He Had Such Quiet Eyes

Elements of the Poem

Setting

Place : A quiet place where couples meet

Time : The present,a quiet evening

Social setting : Middle-class,young working people

Persona

• The persona is a third person observing the folly of a young woman who is easily taken in by pleasure-seeking guys.

Themes

• Deception
• Love/lust trap

Message

• Learn from your mistakes.
• Appearances can be deceptive.

Moral values

• Do not be fooled by outward appearances or 'sweet talk'.
• Never compromise your moral values and principles.
• Listen to your elders, advice.

Tone & Mood

• Sad, with a tinge of regret
• Didactic

Languange & Style

• 3 verses
• Rhyming end lines
• Literally devices : metaphor,personafication,rhymes,alliteration

The Poet: Bibsy Soenharjo

• An Indonesian poet, well-versed in Indonesian,English,French and Dutch.
• Her poems are characterized by rhymes, wit, verbal puns and alliteration.
• Her imagination draws the reader into a world of fantasy and surprises.
• Her sense of humour is engaging.

Overview of 'He Had Such Quiet Eyes'

• The poem deals with the issue of deception in society,especially in matters of the heart.
• The persona is observant and conveys a message about the need for caution and good judgement to avoid being deceived by others.

Meaning of Verses

Verse1

The poet observes the folly of a young woman.The persona highlights that the man had eyes which masked his true personality.She did not realize this as he gave her a pleading,sorrowful look and she was taken in.She believed his lies.

Verse 2

Now the young woman realizes the awful truth.The poet notes that if the young woman had listened to the advice given,she would never have given in, nor would she have so many questions and regrets afterwards.

Verse 3

Here the poet is didactic and advises the reader not to be deceived by appearances.A person's true character is revealed over time.Caution will benefit us especially when it involves feelings.