Wind, come softly.
Don’t break the shutters of the windows.
Don’t scatter the papers.
Don’t throw down the books on the shelf.
There, look what you did — you threw them all down.
You tore the pages of the books.
You brought rain again.
You’re very clever at poking fun at weaklings.
Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters,
crumbling wood, crumbling bodies, crumbling lives,
crumbling hearts —
the wind god winnows and crushes them all.
He won’t do what you tell him.
So, come, let’s build strong homes,
Let’s joint the doors firmly.
Practise to firm the body.
Make the heart steadfast.
Do this, and the wind will be friends with us.
The wind blows out weak fires.
He makes strong fires roar and flourish.
His friendship is good.
We praise him every day.

The poem “Wind” by Subramania Bharati, translated from Tamil by A.K. Ramanujan, delves into the relationship between humans and the natural forces represented by the wind.

Bharati personifies the wind, attributing to it characteristics of both a playful and destructive entity, and ultimately offering a metaphor for facing life’s challenges.

Poem Summary

Stanza 1: The poet initially addresses the wind, requesting it to blow gently and not to cause destruction. He asks the wind not to break the shutters of the windows, scatter the papers, or throw down the books from the shelf.

However, the wind does not heed his requests, causing havoc by tearing pages and throwing books around, even bringing rain.

Stanza 2: The poet continues to describe the destructive power of the wind. He uses repetition of the word “crumbling” to emphasize the fragility of human structures and lives.

Everything that is weak—houses, doors, rafters, wood, bodies, lives, and hearts—crumbles under the force of the wind.

Stanza 3: Bharati introduces the concept of the wind god, who separates the strong from the weak, much like a winnower separating grain from chaff.

The wind god winnows and crushes everything weak, indicating that only the strong can withstand his power.

Stanza 4: The poet advises people to prepare themselves to face the wind by building strong homes, joining doors firmly, and strengthening their bodies and hearts. Only by becoming strong can they befriend the wind and not be harmed by it.

Stanza 5: The poet concludes by stating that the wind extinguishes weak fires but makes strong fires roar and flourish. He suggests that the wind’s friendship is beneficial and that it is praised daily, signifying the respect for the powerful forces of nature.

Literary Devices

Personification: The wind is treated as a person who can perform actions like breaking, scattering, and mocking. It is referred to as “you,” giving it human qualities.

Repetition: The word “crumbling” is repeated to emphasize the fragility of structures and beings before the wind.

Anaphora: The lines in the first stanza begin with “don’t” and “you,” creating a rhythmic emphasis on the actions of the wind.

Symbolism: The wind symbolizes challenges and adversities in life. The destruction it causes represents the difficulties faced by those who are weak.

Alliteration: The use of consonant sounds in close connection, such as “wind winnows” and “won’t want.”

Themes

• Strength vs. Weakness: The poem emphasizes the importance of being strong to withstand life’s adversities.
• Nature’s Power: It highlights the immense and uncontrollable power of natural forces.
• Preparation and Resilience: The poet advises preparation and resilience as the means to face challenges and befriend them.

The poem conveys that life is full of challenges, symbolized by the wind. To survive and thrive, one must be strong both physically and mentally. Weakness leads to destruction, while strength leads to growth and prosperity. Embracing and preparing for challenges rather than fearing them can transform adversities into allies.

Important Questions and Answers

What are the things the wind does in the first stanza?

The wind breaks shutters, scatters papers, throws books from shelves, tears pages, and brings rain.

What does the poet say the wind god winnows?

The wind god winnows by separating the weak from the strong, similar to how grain is separated from chaff.

What should we do to make friends with the wind?

We should build strong homes, join doors firmly, and strengthen our bodies and hearts to withstand the wind’s force.

What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you?

They convey that strong individuals flourish in the face of challenges, while the weak are extinguished. It emphasizes the importance of strength and resilience to succeed in life.

By strengthening ourselves, we can turn adversities into opportunities for growth and become friends with the forces that challenge us.