The poem revolves around the themes of peace and calmness of mind. The poet lays emphasis on the significance of staying calm, having peace of mind and understanding the importance of silence. The poem talks about situations where one might lose their composure and say words that they might regret later. In such instances, the poet advises the readers to stay calm and maintain their silence in the face of arrogance and adversities.

Stay Calm Summary

1. Alliteration- alliteration is used when there is a repetition of a consonant sound or letter in a line. In the poem, the letter /m/ is repeated in the line “maintain a mental” and the letter /s/ is repainted in the lines “saying something” and “strict silence”. The sound /d/ is also repeated in the line “defrauded or defied”.
2. Apostrophe- apostrophe is when the speaker in the poem directly addresses the listener or the reader. Apostrophe is used throughout the poem. The speaker directly addresses the listener by using the pronouns “you” in the poem.
3. Metaphor- metaphor is used when the poet makes an indirect comparison between two things without using the words “like” or “as”. In the poem, the poet makes a comparison between staying calm with other vital things in life such as food, air and water.
4. Enjambment- enjambment is when the line is continued onto the next line without any pause. In the poem, the poet uses enjambment in the stanzas internally. For example in the lines “For when your mind is tranquil/ All your ill thoughts simply cease.”
5. Paradox- paradox is used when the poet talks about two contradictory ideas together. In the poem, the poet creates a paradox in the second stanza when he tells the reader to keep quiet especially if they know that they are right.

Stay Calm Summary