Are You Still Playing Your

Flute?

by:Zurinah Hassan

Are You Still Playing Your Flute?

Stanza 1Are you still playing your flute?When there is hardly time for our loveI am feeling guiltyTo be longing for your songThe melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bambooUncovered by the breath of an artistComposed by his fingersBlown by the windTo the depth of my heart.

The persona questions herself if

her beloved is still playing the

flute, when there is no time to

show that one cares for each

other.

Though persona feels it is

not right to yearn for his music

from the flute, the tune is deeply

attached to her affectionately.

Are You Still Playing Your Flute?

Stanza 2Are you still playing the flute?In the village so quiet and desertedAmidst the sick rice fieldWhile here it has become a luxuryTo spend time watching the rainGazing at the evening raysCollecting dew dropsOr enjoying the fragrance of flowers.

The persona finds that the village

had been abandoned by the

villagers and the paddy fields un

attended. She recalls that,

admiring the rain, staring at the

sunray during the dusk, collecting

dew drops and enjoying the

pleasant smell of flowers and

nature had become a luxury or an

advantage that you do not find

anymore.

Are You Still Playing Your Flute?

Stanza 3Are you still playing your flute?The more it disturbs my conscienceto be thinking of youin the hazard of youmy younger brothers unemployed and desperatemy people disunited by politicsmy friend slaughtered mercilesslythis world is too old and bleeding

The persona feels guilty for

yearning for the special person as

her countrymen are jobless and

willing to commit anything for a

job. They are separated by

different political views. People

whom you care for, are brutally

killed. Meanwhile the world

resembles a sickly and dying old

man.

WHAT THE POEM IS ABOUT

This poem is told from a first person point of view, where the persona, reminisces her feeling of guilt, missing the beautiful melody of the bamboo flute played by her beloved long ago.

She later questions and wonders if the flute is still being played now, as the village is now under populated and the paddy field is in a deplorable state. She mentions that, nowadays, relaxing and savoring the beauty of nature is a rare luxury.

In the final stanza, she questions for the third time, whether her beloved is still playing the flute. This time around, she admits that she couldn’t help but on the contrary, she feels guilty to be thinking of their love at their difficult times. The hardships portrayed here are unemployed young men, people disunited by politics and a ‘dying’ world.

Stanza 11. At whom is the question directed?

The man playing the flute/ her beloved.2. What is the problem in the relationship between the

persona and the flautist? There is not enough time for them to spend their time.

3. What is meant by the phrase to the depth of my heart? Touches her soul.

4. Mention two ways in which the melody affects the persona when she thinks of it?

- She longs for the melody.- She feels guilty.

Stanza 21. What happened to the village?

The village becomes under populated and the rice fields are not fertile anymore.

2. Give three pleasurable pastimes in the countryside as mentioned in the stanza?

i. Watch the setting sunii. Watch the rain coming downiii. Collect dew dropsiv. Smell the fragrance of the flowers

Stanza 31. What is the mood of the persona as

portrayed in the stanza? She felt frustrated and guilty.

2. What are the problems her brothers face? Unemployed and desperate.

3. What problems do you think her country is facing? Politically, the people are not united. There are economic problems and wars are going on.