Eid

Poem (Text)
Perhaps eid is more than the vermicelli thing

I was spooned to believe.
In the mosque this morning
I promised God to bend my knees
another four times.
My fellow knee-benders raised offertory,
to cushion the prayer-keeper,
so expiate the neglect he suffered
on the wooden bench.
Outside, the beggars buttonholed us,
Eid could not anchor in their corduroy cheeks.
How can these spindling shapes
be blotted out from the face of the morning?
I had left behind my blotting paper
the last day at school.
The master said in holiday there was no danger
of staining. I was convinced.
But question hovered like flies
over my plate as we began to eat.
My father said, watch that!
I held the shining spoon to my mouth,
looking for my face in it
The poem is written in a simple language without any specific rhyming scheme or
punctuation marks narrated by a child. Every line varies in length but they are
constructed beautifully. The poem is basically a reminder to the Muslims all over the
world to fulfill their moral responsibility: to help the poor. It highlights some of the
moral and darker issues of our society. The importance of money in the social circle
of Pakistan has been beautifully depicted and we can say that the poem is a social
portray.
Analysis
Eid is a humor pensive poem that provokes us to accomplish a big moral
responsibility. Usually, Eid is observed after completing the thirty days of fasting,
with happiness and a lot of delicious dishes. A huge gathering at mosques to offer
prayer by wearing different new attires. Eid becomes more special to children. The
poem also reflects a cultural significance but on the other hand, it highlights the
differences between poor and rich.
The first line of the poem rejected the prevailing idea of celebrating eid by just
enjoying the dishes. The poet says that it is more than that.
He promises to God to offer the religious duty.
"I promised God to bend my knees
another four times."
It is not only special to children but for older to pray, to bend their knees. In the
second stanza, the image of offertory has been used. The offertory is an offering or
collection of money made at a religious service. Money is being collected in order to
be given to the prayer keeper. Money is given to Imam sahib for some kind of
compensation who sits on the wooden bench. Throughout the year, they have ignored
the prayer keeper who keeps on sitting on the wooden bench and delivering religious
sermons to the believers. The knee benders raise offertory to expiate the neglect he
has suffered.
Here a very serious issue has been talked out. The stanza also shows the poor
condition of religious people in our society. They are living in a very excruciating
condition.
In the third stanza, the image of the beggar is used. They are poor and have a pathetic
life. The poet says that after offering prayers, first, the money is to be given to Imam
Sahib and then to the beggars which are outside of the mosque. The first line also
shows the power of beggars who stop people by force and compelled to give money.
Outside, the beggars buttonholed us,
corduroy cheeks is an image that shows the appearance of the child that they are not
happy due to their extreme poverty. They always look miserable, although they get
money on Eid and every occasion.
Here the poet raises a question that is it not possible to blot out these weak and poor
creatures from the morning. This is a very happy and shining morning but on the other
hand, the gloomy faces of beggars make it depressed. The narrator continues and says
that it is not possible to remove the sadness because he had left blotting paper at
school on the last day.
This paragraph vividly shows the gap between poor and rich in economic terms. Both
the group become happy on this ‘Eid occasion.
In the last stanza, the image of spoons is used to show someone's face. These two
spoons are very neat and clean and reflect the gap again between poor and rich. These
are only available in rich people's houses. The poet says that question hovered in his
mind that why he cannot remove the sadness from the faces of these poor beggars.
The father shifts his attention by saying look at your shining spoon and ignore
beggars.
This part is important in the sense that it has innovation.
HomePoetryAn Analysis of the Poem 'Eid' by Alamgir Hashmi
An Analysis of the Poem 'Eid' by Alamgir Hashmi

Shuaib AsgharAugust 30, 2016
‘Eid’ is a short but thought-provoking poem. Apparently it seems to be a poem of joy, as the title suggests, but
actually in it Alamgir Hashmi has pointed out some of the darker aspects of our society. The poem is based on
the observations of an innocent but sensitive child who is around there on the Eid day and watching the various
people doing various jobs.
Eid is a festival that comes on the day after the days of Ramazan have been devoted to fasting. It is celebrated
all over the Muslim world. This is the day when exchange of sweet dishes is made between the near and dear
ones. At the very outset of the story it is made clear that Eid is more than the vermicelli thing. It must not be
taken merely as a festival of joy and celebration. There is something more to do for the Muslims on this
particular day.
Firstly the child observes the devotees in the mosque who raises offertory for the prayer keeper. The situation
of the prayer-keepers in our society is very pathetic. Though they are the Imams of our prayers yet they live in
a very pitiable condition. We often ignore them and they are provided just a paltry sum of rupees to meet the
very needs of their lives.
When the child comes out of the mosque, he finds the beggars twitching and tugging the clothes of the people.
They ask for something. When the child observes this situation, he is actually made aware of the miseries and
sorrows of the poor people. The poverty rate in our country is rapidly increasing. It is no doubt an alarming
situation. The beggars are shabby and dirty. Their clothes are full of muddy smudges and they have nothing to
fill their bellies while the other people are enjoying the costly clothes and shoes and various dishes in their
houses.
There is an innocent desire to “anchor their corduroy cheeks”. He wishes the joys and celebrations must be for
all and sundry and no person should be unsupplied with these pleasures. The well-off and prosperous Muslims
should not ignore these down-trodden people. They must give them their share of happiness.
On the dining table, the child goes into the depth. There are a number of questions regarding the miseries and
sorrows, hovering around his plate. He is being overcome by the feelings of sympathy for the poor people.
When the child holds the shining spoon in front of his face, he is actually finding a big contrast with those
begrimed faces distorted by poverty. This indicates the huge gap between the rich and the poor in our country.
How can this injustice be eliminated? We all are to perform something. The festivals like Eid are actually the
reminders for this national and moral responsibility.

Eid

Uploaded by

Eid

Uploaded by

Poem (Text)

Perhaps eid is more than the vermicelli thing

An Analysis of the Poem 'Eid' by Alamgir Hashmi

You might also like