ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE

Are you still playing your flute?When there is hardly time for our love

I am feeling guiltyTo be longing for your song

The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bambooUncovered by the breath of an artist

Composed by his fingersBlown by the wind

To the depth of my heart

Are you still playing your flute?In the village so quiet and deserted

Amidst the sick rice fieldWhile here it has become a luxuryTo spend time watching the rain

Gazing at the evening raysCollecting dew drops

Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers

Are you still playing your flute?The more it disturbs my conscience

to be thinking of youin the hazard of you

my younger brothers unemployed and desperatemy people disunited by politics

my friend slaughtered mercilesslythis world is too old and bleeding

SYNOPSIS

The persona is thinking of someone she was close to and who plays the flute. She longs

to hear the wonderful soothing music that had touched her heart a long time ago. She

wonders if he is still playing his flute in their village that is now empty and quiet. She

feels troubled that she should be thinking of him and her past while people around her

are suffering and her world is changing.

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

for work and a time for play.

FIGURATIVE MEANING

Stanza 1:

In life, we sometimes have to change our way of life due to work or family

circumstances. From a lifestyle filled with values and traditions like in the village, we

may find ourselves embracing a totally different lifestyle in towns. However, we may

sometimes long for our previous life with its unforgettable moments.

Stanza 2:

We may wonder if the values and traditions we believed in and practised are still

observed in our former villagers. Many people have migrated to towns or adopted an

urban way of life where such traditions may not be so well-ingrained. In these places,

life is fast paced and they do not have the time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life they

used to.

Stanza 3:

These people may think back to their days in the rural areas with guilt. Traditions and

the old values may seem trivial compared to their present circumstances. There are

economic, political and social problems to be faced. Some of these problems have

become personal as they affect people who are close to them.

POINT OF VIEW

The poem is the first point of view - the persona uses the pronoun 'I' and 'my'

The persona is reflecting on her past and feeling uneasy about the present.

LANGUAGE AND STLYE

Language - simple and easy to understand

Play of words to add interest

Style - clear, descriptive and inquiring

TONE, MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE

Sombre - talks about her longing for something she cannot have anymore

Appreciative and regretful for loss of simple pleasures of life

Mood of hopelesness and loss - does not like her present situation

POETIC DEVICES

Imagery – e.g. ‘blown by the wind’, ‘depth of my heart’

Alliteration – e.g. ‘fragrance of flowers’' dew drops'

Symbol – e.g. ‘flute’, ‘song’

Repetition – e.g. ‘Are you still playing your flute?’

Assonance - 'sick rice filed'

Figurative Language – Metaphor e.g. ‘The melody concealed in the slime

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

Imagery:                                                                                                                  

a) imagery of sight:                                                                                                          

quiet and deserted': This gives a clear picture of a lonely village with hardly anyone

around.           

- 'slaughtered mercilessly': Many lives were lost in the war.                                              

b) imagery of feelings:                                                                                                    

- 'depth of my heart': The persona feels deeply and wants to hear the song played by the

flautist.          

- 'longing for your song': The persona has a deep desire to hear songs.                            

c) imagery of touch:                                                                                                        

- 'collecting dew drops' - someone is putting their hands together to collect dew drops to

feel the water 

d) imagery of smell:                                                                                                        

- 'enjoying the fragrance of flowers': The flowers are emitting fragrant scent.                  

e) imagery of sound:                                                                                                        

- 'playing your flute' - The music comes from the flute.                                                      

- 'blown by the wind' - The sound of wind and music