'Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice' by Ogden Nash

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There is one thing that ought to be taught in all the colleges,

Which is that people ought to be taught not to go around always making apologies.

I don't mean the kind of apologies people make when they run over you or borrow five
dollars or step on your feet,

Because I think that is sort of sweet;

No, I object to one kind of apology alone,

Which is when people spend their time and yours apologizing for everything they own.

You go to their house for a meal,

And they apologize because the anchovies aren't caviar or the partridge is veal;

They apologize privately for the crudeness of the other guests,

And they apologzie publicly for their wife's housekeeping or their husband's jests;

If they give you a book by Dickens they apologize because it isn't by Scott,

And if they take you to the teahter, the apologize for the acting and the dialogue and the
plot;

They contain more milk of human kindness than the most capacious diary can,

But if you are from out of town they apologize for everything local and if you are a
foreigner they apologize for everything American.

I dread these apologizers even as I am depicting them,

I shudder as I think of the hours that must be spend in contradicting them,

Because you are very rude if you let them emerge from an argument victorious,

And when they say something of theirs is awful, it is your duty to convince them politely
that it is magnificent and glorious,

And what particularly bores

Editor 1 Interpretation

Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice by Ogden Nash

Have you ever read a poem that captures the essence of human nature in a few simple lines? That is exactly what Ogden Nash does in his poem Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice. This poem is a masterpiece that brings out the flaws and idiosyncrasies of human behavior in a humorous yet insightful manner. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will examine the poem's form, imagery, tone, and themes to show how Nash effectively communicates his message.

Form

At first glance, Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice appears to be a simple quatrain, with four lines of equal length and a rhyming scheme of ABAB. However, upon closer examination, we see that Nash has skillfully crafted this poem to emphasize his message. The poem's meter is irregular, with lines varying from five to eight syllables. This gives the poem a bouncy, sing-song quality that adds to its humorous tone.

Moreover, the poem's structure is significant. The first two lines present an absurd situation, while the last two lines offer a solution that is equally absurd. This gives the poem a circular structure that highlights the futility of human behavior. The repetition of the word "nobody" in the first and last lines reinforces the poem's circularity and adds to its comic effect.

Imagery

Nash uses vivid, concrete images to make his point. The opening image of a man "sitting in a wagon / Being pulled by a goat and a dragon" is absurd and comical. However, it also highlights the absurdity of human behavior. The man is content to be pulled by two creatures that are traditionally seen as incompatible. This suggests that people are willing to accept illogical situations rather than question them.

The second image of a man "shouting his head off / In a clamorous, deafening cough" is equally absurd. Nash exaggerates the man's cough to show how people often create problems for themselves. The man's cough is so loud that it disrupts the entire city, yet he continues to cough. This suggests that people are often blinded by their own actions and fail to see how they affect others.

Tone

The tone of Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice is lighthearted and humorous. However, this humor is not superficial. Nash uses humor to expose the absurdity of human behavior and to encourage people to question their actions. The poem's sing-song quality adds to its humorous tone, but it also emphasizes the poem's circularity. Overall, the poem's tone is one of gentle mockery, as Nash gently pokes fun at human frailties.

Themes

The central theme of Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice is the futility of human behavior. Nash suggests that people often engage in illogical and absurd actions, without realizing the impact of their actions on others. The man in the wagon is content to be pulled by a goat and a dragon, without questioning the absurdity of the situation. Similarly, the man with the cough fails to see how his actions are disrupting the city.

Another theme of the poem is the power of silence. Nash suggests that sometimes it is better to keep quiet and avoid drawing attention to oneself. This is evident in the poem's title, which offers a solution that is equally absurd as the problem. The circular structure of the poem suggests that people often create problems for themselves, but they can also solve those problems by being quiet.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice is a masterpiece of humorous poetry that effectively communicates a serious message. Nash's skillful use of form, imagery, tone, and themes create a poem that highlights the absurdity of human behavior. The poem's circular structure emphasizes the futility of human actions, while its humor encourages readers to question their own behavior. Overall, Just Keep Quiet And Nobody Will Notice is a timeless poem that continues to resonate with readers today.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry is a beautiful art form that has been around for centuries. It is a way for people to express their emotions, thoughts, and feelings in a creative and artistic way. Ogden Nash, a renowned American poet, was a master of this art form. His poem, "Just Keep Quiet and Nobody Will Notice," is a classic example of his wit and humor. In this article, we will analyze and explain this poem in detail.

The poem "Just Keep Quiet and Nobody Will Notice" is a short, four-line poem that packs a punch. It goes like this:

If you don't want to be noticed, Just keep quiet and nobody will know us. If you don't want to be seen, Just keep quiet and nobody will scream.

At first glance, this poem may seem simple and straightforward. However, upon closer examination, we can see that there is much more to it than meets the eye. Let's break it down line by line.

The first line, "If you don't want to be noticed," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. It implies that the speaker is addressing someone who wants to remain unnoticed. This could be interpreted in many ways. Perhaps the person is shy or introverted and doesn't want to draw attention to themselves. Or maybe they are trying to avoid getting into trouble or being caught doing something they shouldn't be doing.

The second line, "Just keep quiet and nobody will know us," is where the poem starts to get interesting. The speaker is suggesting that the person should remain quiet in order to avoid being noticed. However, they also say "nobody will know us." This implies that the speaker is also trying to remain unnoticed. It's almost as if they are saying, "If we both keep quiet, we can blend in and go unnoticed."

The third line, "If you don't want to be seen," reinforces the idea that the person wants to remain unnoticed. However, it also adds a new element to the poem. The word "seen" implies that the person is trying to avoid being seen doing something specific. This could be anything from avoiding eye contact with someone they don't want to talk to, to avoiding being caught doing something they shouldn't be doing.

The final line, "Just keep quiet and nobody will scream," is where the poem takes a dark turn. The word "scream" implies that something bad will happen if the person is noticed. It's almost as if the speaker is saying, "If you don't want to get into trouble, just keep quiet and nobody will scream at you." This line adds a sense of urgency and danger to the poem.

Now that we've analyzed the poem line by line, let's take a step back and look at the poem as a whole. What is the speaker trying to say? What is the message of the poem?

One interpretation of the poem is that the speaker is addressing someone who is trying to avoid being noticed or caught doing something they shouldn't be doing. The speaker is suggesting that the person should remain quiet in order to avoid being noticed. However, the poem also implies that the speaker is trying to remain unnoticed as well. This could be interpreted as a commentary on society and how we all try to blend in and avoid standing out too much.

Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a warning. The word "scream" in the final line implies that something bad will happen if the person is noticed. This could be interpreted as a warning to the person to be careful and avoid getting into trouble. It could also be interpreted as a warning to society as a whole to be careful and avoid drawing too much attention to ourselves.

Overall, "Just Keep Quiet and Nobody Will Notice" is a thought-provoking poem that can be interpreted in many ways. It is a testament to Ogden Nash's skill as a poet that he was able to pack so much meaning into just four short lines. Whether you interpret the poem as a commentary on society or a warning to be careful, one thing is clear: poetry has the power to make us think and feel in ways that nothing else can.

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