ABOUT THE POEM:
The poem RANSOM FOR PEACE depicts a tense and uncertain situation in a peaceful town facing the threat of war. At the heart of the conflict is the question of whether the town’s rulers will grant the marriage of a woman to King Einan, an invading ruler. This marriage could either maintain the peace or lead to the town’s downfall.
In the beginning, the poem describes the futile attempts of the town’s leaders to maintain control through hollow promises and rhetoric. Despite the outward calm, the arrival of King Einan with his massive army—complete with elephants, soldiers and banners—creates an atmosphere of impending doom. His army is so vast it seems to stretch as far as the eye can see, a force ready to unleash destruction.
King Einan is portrayed as a wealthy and generous ruler, and his presence in the town stirs both admiration and fear. His intentions are clear: he seeks the hand of a beautiful woman, whose father’s decision will determine the town’s fate. The father, however, is hesitant, torn between granting the marriage and the potential consequences for his people.
In the midst of this, a king symbolizes the growing pressure on the father to act, as the demands for the woman’s marriage to the king grow louder. The poem asks whether peace, currently fragile, will endure, or if it will unravel into chaos and war.
Jealousy and deception also play a role, lurking beneath the surface like calm waters hiding a storm. These emotions threaten to destabilize the situation, hinting that even if the marriage were granted, underlying tensions could still erupt.
The town, once peaceful and secure, is now at a crossroads. The imagery of nature—storks grazing near trees—suggests that, despite the outward serenity, the town’s future is uncertain. The final lines question whether the town will hold onto its peace or dissolve like clouds, shifting and losing form as it succumbs to conflict.
In summary, the poem reflects the tension between peace and war, personal desires and political realities and the fragile balance that can be upended by a single decision. The fate of the town and its people hinges on whether the marriage will be granted, but even then, nothing is certain. The central theme of the poem is that the decision to grant the woman's marriage symbolizes a critical choice that could either preserve peace or plunge the town into conflict. It also encapsulates the tension between personal and political stakes, highlighting how a single union can determine the fate of an entire community.
RANSOM FOR PEACE
If they don’t grant her hand, no words will save,
The minister can’t mask his lies with might.
This peaceful town may soon become a grave.
Kings march with bells and elephants in sight,
Their wide feet pounding earth, flags in the air,
A sea of men and steeds, a force of night.
Einan, a king whose hands are rich and fair,
Comes to this town, once calm as steady streams,
Her beauty matches lands beyond compare.
But threats arise, her father’s broken dreams,
A king stands, demanding marriage’s grace,
Will peace endure, or fall apart at seams?
Jealousy, clear as water’s pure embrace,
Hides underneath a lie, a quiet storm,
This town, once safe, now looks to time and space.
The stork roams beside trees rooted in earth,
As questions stir, will peace transform or harm?
Or will this town, like clouds, scatter and lose its warmth?
NOTE: Einan, the name of the ruler.
