Class 11 Section II English Lesson 8

Summary

The poem “Corona Says” is written by a Nepali poet Vishnu S. Rai, a retired professor of Tribhuvan University. The poem deals with the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on human life and presents a subtle satire on human behavior and attitudes towards nature.

The poem is presented in the voice of Corona itself. The speaker (Corona) blames humans for their irrational and selfish behavior that invited the pandemic. He reminds them that their wars and conflicts have killed more people than the disease itself. The poet criticizes the false sense of superiority humans have over other living beings.

The poem also points out that humans treat nature and other creatures as their slaves—killing, selling, or destroying them for their benefit. However, the pandemic has had some positive effects too: the sky became clear, pollution decreased, and the earth got time to rest as human activities came to a halt.

The speaker warns humans to control their arrogance and greed. He stresses that the earth is not only for humans but a common home for all creatures. If humans continue their destructive behavior, they may push civilization back to the “cave time.”

Thus, the poem is both a warning and a reminder for humans to live in harmony with nature.

Understanding the text

Answer the following questions:

a. Who is the speaker in the poem?

The speaker in the poem is Corona.

b. Who claims that they are superior to all?

The humans of this modern world claim that they are superior to all.

c. Why has the speaker come to the Earth?

The speaker has come to Earth as a result of the abuse of nature by people.

d. What positive changes have occurred on Earth after the speaker’s visit?

After the speaker’s visit, the sky became clear without dust and smoke, the environment became clean, and the earth got time to rest while people felt like caged animals in a zoo.

Reference to the context

a. What does the speaker mean when he says:

But have you ever counted / How many have died so far / Because of you and your wars?

In these lines, the speaker (Corona) blames humans for causing more deaths through wars than through the pandemic. Wars arise from greed, disputes over land, resources, or power. They bring large-scale destruction, killing millions and leaving long-lasting psychological and physical suffering. Compared to this, Corona’s destruction is smaller.

b. Explain the following:

I will depart one day. / But remember / There’re many others like me. / They’ll come too. / If you don’t get rid of your inflated ego, / You’ll be back to your cave time …

Here, the speaker warns humans that although Corona will leave one day, other pandemics and disasters may arise if they continue their arrogant and destructive behavior. The poet suggests that human ego, greed, and misuse of nature may eventually destroy civilization, forcing humans back to primitive times.

c. What does the speaker mean in the following lines?

The earth is not your property alone – / It’s as much ours as yours.

These lines emphasize that the earth is a common home for all living beings—not just humans. Every creature has an equal right to use nature’s resources. Humans, however, exploit nature and deprive other beings of their share. The poet criticizes human selfishness and warns that such exploitation destroys the balance of the ecosystem.

Reference beyond the text

a. What human behaviours are responsible for suffering in people’s lives?

Human behaviors such as ego, greed, selfishness, wars, and exploitation of nature are responsible for human suffering. These actions bring diseases, poverty, destruction, and crises, making humans victims of their own mistakes.

b. How does an epidemic differ from a pandemic? Briefly explain the impact of Corona Virus on human life and environment.

• Epidemic: A disease that spreads rapidly among many people in a specific community or region.

• Pandemic: A disease that spreads across countries and continents, affecting a large population globally.

Impact of Corona Virus:

• On humans: It caused deaths, unemployment, economic crisis, hunger, homelessness, and mental stress.

• On environment: It reduced pollution, cleared the sky, and gave the earth some rest due to lockdowns and decreased human activities