ISLAND by Nissim Ezekiel.

Written in the post war era, the poem island showcases the grim reality of the a city which emerged as the most developed urban city of India, Bombay, now known as Mumbai.

The poem commences with the poet talking about an island and describing it as a place which is unsuitable to be written about and unsuitable to be thought about. This is because the island provides a glaring contrast between the poor and rich in the form of skyscr and slums which imparts a sense of reality to the poem. This island is shown to be part of the poer’s consciousness and how just like the place, the poet’s mind is also filled with uneven growth or development. At this point it becomes quite clear that the poet is referring to the city of Bombay as the island, where he was born and raised. Through  Bombay the poet talks to his audience and lucidly makes his identification with the city clear. This is evident from reading the first five lines of the poem.

The poet also confesses in the next few lines how despite his complete identification and assimilation with the city of Bombay, he feels utter loneliness and isolation and in that same wilderness of isolation he cries for help but nobody helps him, leading him to remain quiet and accept his own counsel or company. In his loneliness, he thinks that people have become heartless during their run towards a mirage of development after the war. The word dragon is used to symbolise these inhuman qualities that has possessed the people of Bombay, making them lack human sensibility. 

Even though the harshness of the city takes a toll on its residents, there is just something about it which keep its people glued to the place. The poet proposes that maybe it is the “Bright and tempting breezes” which “Flow across the island”. This attractive feature may refer to the business and commercial prospects offered by the city. 

In the next few lines we see that when the poet tries to forget or ignore the condition of the city, he gets a feeling of salvation. This is because for once he is able to look over the dissatisfaction and sorrow the city puts forth and focus on the sense of belongingness the he feels towards the city. He is relieved from a growing frustration for a while. 

This feeling is quite common in the hearts of many people residing in developing or underdeveloped countries. There is always a feeling of starting a new life in far away places, to get out of their birth place. Many Indians want to go to places in the European, North American or Australian continents but at the end of the day they also cannot deny their attachment and the feeling of belongingness they have towards their own country. The same expression is portrayed by the poet for Bombay. In spite of the evils present, he keeps himself engaged in the affairs of life & the ways of the city. Just like a true native the poet accepts the disturbances, dissatisfaction and “takes calm and clamour in his stride.”