ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?

- ZURINAH HASSAN

Are 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. Are you still playing your flute?In the village so quiet and desertedAmidst the sick rice fieldsWhile here it has become a luxury

To spend time watching the rainGazing at the evening raysCollecting dew dropsOr enjoying the fragrance of

flowers.

Are 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.

LINE MEANINGLINE MEANING

1 The persona asks the man if he is still playing his flute

2 When the is little time for their love

3 She is filled with guilt

4 To be wanting to hear his song

5 The music is hidden in the hollow parts of the slander bamboo flute

6 The sound is produced by the musician blowing into the flute

7 And by the movement of his fingers on the chords

8 The music is carried by the wind

9 Creting strong emotions in her heart when she hears it

LINE MEANINGLINE MEANING

10 The persona repeats the questions if he is still playing his flute

11 In the village where it is very quiet for many people have left

12 In the middle of the rice fields that is barren

13 Meanwhile the persona is now at a place where it is considered an extravagant use of time

14 To sit and watch the rain fall

15 To look at the sunset

16 To touch the dew drops

17 And to smell the fragrance of flowers

LINE MEANINGLINE MEANING

18 The persona repeats the questions if he still playing the flute

19 Her conscience is pricked

20 For she is longing to listen to his music

21 He is a danger because he is distracting her from thoughts of

22 Her younger broders who are jobless and in a state of hopelessness

23 Her people are divided and weakend by politics

24 Her friend are killed in the war without mercy

25 The nation’s leaders are old and ineffective and so the people suffer