‘ADVENT’ by D Vinayachandran: The Ruin of Humanity

Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

Below is an analysis of the poem, “ADVENT’ by D. Vinayachandran, where disconnected images reflect mankind’s impending doom amid nature’s destruction.

• Malayalam title of the poem is Varavu
• Translated by A.J. Thomas into English
• It is a modern poem with a complex structure.
• Advent means arrival, and here, the poet predicts the imminent ruin of humanity at physical and psychological levels.
• It details environmental alarms and emotional dilemmas with striking imagery.
• The poem discusses the destruction of man’s self.
• The poet uses disconnected images to map the impending doom of mankind due to the destruction of nature by man.
•  Use of allusions, myths, and theology conveys the horrors of the desertification of the earth.

STANZA I

• The poem begins by stating – “a desert grows slowly in our midst” – Man is unaware of the growth of a desert amidst him, as its development is slow and silent.
• Those who romanticise nature are unaware of this desertification- “they don’t hear the gentle sigh beneath the soil”- they do not listen to the exhausted cry of the earth.
• “Gentle sign beneath the earth” – poetic device personification is used – the earth is personified – given an animate quality.
• The children, who are the future of the earth, are the ones who are most affected by this desertification – they cry out, leaving their toys – due to the destruction done to the planet by previous generations, they are denied good food, water and air.

STANZA II

• At the beginning of the second stanza, we see pleasant, dreamy images of nature, like splashing the river’s water, the fragrance of the lone lotus, etc.
• Young people who live in a dreamy world swing their legs and splash the river’s water and share the fragrance of the lotus – they dream of climbing up the mountains and trying to reach the heaven of happiness by opening the star threshold.
• There is a swift transition to reality in the second half of the second stanza with the images of taking pills, bellowing smoke, crawling worms and pesticides.
• People, in reality, live a hopeless life by taking umpteen medicines as the air, water and food are highly contaminated – the birds/pigeons disappear due to the bellowing smoke from the factory – the food is inedible with worms and pesticides.

STANZA III

• People are unaware of the arrival of warriors who bring about the desertification of the earth and the destruction of humanity.
• All human achievements related to art, science and communication are on the verge of destruction – sarod symbolises art, the clock science and the Indus script stands for communication – they are on a trip to Atlantis, the land/symbol of destruction/lost world.
• Atlantis references an imaginary island mentioned in Plato’s Timaeus and Critias. In the story, Atlantis is described as a naval empire. After a failed attempt to conquer Athens, it fell out of favour with the deities and submerged into the Atlantic Ocean. Plato states that the country sank into the Atlantic Ocean out of excessive pride. According to the poet, the earth will also have the same fate as Atlantis due to the destruction of natural resources, and it will thereby lose all its achievements, which it is proud of.
• In the concluding part of the stanza, he shifts from the legendary island to the harsh realities of environmental pollution.
• The fridge, though a commendable innovation of mankind, is simultaneously a potent destroyer of the environment, as it emits CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons), which are one of the major causes of ozone layer depletion. According to the poet, these technological advancements indirectly hoist the flag of the festival of the desert. In other words, it is a crucial reason for the impending doom of Mother Earth.
• Without trying to understand the seriousness of the issue, artists/poets indulge in romantic endeavours and write poems that fool people by conveying that the earth is still a safe, greener place to live.

STANZA IV

• Amidst this confusion and suppressed anger, a little bird tries to learn its flight lessons. The young bird could symbolise young children born daily to this sinking earth, and learn how to live and adapt. 
• The people who are on the verge of death beg the universe to help them by giving them a new wave to ride on so that they can escape from drowning in the ocean of destruction.

STANZA V

• There are no more shadows on earth due to the cutting down of trees. Shadows may symbolise comfort and solace.
• The trees are cut down to make coffins as people die in large numbers due to the destruction of the environment.
• Thus, a desert is advancing without a warning signal, and it is very tragic to witness such a destiny.

STANZA VI

• Love binds all things together, but now there is a restriction/curfew on all forms of love.
• Extremists’ rockets destroy the Holy Eucharist. The Holy Eucharist denotes Christ’s Last Supper, symbolising sharing, trust, and respect. Thus, extremists destroy the spirit of sharing and trust.
• There is a lustful union of chemical and biological weapons, which is deadly.
• The Guard of Honour is given by those who are wounded but left alive after the destruction.

STANZA VII

• The stanza opens with the statement that the body doesn’t get wet even after a dip in the water – maybe the rivers are devoid of water, or everything on earth has become a show, and people are moving away from reality.
• The poet then lists people and actions that are alarming sirens of the impending destruction/ doom – 1) Excessive religious sensitivity – depicted through images such as pilgrims, animal chariots, and handbells. 2) The tree priests who are pseudo-environmentalists. 3) Youth who travel across the world. 4) ‘Crazy Thoma’/false or pseudo priests/Godman who proclaim themselves as antichrist.

STANZA VIII

• Within no time, the earth will be covered by layers of desert sand destruction.
• Life on earth is compared to an election notice full of false promises that will never be fulfilled.
• The earth will eventually be the heir to millions of graves. 
• Still, some people are hopeful of the Earth’s comeback – they hope that the planet may regain life from the fossils scattered around.
• People are hoping for a sunrise. Sunrise is a symbol of restoration/ regeneration.
• The poet is not hopeful and feels that regeneration is impossible. To illustrate this, he uses two images: it is as impossible as the seven leaves of the Pala tree seeking to reattach to its branch, or like the stream of milk from the mother’s breast seeking to return to the nipple. 
• The poem ends with a Biblical allusion. Good Friday is the holy day observing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Believers observe it as a day of fasting and penance. The killing of the earth is as severe as the crucifixion of Christ. According to the poet, every week on earth is a good Friday, devoid of sleep.
• Although the resurrection followed Good Friday, the poet states clearly that there won’t be any resurrection for the earth, and we are here to witness the arrival of desertification and the destruction of the earth.

 

 

 

 

WORKS CITED

https://www.jstor.org/stable/43856684

https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/poignant-rendition/article3500847.ece