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SAI International School
Class IX – English
Chapter: No Men Are Foreign
Lesson Notes

About the Poet

James Harold Kirkup, was an English poet, translator and travel
writer. He wrote over 30 books, including autobiographies, novels
and plays. He wrote under many pen-names including James
Falconer, Aditya Jha, Jun Honda, Andrew James, Taeko Kawai,
Felix Liston, Edward Raeburn, and Ivy B. Summer forest. He
became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1962

Title

“No Men are Foreign” is an apt title for the poem, because it deals
with the theme of universal brotherhood. Human beings all over the
world have identical behaviour and differences based on the
manmade concepts of caste, creed, barriers etc. are unnatural.

Every human being responds positively to love. Hence no human
being is a foreigner or an outsider.

Message

This is a peace poem and gives a strong message to stop all wars
and look upon humanity as a unified entity. The poet warns the
rulers of all the countries that when they wage wars they not only
injure the interests of those whom they hate but also injure

themselves. They should know that peace brings prosperity and
wars bring destruction. Hence, those who spread hatred and cause
wars against their brothers and sisters in different parts of the
world actually harm the cause of peaceful mutual co - existence.

Theme

The theme of the poem "No Men are Foreign" is the oneness of
mankind underneath the superficial differences of colour, race,
nationality and faith. It presupposes that all human beings are
brothers and sister. Those who spread hatred and wage wars are
criminals and deserved to be condemned. The poet also tells about
the supremacy of love, harmony, friendship and amity among all

the people in this world.