"NIGHT OF THE SCORPION" by Nissim Ezekiel

 

NIGHT OF THE SCORPION

I   remember the night my mother

was stung by a scorpion. Ten hours

of steady rain had driven him

to crawl beneath a sack of rice.

Parting with his poison - flash

of diabolic tail in the dark room -

he risked the rain again.

The peasants came like swarms of flies

and buzzed the name of God a hundred times

to paralyse the Evil One.

 

With candles and with lanterns

throwing giant scorpion shadows

on the mud-baked walls

they searched for him: he was not found.

They clicked their tongues.

With every movement that the scorpion made his poison moved in Mother's blood, they said.

May he sit still, they said

May the sins of your previous birth

be burned away tonight, they said.

May your suffering decrease

the misfortunes of your next birth, they said.

May the sum of all evil

balanced in this unreal world

 

Against the sum of good

become diminished by your pain.

May the poison purify your flesh

of desire, and your spirit of ambition,

they said, and they sat around

on the floor with my mother in the centre,

the peace of understanding on each face.

More candles, more lanterns, more neighbours,

more insects, and the endless rain.

My mother twisted through and through,

groaning on a mat.

 

My father, sceptic, rationalist,

trying every curse and blessing,

powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.

He even poured a little paraffin

upon the bitten toe and put a match to it.

I watched the flame feeding on my mother.

I watched the holy man perform his rites to tame the poison with an incantation.

After twenty hours

it lost its sting.

My mother only said

Thank God the scorpion picked on me

And spared my children.

 

About Poet,

•        Nissim Ezekiel (16 December 1924 – 9 January 2004)  was an Indian poet, actor, playwright, editor, and art critic. He was a foundational figure in postcolonial India's literary history, specifically for Indian poetry in English.

•        He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his collection, "Latter-Day Psalms“.

•         Ezekiel enriched and established Indian English language poetry through his modernist innovations and techniques, which enlarged Indian English literature, moving it beyond purely spiritual and orientalist themes, to include a wider range of concerns and interests, including familial events, individual angst and skeptical societal introspection.

•        In Ezekiel's poetry the quality of the heart is evident through his undertones, irony, and self mockery

 

Short Summary,

"Night of the Scorpion" is a poem by Nissim Ezekiel. It narrates a powerful and dramatic incident in which a scorpion stings the speaker's mother, and the subsequent reactions of the villagers, the father, and the mother herself.

The poem is known for its vivid imagery and exploration of themes such as superstition, community, and maternal love. It is a nostalgic poem in which music and storytelling have been blended exquisitely. The beginning of the poem is hasty and the tone is conversational and the rhythm is colloquial.

The poem begins with the scorpion, driven inside by relentless rain, hiding under a sack of rice and stinging the poet's mother. The villagers gather quickly, chanting prayers and invoking God's name to neutralize the scorpion's venom.

 They express various superstitious beliefs, suggesting that the mother's suffering will burn away her past sins, purify her soul, and reduce her misfortunes in future lives.

 

But as the poem develops one can understand that the father, a rationalist, tries a range of remedies, both traditional and scientific, to alleviate her pain.

 Like a  confused observer, the speaker in the poem watches the flame consuming his mother’s toe. He also beholds the holy man performing his rites to subside the poise with an incantation. Despite his efforts, he is unable to provide immediate relief.

The villagers, meanwhile, continue their rituals and prayers. After many hours of suffering, the pain finally subsides. The poem concludes with the mother's selfless remark, expressing her gratitude that the scorpion spared her children.

"Night of the Scorpion" effectively captures a dramatic incident and explores deep themes through vivid imagery and contrasting perspectives. Ezekiel’s portrayal of the event highlights the complexity of human reactions to suffering and the enduring power of maternal love amidst adversity.

 

 

Themes:

Superstition vs. Rationalism:

The poem juxtaposes the superstitious beliefs of the villagers with the rational approach of the father. The villagers' reliance on prayers, incantations, and traditional remedies contrasts with the father's attempts to use scientific methods to cure his wife.

Community and Solidarity:

The immediate response of the villagers demonstrates a strong sense of community. Despite their superstitions, their presence and efforts to help reflect communal solidarity in times of crisis.

Maternal Love:

The mother's final words highlight her selflessness and maternal instinct. Her concern for her children's safety above her own pain underscores the theme of unconditional maternal love.