In this poem, Vikram Seth portrays the terror caused by "The They", who are implied to be terrorists. The poet describes being constantly consumed by fear and unable to sleep due to chilling, disturbing thoughts. "The They" destroy lives through both physical and mental harm, showing no mercy. They liquidate anyone who tries to expose them. The poet weeps at the thought of the long, horrific deaths they cause. In the end, Seth poses the question of who "The They" are, though some know, none will speak their identities due to the terror they invoke.

1. The They
They have left me the quiet gift of fearing.
I am consumed by fear, chilling and searing.
I shiver at night. I cannot sleep. I burn
By night, by day. I tremble. They return.
They bear an abstract laser to destroy
Love-love and Live-live, little girl and boy.
Thus my heart jolts in fear. For they are known
To liquidate the squealers, sparing none.
Needless to say, the death is always long.
I weep to think of it; I am not strong.
Who are the They? Why do they act this way?
Some of us know, but no-one dares to say.
(Vikram Seth)
Meanings:
Chilling = gravely disturbing or frightening
Searing = extremely intense, severe
Shiver = to break into many small pieces
Jolt = to move with a quick sudden motion
Liquidate = to destroy or kill
Squealer = to make a high-pitched cry or noise/to tell someone in authority about something
wrong that someone has done.

2. Explanation:
They have left me the quiet gift of fearing.
I am consumed by fear, chilling and searing.
In these starting lines, the poet creates a thrilling and mysterious image of “They”. He mentions
the fear that is gifted by them and the poet is filled with intense fearful and disturbing thoughts.
I shiver at night. I cannot sleep. I burn
By night, by day. I tremble. They return.
Here the poet again mentions about being in a shattered state of fear. He is continuously
thinking about “the They”. They are so dominating over poet’s senses that he is burning with
sleeplessness and is shivering with fear.
They bear an abstract laser to destroy
Love-love and Live-live, little girl and boy.
Here we are given another hint by the poet about “They”. He says that they are capable of
destruction. They are so inhumane in their cruelty that love, life and even the innocence is also
destroyed by them. And by using the word abstract the poets means to say that they not only
destroy physically but they also ruin the mentality of everyone with their abstract lasers. The
terror spread by them is so lasting that if it doesn’t destroys anyone physically then it surely
will disturb their inner thoughts.
Thus my heart jolts in fear. For they are known
To liquidate the squealers, sparing none.
Therefore, poet’s heart beats with an extreme terror and panic. Poet says that “They” destroy
the ones who even try to make a noise or try to expose them. Here, we get a clue about “The
They” who are the terrorists. They are the ones with so brutal hearts that they have no mercy
and they leave no space for anyone to be left behind except for fear and terror.
Needless to say, the death is always long.
I weep to think of it; I am not strong.
Poet mentions about death which seems so long and far away. When someone is consumed by
terror and had gone through the horrific incident of destruction, one always yearns for death.
Because death seems the only possible way to relief. Poet says that when he recalls the dark
memories, he cries because he is not strong and this is why he longs for death which seems so
long.
Who are the They? Why do they act this way?
Some of us know, but no-one dares to say.
At the end, the poet puts a never solving and rhetorical question. Who are they and why do
they act this way? And again he mentions that some of us do know about their identities but no
one is brave enough to reveal them because “They” will eventually kill them.

3. Summary:
In this poem, Vikram Seth has portrayed a very true image of the ones who have the
power to destroy lives. Seth has represented the horrible scenarios of those people calling them
“The They”. But as we progress reading the poem it becomes clear that from the “They” Seth
is referring to the terrorists who play with the lives of thousands of innocent people regardless
of children, women, old men, and everyone. The poet explains his own fear by mentioning his
own state of terror which he experiences all day and night.
As Seth belongs to a South-Asian country and there is more fear prevailing over every
person due to numerous incidents of blasts and attacks by the terrorists. Due to these
happenings the poet in the opening line talks about the gift of fear given by the “They”. These
images become very clear to the person who have experienced them or who has lost any dear
person because of them. Their power and dominance over people is so much that no one even
dares to talk about their identities even if they know anything about them. Moreover, the poet
also talks about the abstract destruction that they cause. Because they not only destroy physical
lives, they also cause severe harm to the mentality of the people.
At last the poet mentions that the fear and ghastly effects of them are so deep that they
are capable of leaving an everlasting scar on the ones who are affected. Poet is burning with
the fearful thoughts and terror. Death seems the only relief but death is always long therefore,
he has to bear. Seth concludes with a thought provoking question about “The They” by asking
who they are and why do they act this way?
Analysis:
Vikram Seth’s book “The Humble Administrator’s Garden” has three parts namely:
Wutong (China), Neem (India) and Live-Oak (California). This poem is from the second part,
Neem depicting India. This reflects the nature and background of the poem which is more
specific to the South-Asian part. In this poem, “The They” Seth has adopted the normal six
stanza style of poem which also contains a very harmonious rhythmic flow scheme in it. The
title of the poem creates a very curios and mysterious image for the “they”. Title also suggests
about the anonymous nature of poem that Seth has portrayed through his words.
In the first two stanzas, Seth only mentions about the fear that is caused by “The They”.
Vikram has ironically used the term ‘gift’ to specify the terror and fear which They had
bestowed over poet. Moreover, he speaks about his own state which gives us the clue about the
powerful and dominating character of “They”.
In the third and fourth stanza, Seth has tried to portray a much clearer image of “They”
by mention two more traits of them. Apart from spreading fear, they destroy lives of the
innocent ones and “they are known to liquidate the squealers…” It means that they also kill the
ones who try to expose them. Here we may assume that Seth is referring to the terrorists because
such brutality can only be caused by these inhumane persons.
In the last two stanzas, Seth says that he has no strength to overcome the ghastly
thoughts that “They” have imprinted over his mind. Therefore, he wants death to end the pain
but death is always long for the one who waits for it. Lastly, he concludes by asking a simple
but thrilling question to make the reader aware of the anonymous identity that he has portrayed.