notes literature.docx

Are You Still Playing Flute?

The Original Version of the Poem

Masihkah Kau Bermain Seruling oleh Zurinah Hassan

Masihkah kau bermain serulingwalau waktu telah terlewat untuk kita bercintaaku semakin terasa bersalahmelayani godaan iramalagu yang tersimpan pada lorong halus buluhdikeluarkan oleh nafas senimandiukir oleh bibirdiatur oleh jaridilayangkan oleh alun anginmenolak ke dasar rasa.

Masihkah kau bermain serulingketika kampung semakin sunyisawah telah uzurwaktu jadi terlalu mahaluntuk memerhatikan hujan turunmerenung jalur senjamengutip manik embunmenghidu harum bunga.

Masihkah kau bermain serulingketika aku terasa mata bersalahuntuk melayani rasa rindu padamudi kota yang semakin kusut dan tenatadik-adikku menganggur dan sakit jiwabangsaku dipecahkan oleh politiksaudara diserang bom-bom ganasdunia sudah terlalu tua dan parah.

Di sinilah berakhirnya percintaan kitakerana zaman sedang menuntut para senimanhidup di luar dirinya.

BIODATA OF ZURINAH HASSAN

Date / Place of birth : 13 June 1949, Alor Setar Kedah. Permanent address : No.2, Jalan Pinggir, 8/1L, Seksyen 8, 40000 Shah Alam since 1974. Academic Qualifications : B.A.Hons (Universiti Sains Malaysia), M.A. (Universiti Putra

Malaysia). Doktor Falsafah, Akademi Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya. Awards :

1. Anugerah Penulisan Asia Tenggara (S.E.A. Write Award) 20042. Book Category Award

i- Pujangga Tidak Bernama, Hadiah Sastera Perdana(1994/1995)

ii- Memoir Zurinah Hassan Menjejak Puisi, Hadiah Buku Perpustakaan Negara 2002/2004)

iii- Memoir Zurinah Hassan Menjejak Puisi , Hadiah Sastera Perdana 2002/2003.

Are You Still Playing Your Flute? by Zurinah Hassan

Are you still playing your flute?

When there is hardly time for our love

I am feeling guilty

To be longing for your song

The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo

Uncovered by the breath of an artist

Composed by his fingers

Blown by the wind

To the depth of my heart.


In the village so quiet and deserted

Amidst the sick rice fields

While here it has become a luxury

http://zahuren.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/flute.jpg

To spend time watching the rain

Gazing at the evening rays

Collecting dew drops

Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers.


The more it disturbs my conscience

to be thinking of you

in the hazard of you

my younger brothers unemployed and desperate

my people disunited by politics

my friend slaughtered mercilessly

this world is too old and bleeding.

Thanks toMalaysian Student, you can view the poet’s opinion regarding her own poem http://zurinahhassan.blogspot.com/2010/05/masihkah-kau-bermain-serulingare-you.html

SYNOPSIS

This poem his about a persona who reminisces the time he/she spends when in a village. There are many things that are now luxury to her such as listening to the melody of the flute itself, gazing at the evening rays, collecting dew drops, or enjoying the fragrance of flowers. The village is now unpopulated as many have moved to the city. Now that she has moved on with her life, she wonders whether the flutist is still playing the flute. This is because, there are many challenges in the world today such as the world is dying, the unemployment issue and the people are disunited because of different political views.

THEMES

Family commitments Priorities in life Neglect of one’s duties

MORAL VALUES

We should be aware of our family commitments and carry them out properly. Everyone has priorities in, life and we should know what is important and what is not. Following a hobby is good but there is a time for work and a time for play.

POINT OF VIEW

The poem is the first point of view. The person is addressing another person and describing a situation to him.

LANGUAGE AND STLYE

Rhetorical question Descriptive and questioning Simple style and no rhyme

TONE, MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE

Sombre and regretful Serious atmosphere

POETIC DEVICES

Imagery – e.g. ‘blown by the wind’, ‘depth of my heart’ Alliteration – e.g. ‘fragrance of flowers’ Symbol – e.g. ‘flute’, ‘song’ Repetition – e.g. ‘Are you still playing your flute?’ Figurative Language – Metaphor e.g. ‘The melody concealed in the slime hollow of

bamboo – Personification e.g. ‘sick rice field’

Are You Still Playing Your Flute?



I am feeling guilty





Blown by the wind


















By Zurinah Hassan

Discussion:

The poem uses a conversational style- as if the poet is speaking to someone. The person intended here is someone who is very good at playing the flute. In a glimpse- it looks like a romantic poem as the diction tends to show romance.

But the use of soft, romantic words spoken to the person who is playing the flute are actually one way or style for the poet to express whatever that is playing in her mind. The theme of the poem circulates around society.

Overall, it is an expression about the conditions of the people in her country and other countries around the world going through crisis and that are chaotic.

In actual fact, the poet is reminiscing about her village that is pain and exhausted!

She recounts on her condition in the city…the city that is ill, whereas, her village is quiet… the younger generation has left the village! And what about the boy who plays the flute? Is he still playing the flute? Does this mean that he is trying to defend the art and tradition?

The musical instrument chosen is the flute as it is the closest musical instrument to nature. It is only a piece of bamboo and it does not need any form of sophisticated technology to create it. So, everything comes back to nature. Everything comes back to originality.

The poet is guilty and tries not to show that she yearns to see the flute player! She is feeling guilty because she is thinking about art! She should have been very busy attending life in the city as life in the city is very fast paced.

It is as if she is spending time on trivial matters, when life is being beset by larger problems. Many at that time are unemployed. People are disunited due to political issues. In countries such as Bosnia and Palestine, Muslims are being haunted by wild bombs.

This is not the time to be giving attention to art. This is the time to work hard. When an artist is unable to entertain his love for art, he claims not to be an artist anymore!

POEMSPractice 1

IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP

At dawn they returned hometheir soaky clothes tornand approached the stovetheir limbs marked by scratchestheir legs full of woundsbut on their browsthere was not a sign of despair

The whole day and night just passedthey had to brave the horrendous floodin the water all the timebetween bloated carcassesand tiny chips of tree barksdesperately looking for their son’salbino buffalo that was never found

There were born amidst hardshipand grew up without a sigh or a complaintnow they are in the kitchen, makingjokes while rolling their cigarette leaves

By Latiff Mohidin Translated by Salleh Ben Joned

1. Why were their clothes ‘soaky’?

…………………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………….

2. Write down the line in the poem which reveals that this incident took place in a village?

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3. What does the phrase “bloated carcasses” refer to?

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4. In your opinion, what kind of attitude do the last two lines imply? Explain.

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Practice 2:

IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP (stanzas 1 and 2)

At dawn they returned hometheir soaky clothes tornand approached the stovetheir limbs marked by scratchestheir legs full of woundsbut on their browsthere was not a sign of despair

The whole day and night just passedthey had to brave the horrendous floodin the water all the timebetween bloated carcassesand tiny chips of tree barksdesperately looking for their son’salbino buffalo that was never foundBy Latiff Mohidin Translated by Salleh Ben Joned

1. Write down the line which shows that they have been out for long hours?

………………………………………………………………………………….

2. The theme may not be exactly about hardship as implied by the title. What is the theme related to?

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3. What does the phrase ‘albino buffalo’ reveal?

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4. What moral value did you learn from the poem? Explain.

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Practice 3:

He Had Such Quiet Eyes (Stanzas 1 and 2)

He had such quiet eyesShe did not realiseThey were two pools of liesLayered with thinnest iceTo her, those quiet eyesWere breathing desolate sighsImploring her to be niceAnd to render him paradise

If only she’d been wiseAnd had listened to the adviceNever to compromiseWith pleasure-seeking guysShe’d be free from “the hows and whys”Bibsy Soenharjo-1968

1. What does the phrase ‘two pools of lies’ refer to?

………………………………………………………………………….

2. Which lines show that the man is saying “I love you, and if you love me, prove it!”

………………………………………………………………………….

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3. Which stanza shows that there is a sense of regret?

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4. What do you understand by the phrase “the hows and whys”?

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………………………………………………………………………….

Practice 4:

He Had Such Quiet Eyes

He had such quiet eyesShe did not realiseThey were two pools of liesLayered with thinnest iceTo her, those quiet eyesWere breathing desolate sighsImploring her to be niceAnd to render him paradise

If only she’d been wiseAnd had listened to the adviceNever to compromiseWith pleasure-seeking guysShe’d be free from “the hows and whys”

Now here’s a bit of adviceBe sure that nice really means niceThen you’ll never be losing at diceThough you may lose your heart once or twiceBibsy Soenharjo-1968

1. What does the phrase ‘thinnest ice’ imply?

…………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………….

2.In this poem, the poet talks about the betrayal of a young girl’s feelings for a man. She believes in his sincerity to her as he had pleaded to her to surrender to him. Write the two lines depicting this.

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3.What is the main theme in this poem?

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4.What did you learn from this poem? Explain.

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Practice 5:




I am feeling guilty





Blown by the wind


















By Zurinah Hassan

1. Who is the persona in the poem?

………………………………………………………………………….

2. Write one line from the poem that depicts that people are jobless.

………………………………………………………………………….

3. Provide three phrases that depict the message of cruel realities of a nation in uncertainty of its future.

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4.In your own words describe why the poet used the word “sick” to describe the rice fields.

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……………………………………………………………………………….

Practice 6:

Are You Still Playing Your Flute? (Stanzas 1 and 2)



I am feeling guilty





Blown by the wind










By Zurinah Hassan

1. What did the persona mean when she said ‘deserted’?

………………………………………………………………………….

2. Why is the persona feeling guilty?

…………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………

3. Why is the question “Are you still playing your flute’ repeated as the starting line of all the stanzas?

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4.In your opinion, is this a romantic poem? Provide reasons for your answer.

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Practice 7:

Nature by H.D Carberry

We have neither Summer nor Winter

Neither Autumn nor Spring.

We have instead the days

When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields-

Magnificently.

The days when the rain beats like bullet on the roofs

And there is no sound but thee swish of water in the gullies

And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds.

Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees’

And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun.

But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom

When bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,

When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,

When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars

And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

1. In your words describe the weather as depicted in the poem.

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2. State one moral value that you have learnt from the poem.

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3. Note that the poem ends with the line “and beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone”. Describe how this bears a resemblance in our life.

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4. In the opening lines of the poem, the poet describes the things that are absent. In your opinion, what is the poet trying to convey?

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……………………………………………………………………………….

Practice 8:

Nature by H.D Carberry

We have neither Summer nor Winter

Neither Autumn nor Spring.

We have instead the days

When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields-

Magnificently.

The days when the rain beats like bullet on the roofs

And there is no sound but thee swish of water in the gullies

And trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds.

Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees’

And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun.

But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom

When bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,

When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,

When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars

And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

1. Why do you think H.D.Carberry wrote the poem?

……………………………………………………………………………………

2. List three words related to nature.

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3. Which line in the poem ‘Nature’ suggests the sense of smell?

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4. Based on your knowledge of the poem ‘Nature’, describe a theme in the poem.

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ANSWERS.

Poem

In The Midst Of Hardship

Practice 1

1. They were wet2. desperately looking for their son’s

albino buffalo that was never found3. animals killed as they drowned in the flood water.4. Optimistic,- they were making jokes not crying or show signs of despair.

Practice 2

1. The whole day and night just passed2. Facing hardship with optimism

3. They are in the village as people in the town will not rear buffaloes.4. Despite the hardship, we must remain resilient and strong. Often, the difficult time is not

a permanent one.

He Had Such Quiet Eyes

Practice 3

1. The eyes are compared to deceit.2. Imploring her to be nice

And to render him paradise.3. Stanza 24. The hows and whys is compared to a situation where one gets hurt emotionally and tries

to solve the problem.

Practice 4

1. dangerous2. To her, those quiet eyes

Were breathing desolate sighsImploring her to be nice

3. Deceit4. We sometimes encounter people who have ill intentions towards us. We should take

precaution against them.


Practice 5

1. a very perceptive and reflective woman.2. my younger brothers unemployed and desperate3. my people disunited by politics



4.Perhaps the yield is not rewarding/ the harvest is destroyed due to bad weather.

Practice 6

1. the villagers have left/migrated.2. Feeling guilty as she is enjoying the music when the nation is plagued with problems

3. This is to stress on the activity as something that should not be done when the nation is facing so much trouble.

4. No, it is not a romantic poem. It is poem that shows the irony between a leisure activity and problems faced by the nation at the same time.

Nature

Practice 7

1. The poem highlights the appealing climate conditions on theislandofJamaica.2. We must appreciate the beauty of nature.3. This is a big resemblance to our life, as it has been our experience that after bad times,

good times will follow and sometimes ever so abruptly.4. It is to highlight the pleasant climate on the island. It has no extreme weather conditions.

Practice 8

1. He wants to celebrate the richness of the land’s produce and how alive and plentiful Nature is.

2. b. gold sun, rain, trees.3. The line, “When the bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey”4. Appreciating one’s country-Life in one’s country has its share of ups and downs but one

must always look at the brighter side of life. In this poem, the poet stresses on his country’s weather being sunny, rainy and windy. The poet states that we must appreciate what we have.

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