Pablo Neruda's Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet opens with a simple counting to twelve and ends with an introspective silence; the 2026-27 NCERT print keeps the entire 25-line poem and the four "Think it out" questions intact on pages 92 to 93. This page hosts the ncert class 12 english book pdf chapter 8 Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet, a stanza-by-stanza reading map, and the latest 2026-27 rationalisation note for English Core.
- CBSE Weightage: 6 marks, typically one stanza-based extract plus one short or long answer on theme or symbolism
- CUET (UG) Relevance: 1 to 2 questions on poetic devices and theme in Section IA English
- Poem Length: 25 lines arranged as a single continuous appeal, no formal stanza breaks in the NCERT print
The two-page chapter is one of the shortest in Flamingo, so the reading effort goes into theme, symbolism, and Neruda's plea for collective pause; the page below maps every block in print order. Students often save the ncert class 12 english book pdf chapter 8 Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet for offline revision before the boards.
This ncert class 12 english book pdf chapter 8 Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet is the official NCERT print, served by Collegedunia in both Normal and HD format, aligned with the 2026-27 rationalised syllabus for Class 12 English Core.
Also Check:

Keeping Quiet Weightage Across Class 12 English Core Flamingo Poetry
The bar chart below shows how Keeping Quiet sits against the other Flamingo Poetry chapters in the typical CBSE marking pattern, averaged over the last five board papers.
Flamingo Poetry Keeping Quiet Video Chapter Walkthrough
Source: Magnet Brains on YouTube
How will Collegedunia's NCERT Book PDF Help You with the Keeping Quiet PDF
The ncert class 12 english book pdf chapter 8 Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet on this page is the official NCERT Flamingo print, served in two formats.
- 2026-27 NCERT Alignment: The PDF is the current rationalised print, identical to the textbook your school issues, including page numbers.
- Both Normal and HD versions: The Normal PDF (~2 MB) opens fast on slow connections; the HD PDF prints cleanly for a personal copy.
- Direct download: No registration, no ad walls. The download button on this page links to the file directly.
- Line-numbered for cross-reference: Lines are referenced 1 to 25, which matches the line numbers used in our Notes and Solutions pages.

NCERT Section-by-Section Breakdown of Keeping Quiet
The chapter sits on two facing pages in the Flamingo textbook. The table below lists every block in print order so you can find any element fast.
| Block | Page | What It Contains |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter title and poet credit | 92 (top) | "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda, translated from the original Spanish "A Callarse" |
| Photograph of the poet | 92 (margin) | Black-and-white photograph of Pablo Neruda, used by NCERT in most prints |
| Pre-reading note | 92 (top block) | Short prose paragraph framing the poem's plea for quietness and self-introspection |
| The poem (full text) | 92 to 93 | 25-line free-verse poem in a single continuous appeal, no formal stanza breaks |
| Think it out (4 questions) | 93 (bottom) | 4 textbook questions on the count to twelve, symbolism of stillness, "exotic moment", and what life teaches |
| About the poet block (some prints) | 93 (margin) | Brief biographical note on Pablo Neruda, 1904-1973, Chilean Nobel laureate |
Keeping Quiet 2026-27 Rationalisation Note
The NCERT rationalisation exercise of 2023 onwards did not affect this chapter. The full poem and all four "Think it out" questions are retained in the current 2026-27 print.
| Element | Old Edition | 2026-27 Print |
|---|---|---|
| Poem (full text, 25 lines) | Present | Retained in full |
| "Think it out" questions | 4 questions | 4 questions, identical |
| About the poet block | Present | Retained |
| Chapter page count | 2 pages | 2 pages |
Because nothing was trimmed in this chapter, the new edition reads exactly the same as the older print for revision purposes.
How to Read the Keeping Quiet NCERT PDF
The chapter is short, so the recommended reading sequence is built around theme, symbol, and the count to twelve, not length.
- Pass 1 (10 minutes, skim). Read the 25 lines aloud once. Notice the count "let us count to twelve" at line 1 and the closing line "I will count up to twelve".
- Pass 2 (15 minutes, symbol pass). Underline the symbols: twelve (clock hours, months, apostles), "exotic moment", "green war", "war with gas".
- Pass 3 (15 minutes, theme pass). Mark the three large themes in margin notes: introspection, non-violence, and the difference between stillness and death.
- Pass 4 (20 minutes, question pass). Attempt the four "Think it out" questions on page 93. Compare your answers with the Class 12 English NCERT Solutions linked above.
Multi-Day Study Plan for the Keeping Quiet PDF
If you are pacing this with the rest of Flamingo Poetry, the schedule below distributes the work across three short sittings.
| Day | Focus | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Read poem twice, mark symbols, attempt Question 1 and 2 | 30 minutes |
| Day 2 | Theme map, stillness vs death contrast, attempt Question 3 and 4 | 30 minutes |
| Day 3 | Memorise four core lines, revise one PYQ-style 6-mark answer | 20 minutes |
About Pablo Neruda and the Keeping Quiet Context
The about-the-poet block in the ncert class 12 english book pdf chapter 8 Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet sits in the page 93 margin in most prints. Pablo Neruda (1904 to 1973) was a Chilean poet, diplomat, and Nobel laureate. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971 and is widely regarded as one of the most influential Latin American poets of the twentieth century. "Keeping Quiet" was translated from his original Spanish poem "A Callarse", part of the collection Extravagaria, and was selected for inclusion in the Flamingo textbook because its appeal for collective pause and self-introspection speaks directly to a Class 12 reader living through busy daily life.
Related Links:
More Keeping Quiet English Class 12 Resources
NCERT Book PDF for Class 12 English Core: All Flamingo Chapters
The full Flamingo set sits below so you can pull any chapter PDF without leaving the page.
| Chapter | Resource |
|---|---|
| Chapter 1 | The Last Lesson NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 2 | Lost Spring NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 3 | Deep Water NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 4 | The Rattrap NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 5 | Indigo NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 6 | Poets and Pancakes NCERT Book PDF |
| Chapter 7 | My Mother at Sixty-Six NCERT Book PDF |
Keeping Quiet Class 12 English NCERT Book PDF FAQs
Ques. Where can I download the Keeping Quiet pdf for Class 12 English?
Ans. You can download the ncert class 12 english book pdf chapter 8 Flamingo Poetry: Keeping Quiet directly from this page. Both the Normal and HD versions are free and identical to the official NCERT print.
Ques. Is this PDF aligned with the 2026-27 NCERT Flamingo print?
Ans. Yes. The PDF is the current 2026-27 print for Class 12 English Core. The poem is retained in full in the new edition with no lines trimmed.
Ques. How many pages is the Class 12 English Keeping Quiet chapter PDF?
Ans. The chapter PDF runs two pages (92 to 93 in the Flamingo textbook) and covers the full 25-line poem, four "Think it out" questions, and a brief about-the-poet block on Pablo Neruda.
Ques. Who wrote the Keeping Quiet pdf poem and when?
Ans. The poem was written by Pablo Neruda (1904 to 1973), a Chilean poet and Nobel laureate. The original Spanish title is "A Callarse" and the poem is part of his collection Extravagaria. It was selected by NCERT for inclusion in the Class 12 Flamingo textbook.
Ques. What is the difference between the NCERT Book PDF and the NCERT Solutions PDF?
Ans. The NCERT Book PDF on this page is the original chapter print, identical to the textbook. The NCERT Solutions PDF (linked above) carries worked answers to every "Think it out" question plus sample CBSE-pattern long-answer responses prepared by Collegedunia.
Ques. Was Keeping Quiet affected by the 2023 NCERT rationalisation?
Ans. No. The 25-line poem and the four "Think it out" questions are retained in full in the current 2026-27 syllabus. The chapter reads the same as the older edition for revision purposes.








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