ট বিষাক্ত, ধ্বংসাত্মক কর্মকাণ্ড থেকেই এটি উঠে আসছে, যা মানব জীবনকেও বিলুপ্তির একই হুমকির মুখে ফেলে দিয়েছে।]

Theme

The central theme of the poem is that wild species are under the severe threat of extinction today entirely due to mankind's destructive, cruel, and short-sighted activities on Earth. By producing military pollutants, biological weapons, and relentlessly destroying natural habitats, man causes severe ecological imbalance. The poet emphasizes that humanity's violent actions toward the environment will inevitably backfire, placing our own human lives under the very same threat of extinction.

 [কবিতাটির মূলভাব হলো যে পৃথিবীতে মানুষের ধ্বংসাত্মক, নিষ্ঠুর এবং অদূরদর্শী কর্মকাণ্ডের কারণেই বন্য প্রজাতিগুলো আজ বিলুপ্তির মারাত্মক হুমকির মুখে রয়েছে। সামরিক দূষণকারী পদার্থ, জৈবিক অস্ত্র তৈরি করে এবং প্রতিনিয়ত প্রাকৃতিক আবাসস্থল ধ্বংস করে মানুষ মারাত্মক পরিবেশগত ভারসাম্যহীনতার সৃষ্টি করছে। কবি জোর দিয়ে বলেন যে পরিবেশের প্রতি মানবতার হিংসাত্মক কর্মকাণ্ড অনিবার্যভাবে উল্টো ফল বয়ে আনবে, যা আমাদের নিজেদের মানব জীবনকেও বিলুপ্তির ঠিক একই হুমকির মুখে ফেলে দেবে।]

Short Answer Questions on-

1. Why does the poet say the snow leopard doesn't know it's on the endangered list?

The poet says this to show the innocence of animals. Animals do not understand human bureaucracy or the fact that they are dying out; they are just trying to survive in a world humans are destroying.

2. What are the crabs doing in the mud flats?

The crabs are simply following their natural cycle—crawling to the mud and eating insects. They are "not into destroying the world," which contrasts with humans who actively create destructive systems.

3. What does the "portable chemical toilet" represent?

It represents human waste, pollution, and artificial living. It symbolizes how humans carry their toxic habits and chemicals everywhere they go, even into nature.

4. Explain the phrase "going to hell under friendly fire."

"Friendly fire" is a military term for being shot by your own side. Here, it suggests that humanity is being destroyed by its own inventions, weapons, and "friendly" technology.

5. Why shouldn't someone who OKs biological weapons cry about new diseases?

This is a critique of hypocrisy. If a person supports the creation of germs and diseases for war, they are responsible for the suffering those diseases cause and have no right to act like a victim.

6. What happens to the orangutans when trees are cut down?

They lose their habitat. The poet uses the phrase "so the orang-utans can't hang" to show that deforestation literally takes away the animals' ability to live their natural lives.

7. What is the poet's message about "ecological devastation"?

The message is that ecological collapse is a direct result of human choices. It is not a mystery; it is caused by actions like cutting down forests and polluting the air.

8. What does the refrain "what's down that's going up" mean?

It suggests that the "low" or negative things (like pollution, disease, and destruction) are rising and becoming a major problem, while the "high" or good things are disappearing.

9. Who does the poet blame for extinction? The poet clearly blames humans—specifically those in power who approve of weapons, those who profit from deforestation, and a society that prioritizes technology over nature.

10. What is the "blues" aspect of this poem?

The "blues" refers to a feeling of sadness, struggle, and protest. By calling it a "Blues," Cortez gives the poem a musical, rhythmic quality that mourns the loss of nature and complains about injustice.

Multiple-choice questions based on the poem:

1. Who is the poet of "Endangered Species List Blues"?

• A) Maya Angelou

• B) Jayne Cortez

• C) Robert Hayden

• D) Bob Dylan

2. Which animal is mentioned as not knowing it is on the endangered list?

• A) The Orangutan

• B) The Snow Leopard

• C) The Crab

• D) The Whale

3. According to the poem, Mr. and Mrs. Crab are busy doing what?

• A) Destroying the forest

• B) Crawling to mud flats to eat insects

• C) Complaining about the weather

• D) Building a chemical toilet

4. What human invention is said to be "exploding to pieces"?

• A) A car engine

• B) A missile receptor

• C) A television

• D) A chemical factory

5. The person who approves of biological weapons should not complain about:

• A) The cost of war

• B) The stench of new diseases

• C) The lack of trees

• D) The snow leopard

6. Why can't the orangutans "hang" anymore?

• A) Because they are tired

• B) Because humans have cut down the trees

• C) Because it is too cold

• D) Because of friendly fire

7. What does the poet mean by "friendly fire" in this context?

• A) A warm campfire

• B) Self-destruction caused by our own actions/weapons

• C) A celebration with fireworks

• D) Helping a neighbor

8. The repeating line "It's what's down that's going up" refers to:

• A) Birds flying higher

• B) The rise of negative consequences and destruction

• C) People moving to the mountains

• D) Planting new seeds

9. What is the tone of Jayne Cortez’s poem?

• A) Happy and celebratory

• B) Critical, rhythmic, and angry

• C) Bored and indifferent

• D) Calm and peaceful

10. What is the main theme of the poem?

• A) The diet of snow leopards

• B) Human responsibility for environmental and ecological collapse

• C) How to use a portable toilet

• D) The history of the blues music

Detailed Summary of "Endangered Species List Blues"

1. The Innocence of Animals

The poem begins by highlighting that animals are not responsible for their own disappearance. A snow leopard has no idea it is "endangered," and crabs aren't trying to destroy the world—they are simply living their lives, eating insects, and following their natural instincts. They are victims of a situation they didn't create.

2. Human Destruction and Technology

The poet shifts the focus to humans, using harsh imagery like "portable chemical toilets" and "missile receptors." She suggests that human "progress" and warfare are the real causes of extinction. Humans are "going to hell under friendly fire," meaning our own inventions and wars are destroying us and the planet.

3. Hypocrisy and Consequences

A major theme of the poem is accountability. Cortez argues that people who approve of biological weapons have no right to complain about the "stench of new diseases." Similarly, those who cut down trees (deforestation) should not be surprised when the "orangutans can't hang" or when the environment collapses. We are reaping exactly what we have sown.

4. A World Turned Upside Down

The repeating refrain, "It's not what's up that's going down / It's what's down that's going up," suggests a total reversal of the natural and moral order. Things that should be protected are being destroyed, and the negative consequences of human actions are rising up to haunt us. It is a warning that the "blues" of the endangered species will eventually become the "blues" of humanity.

বিস্তারিত সারসংক্ষেপ

জেইন কর্টেজের "Endangered Species List Blues" একটি তীক্ষ্ণ ও সমালোচনামূলক কবিতা যা পরিবেশের ধ্বংস এবং মানুষের ভণ্ডামিকে তুলে ধরে। ‘ব্লুজ’ গানের ছন্দে লেখা এই কবিতাটিতে কবি প্রাণীদের নিরীহ জীবনের সাথে মানুষের ধ্বংসাত্মক আচরণের তুলনা করেছেন।

১. প্রাণীদের নির্দোষিতা: কবিতাটি শুরু হয় এই ধারণা দিয়ে যে প্রাণীরা নিজেদের বিলুপ্তির জন্য দায়ী নয়। একটি তুষার চিতা জানেই না যে সে ‘বিপন্ন’ প্রজাতির তালিকায় আছে। কাঁকড়ারা পৃথিবী ধ্বংস করতে চায় না; তারা কেবল তাদের প্রাকৃতিক স্বভাব অনুযায়ী বেঁচে থাকে। তারা এমন এক পরিস্থিতির শিকার যা তারা নিজেরা তৈরি করেনি।

২. মানুষের ধ্বংসলীলা ও প্রযুক্তি: কবি এরপর মানুষের দিকে নজর দিয়েছেন। তিনি "রাসায়নিক টয়লেট" এবং "মিসাইল রিসেপ্টর"-এর মতো কঠোর শব্দ ব্যবহার করেছেন। তিনি বোঝাতে চেয়েছেন যে মানুষের তথাকথিত উন্নতি এবং যুদ্ধই বিলুপ্তির আসল কারণ। মানুষ নিজের তৈরি মারণাস্ত্র এবং প্রযুক্তির মাধ্যমেই নিজেকে এবং পৃথিবীকে ধ্বংসের দিকে ঠেলে দিচ্ছে।

৩. ভণ্ডামি ও ফলাফল: কবিতার একটি প্রধান বিষয় হলো জবাবদিহিতা। কর্টেজ যুক্তি দিয়েছেন যে যারা জৈব অস্ত্র (biological weapons) অনুমোদন করে, তাদের নতুন রোগের দুর্গন্ধ নিয়ে অভিযোগ করার কোনো অধিকার নেই। একইভাবে, যারা গাছ কেটে ফেলে বন উজাড় করে, তারা যেন বাস্তুসংস্থানের ধ্বংস দেখে অবাক না হয়। আমরা যা বপন করছি, ঠিক তা-ই ফল হিসেবে পাচ্ছি।

৪. উল্টে যাওয়া এক পৃথিবী: কবিতার মূল কথা বা ধ্রুবপদ হলো—যা নিচে থাকার কথা তা উপরে উঠছে, আর যা উপরে থাকার কথা তা নিচে নামছে। এর মানে হলো প্রকৃতির স্বাভাবিক নিয়ম এবং নৈতিকতা সম্পূর্ণ উল্টে গেছে। যেসব প্রাণীকে রক্ষা করার কথা ছিল তারা হারিয়ে যাচ্ছে, আর মানুষের খারাপ কাজের ফলগুলো এখন ভয়ানকভাবে সামনে আসছে। এটি একটি সতর্কবার্তা যে প্রাণীদের এই বিপদ একদিন পুরো মানবজাতির বিপদ হয়ে দাঁড়াবে।