POEM MEANING

Stanza 1:

The persona question herself if her beloved is still playing the flute, when there is no time to

show that one’s cares for each other. Though the persona feels it is not right to yearn for his

music from the flute, the tune is deeply attached to her affectionately.

Stanza 2:

The persona finds that the village had been abandoned by the villagers and the paddy fields

unattended. 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.

Stanza 3:

The persona feels guilty for yeaning 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 sick 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 question 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 difficult times. The hardship portrayed here

are unemployed young men, people disunited by politics and a ‘dying’ world.

SETTING

The poem is set in a rural Malay village, which is undergoing a change.

It is a quiet and deserted village.

The paddy fields look barren.

Nevertheless, the “luxuries”, such as watching the rain, gazing at the evening rays,

collecting dew drops and enjoying the fragrance of the flower, still exist in the rural.

THEMES

Values and traditions - Values and traditions have an important role in our life. They

teach us to live correctly and to hold on to our principles in life. We learn to value life,

family and friends. A society without values and traditions is colourless and loses its

direction.

Changes in life - Nothing stays the same forever and that includes life. Life changes over

time. These changes affect every aspect of our lives and may have positive and negative

consequences.

Family commitments - Everyone has family commitments, whether it is to our

immediate family members or extended family members. Be aware of these

commitments as they bind a family together.

Priorities in life - There are important and unimportant things in life. Learn to

differentiate them and make plans accordingly.

Enjoying the simple pleasure of life - Nature surrounds us and the beauty of nature

offers us the simple pleasures of life. The rising sun, the moon and stars, the rainfall and

dew are some of the pleasures that nature offers. Enjoy them and enjoy life.

Passionate about one's interest - When we are really interested in a hobby, we will

become passionate about it. It helps us to mature as this passion helps us to stay focused.

We learn to be creative too. But, we should not let this passion become an obsession.

Sacrifice-We make sacrifices such as giving up a love relationship or giving up time to

enjoy our surroundings because there are more important matters to attend to. We

sacrifice despite the intensity of our feelings. We make such a decision but we should not

expect others to act in the same way.

Making choices -Two people in love are forced to part ways perhaps due to different

attitudes and convictions. It is a choice they make because they no longer see eye to eye

on common values and beliefs.

MORAL VALUES

We should learn to appreciate the values and traditions of society and family. They give

us balance in life and help us to differentiate between the good and the bad.

We face changes in life every day. Learn to accept changes but only if they are for the

good of society. If they are beneficial, work around them for the general good.

Our family is the most important thing in our life. We should put their interest and safety

first before anything else. Show consideration for one's duties within the home and carry

out family commitments responsibly.

We should know our priorities in life and be aware of them at all times. Don't get so

taken in by our interests that we forget our priorities.

Passion for interests should not be at expense of family happiness. There is a time for

work and a time for play.