God”. Each questioner asks something to Almustafa and he answers their question. So, in the second line of each prose poetry is written “And he answered:” or “And he
said” which ‘he’ represent Almustafa. It has been introduced in first chapter of this book “The Coming of the Ship” that the people ask him to give them his truth about
things between birth and death. “Yet this we ask ere you leave us, that you speak to us and give us
of your truth….Now therefore disclose us to ourselves, and tell us all that has been shown you of that which is between birth and
death. And he answered: People of Orphalese, of what can I speak save of
that which is even now moving within your souls?” Having chosen selected prose poetry to be analyzed that have relation on self
and its developing process, the writer chooses the prose poetry entitled On Self Knowledge, On Talking, On Teaching and On Pain:
4.1 On Self Knowledge
The first prose poem to be analyzed entitled ‘On Self Knowledge’:
On Self –Knowledge
And a man said, Speak to us of Self-Knowledge. Line 1
And he answered, saying: Line 2
Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. Line 3
But your ears thirst for the sound of your hearts knowledge. Line 4
You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. Line 5 You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.
Line 6 And it is well you should.
Line 7 The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea;
Line 8 And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes. Line 9
But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; Line 10
And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. Line 11 For self is a sea boundless and measureless.
Line 12 Say not, I have found the truth, but rather, I have found a truth.
Line 13 Say not, I have found the path of the soul. Say rather, I have met the soul walking
upon my path. Line 14
For the soul walks upon all paths. Line 15
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed. Line 16
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals. Line 17
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And a man said, Speak to us of Self-Knowledge. Line 1 And he answered, saying: Line 2
The symbol ‘man’ is very general symbol to tell animate thing. It tells human being in general. If a man asks about self knowledge, it means general human want
to know about self knowledge. The message of this line is that every human need self knowledge.
Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights. Line 3 Secret is something that can’t be told by someone to another one. Secret is
kept from view of other. The days and the nights represent the exchange of period of time in this life because life is process of replacement the days and the night. It may
such as day and night, light and dark, or true and false. It means the words “days and nights” mean the time of this world. The secret of the days and the nights may mean
secret of life. Yet, those all only known by the heart. It means people, in this line, will not know the secret of life if they do not ask it to their heart because the heart is
only silent. So the conclusion is the heart will not tell secret of the life as long people do not ask their heart because if a heart know something, it doesn’t mean the owner
of the heart know it, too.
But your ears thirst for the sound of your hearts knowledge. Line 4 Actually, this is contrast from previous line. Ear is used for hearing
something; to hear a sound from someone or something. But the word ‘thirst’ means negative which explain that the ear isn’t hear sound of your heart’s knowledge
enough. Heart Oxford: 2000 is part of the body where feelings and emotions are thought to be, especially those connected with love. Usually, the knowledge of the
heart should be something wise. Many people say that if you are doubt, you can ask
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your heart because heart will never lie to you. Powerfully, the word ‘knowledge’ supports the function of the heart itself because heart and knowledge will tell wisely.
You would know in words that which you have always known in thought. Line 5
The fifth line is written in two sentences. Grammatically, the first sentence is using modal in past tense ‘you would know’ but the second sentence is written in
simple present so the word ‘would’ is written as expectation form. Gibran expects that all we know in thought, also we know in words. But expectation is something we
have not got yet. It means that all we know in thought haven’t known in word. It may mean we can’t say everything in our thought in words because although sometimes
what we thought may be able to be represented by words but there may some ‘feeling’ missed. It’s because those stuff in thought is deeper than in words.
You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams. Line 6 And it is well you should. Line 7
Naked body is the symbol of purity self. The naked body is who you are without something hidden. The naked body is very natural to say finding the identity.
Naked body of your dream means the one whom you want to be which you can’t express due to something. Gibran says ‘You would touch’ as suggestion to touch of
true self which mean people should set themselves free and find their original identity. The word ‘with your finger’ means that the one that can make people find
their true self is themselves by their hand. None can make people find their ‘self’ if they can’t find it by themselves. That’s because nothing will change about people if
they refuse to change something about themselves. The line 7 ‘And it is well you
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should’ is written as suggestion and expectation of Gibran that people must find their true self.
The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea; Line 8
Spring is symbol of young age, new life, and knowledge but in this line, the spring is hidden by something. The hidden well-spring is the spring that should be
exist in the soul well. In dictionary, soul is person’s inner character containing their true though and feeling. The word ‘true though and feeling’ as if saying that without
the true though and true feeling, the soul isn’t totally the soul. Gibran says that hidden spring of soul means that the true though and feeling must need rise, it
because our thought isn’t always based on true knowledge or wisdom. If we can find out our true thought and feeling, it should be something great because mostly thought
and feeling is totally control our act. While the word ‘sea’ is symbol of the life and its dynamic so ‘run murmuring to
the sea’ may an advice that if we want to face the life and problem in it, we should use our true knowledge and feeling. We can’t
face it if we are blind of it.
And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes. Line 9
Treasure is something extremely valuable for us but treasure for someone maybe different with the other. For self, treasure can be mind, intelligence, wisdom
or love. If treasure is infinite, it means that the person is so rich in concept of self. Gibran says that the treasure itself would be revealed to your eyes may mean that we
should show and respect how valuable ourselves. People say that someone respect
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you depend on your way respect yourself. So we should reveal it by showing how we respect ourselves by our own manner.
But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; Line 10 No scale means there is no proper price for your self-treasure. There is no
standard about how valuable the self is. But, Gibran says ‘unknown treasure’ because people haven’t known about their values. They haven’t known the value of their
mind, intelligence or wisdom of their innate self because they focus on other’s values till they forget to value themselves.
And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. Line 11
The word ‘sounding line’ may mean the point of view or the right thing for general. We mostly see something is only based on our point of view. If something is
not same with what our point of view say, we say it’s wrong. So Gibran says to not seek knowledge with staff or sounding line because there are always possibilities that
what we not think true is the truest knowledge.
For self is a sea boundless and measureless. Line 12 Self Oxford: 2000 is the type of person you are, especially the way you
normally behave. Self means personal individual; a person’s personality or character that makes them different from other people. Gibran says that self is something
boundless and measureless. It means human’s capability isn’t limited. Ironically, we often judge ourselves and determine our personal standard. When we find something
new to do, we quite often say that we can’t do it even before we try to do it. We are often thinking that someone is better, smarter or such those better qualities that us so
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those make us underestimate ourselves. If we judge someone, it also means we judge ourselves. Why we have to limit treasure of ourselves, if it’s unlimited?
Say not, I have found the truth, but rather, I have found a truth. Line 13 The difference between “I have found the truth” and “I have found a truth” is
the article ‘a’ and ‘the.’ The article ‘the’ is more specific. It’s used to referring something that has been already mentioned or is easily understood. Meanwhile, the
article ‘a’ is used before uncountable nouns referring to people or things that have not mentioned. The article ‘a’ can be for something infinite. Truth itself is true fact
about something rather than the things that have been invented or guessed. The word “I have found the truth” means that the truth itself already knows which truth is it, so
it makes the truth being specific. It’s as if saying ‘this is the truth and no more other truth’. But “I have found a truth” means that the truth is general. It can be any truth.
The truth still can be seen by many ways. It’s better to say ‘I have found a truth’ than ‘I have found the truth’ because when we have specific truth or the standard of truth,
we cannot see the other truth.
Say not, I have found the path of the soul. Say rather, I have met the soul walking upon my path. Line 14
The word ‘I have found the part of my soul’ emphasize on the path. If you only have part of the soul, it means you haven’t found the soul completely. You only
know the soul in your way. But ‘I have met the soul walking upon my path’ emphasizes on the soul itself which means you have met the soul in your path. So, no
matter which path you take, the soul is always belong to you in your way.
For the soul walks upon all paths. Line 15
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“For the soul walks upon all paths” is in one line with previous line which saying ‘I have met the soul walking upon my path’ for that the soul should be exists
in every way we take. This is because people will do better if they do something by using their soul. There are senses to do the best and self-pleasure if we love what we
do.
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed. Line 16 This line tells that the soul isn’t a line which means that the soul isn’t only
seen by one way. People may see the straight way to their focus but it doesn’t mean that that way is the only way. When people see something straight, they can’t see the
side ways and another way that not in one line with their way. Gibran also says it doesn’t like a reed because reed doesn’t need much treatment to grow up but soul
does.
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals. Line 17 Lotus is beautiful muddy flower that grow in muddy water. Yet, although
lotus lives in muddy water, the lotus can keep clean. It’s like self cleaning phenomenon where lotus keeps shining without being dirty, no matter how dirty the
water itself. It symbolizes as the law of cause and effect of it in our lives. This philosophy is also related to human. Human should be like the lotus. The muddy
water is like the environment which identical with pain, stress, problem and such a gloomy condition. But human shouldn’t be affected by those all that come into their
life. Respecting themselves and staying with their mind will make them gain access to the true self-knowledge.
In conclusion, Gibran emphasizes the self-knowledge where the point is on the self, heart and the soul. Gibran has arranged the words beautifully which one
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word supports each other meaning. Gibran keeps saying something about the soul and the path for making people aware that they have to have their soul in their way
because basically self is boundless and measureless.
4. 2 On Talking
The second prose poem to be analyzed entitled ‘On Talking’:
On Talking
And then a scholar said, Speak of Talking. Line 1
And he answered, saying: Line 2
You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts; Line 3
And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.
Line 4 And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.
Line 5 For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings
but cannot fly. Line 6
There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone. Line 7
The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape.
Line 8 And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought reveal a truth
which they themselves do not understand. Line 9
And there are those who have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words. Line 10
In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence. Line 11
When you meet your friend on the roadside or in the market-place, let the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue.
Line 12 Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear of his ear;
Line 13 For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered.
Line 13 When the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more.
Line 14 Talking is our daily activity. We talk to ourselves, talk to others, and talk to
inanimate thing. Our way on talking is as reflection of our thought and personality. Here is how Gibran introduces about talking:
And then a scholar said, Speak of Talking. Line 1 And he answered, saying: Line 2
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Scholar is symbol of well educated people. Scholar is a person who knows a lot about particular subject because they have studied it in detail. Mostly, a scholar
should have ability to speak because the school’s systems ask the scholar to keep speaking about his knowing. Scholar, as image of smart person to talk, asks about
talking would be peculiar for ordinary people. But, in this line, Gibran makes it for supporting his idea about talking.
You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts; Line 3 Human should be in peace with their thought because human’s personality is
controlled by their though. But in this line, Gibran says, in a direct way, the opposite side of talking with peace of thought. Gibran says that we are talking when we can’t
be longer being peace with thought although thought is result of thinking process. This line is as if saying that people talk to run out of their mind.
And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime. Line 4
Solitude of the heart is the peace itself. People are often able to hear what they heart say. When people can’t be longer talking with himself or asking his heart
what to do, it seems like they are having self crisis respect. Gibran says the word ‘you live in your lips’ after the process of dwell solitude heart means that when
people can’t being one with himself, he change his way being dwell with other people by talking process. Gibran says that sound is diversion and pastime may
because they do it as diversion of their failure being peace with the heart and pastime is like hobby. It means making a sound or talking is already being a hobby for people
who can’t be longer with himself.
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And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered. Line 5 Usually people talk as process to attract someone to talk or response to
someone else. But, in this line, Gibran says that when we talk too much, thinking is half murdered. For the proof, we always stop talking when we think something
seriously. Moreover, there is a study conducted by the National Center for Neurogenic Communication Disorders and Department of Speech and Hearing
Sciences, The University of Arizona Tucson, USA has revealed that excessive talkativeness could lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, loss of concentration,
emotional instability, muscular tension, abnormal posture and other negative effects.
“Therefore, it is normal that long speeches, conversations and excessive talkativeness often lead to light-headedness, loss of
concentration, emotional instability, cold feet and hands, muscular tension, abnormal posture and other negative effects due to low O2
and CO2 levels in the brain. Deliberate deep breathing or hyperventilation causes the same effects, the researchers concluded.”
http:nationalmirroronline.netnewtoo-much-talk-rots-the-brain
For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly. Line 6
In this line, Gibran makes the analogy thought is a bird of space in the cage. Bird is animal that can fly up. Flying in the space may represent that thought can see
everything down from the space. Essentially, he is stating that human brain acts is like a cage. The words that cage the thought may because what we can say in words
is limited. The bird represents our innate thoughts, the cage represent our mind. He suggests that people must learn to set themselves free from their minds.
There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone. Line 7
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This is tragic comedy for telling the reason why people are being talkative. In this line, Gibran says that the reason why people being talkative because they are
afraid of being alone. This is logical statement. People are being talkative to attract attention from other people around them. When someone talks to others, it is
common respond to reply his talking. This process makes people have someone to talk and not be alone. This supports line 3 which saying “You talk when you cease to
be at peace with your thoughts” as if saying that they are who seek talkative is cannot be longer with their thought.
The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape. Line 8
This is the next step of talking process due to afraid of being alone. ‘Naked selves’ can be positive or negative meaning depends on the context of situation. It is
symbol of whom people actually are because ‘naked selves’ means there is nothing that makes the self hidden. In this case, the ‘naked body’ represents the original
manner of people before they get their own identity. If they would escape from their ‘naked selves’, it means they are afraid to know who actually they are and to run out
from their thought.
And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought reveal a truth which they themselves do not understand. Line 9
This is ironic line but may be a general truth. There are people who talk to others but they do not actually know what they are talking about. People keep saying
something although they themselves do not know about it. It may have been a style where people want to look like an intelligent person by saying something in high
level language although they only know for the surface. It’s also happened where
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people think they say the truth although they are far of the truth. They think they reveal the truth with them but they only know the truth based on their side.
And there are those who have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words. Line 10
In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence. Line11
The subject ‘them’ in this line is in the opposite side of the subject from previous line because the subject in this line has known about the truth. They keep
the truth with them but they don’t say the truth by saying it. They may have another way to say the truth. It may by action such as, if people want to get respect, they
should respect other people first. Sometimes, a person’s action will tell everything we need to know. This can be more effective because sometimes people don’t
believe the words itself because saying something is easily to do but practicing something shows that people have seriousness for doing it. It may mean that they
keep the truth for themselves such as rhythmic silence for making people finding out the truth based own their own truth.
When you meet your friend on the roadside or in the market-place, let the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue. Line 12
Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear of his ear; Line 13 This line tells the humanity habit where people keep saying hello anytime
they meet their friend especially the friend they have not met for long time. People looks like automatically accost each other. Gibran says it as spirit, by this word ‘let
the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue’, which can make your mouth open for saying something or accost other one. The sound we produce will be hearing
by someone by their ear ‘speak to the ear of his ear’ as process of communication.
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For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered. Line 14
When the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more. Line 15 Wine is alcoholic drink. It has been such a life style for having wine for
party, when having problem or serving to other people. People can be addicted of wine. In this line, Gibran uses it as the symbol for people who keep the truth of the
heart in soul. When heart, soul and truth are in one combination, people are usually wise to find the right thing to do. Especially, it’s as the taste of the wine
remembered. It means people that have been dealing with his soul keep asking their heart to find the truth anytime they want to do something or anytime they need self
answer. It may like an addicting activity to keep asking self first. Gibran also says ‘color is forgotten and vessel no more’. Color is related to skin color and vessel is
related by what they are. It means that for keeping the truth of the heart, people need to be free of the diversity of religion, color skin, land boundaries, identity and kind
of things that can make people judging someone blindly. The image of talking is described well in this prose poem. Gibran has given
image of talking by starting why we keep talking, the effect of talking where has been supported by scientific research, and how should we do if we want to talk about
someone or something. There is perspective in society that our talking represents our personality so by wisely talking, it can make us wisely respect the self.
4.3 On Teaching
