POEM; In The Midst of Hardship / 2014 target

STANZA ONE.

At dawn they returned home
their soaky clothes torn
and approached the stove
their limbs marked by scratches
their legs full of wounds
but on their brows
there was not a sign of despair

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They returned home very early in the morning - With their soaking wet, tattered. With their body scratched, small injured & get hurt - headed for a stove at the kitchen - without any sign of worries or lose hope  

Limbs; lengan,  brows; dahi,  despair; sedih, putus asa, putus harapan

STANZA TWO.

The whole day and night just passed
they had to brave the horrendous flood
in the water all the time
between bloated carcasses
and tiny chips of tree barks
desperately looking for their son’s
albino buffalo that was never found

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They were out for 24 hours -   in a big terrible flood -  surrounded by dead animals & parts of trees that had been destroyed by the flood

They desperately searched for their son's albino buffalo - but could not being found - may lost in the flood

Horrendous; dreadful, terrible  -   Tiny chips of tree barks; ranting2 kayu  

BLOATED CARCASSES - http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/

STANZA THREE.

http://www.ligs.sabah.gov.my/

They were born amidst hardship
and grew up without a sigh or a complaint
now they are in the kitchen, making jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves

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They were born into poverty and hardship  - they never complain about their suffer/their misfortune

Even, they can gathered at the kitchen after hard work  -  making jokes, laughter and smoking cigarette 

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KITARO SONG - TO RELAX MIND / MEDITATION

Ketika usiaku remaja, bagiku hidup ini mudah sahaja

Tiada masalah dunia yang menembusi fikiranku

Apa yang ku tahu hanya lah buku dan ilmu

Sementelah ku melihat titis peluh ayahku jatuh kebumi

ketika mengekori langkah dari sebatang pokok getah ke pokok yang lain

Aku tanam azam yang bulat

ayahku harus gembira dan bangga

kemiskinan ayah harus dibalas

Lalu, dengan berkah kerajinanku dan doa ayah ibu

Aku anak kampung itu yang pertama memijak kaki ke universiti

Bangganya ayah

Aku ingin seperti remaja yang lain, merasai kemeriahan alam remaja

bersama teman, sahabat dan rakan

Namun, mengapa jodohku begitu cepat menjengah

ketika aku masih belum mengerti apa maksud sebuah perkahwinan pun

Namun, kerana kasih pada ayah dan taatkan ibu

Aku akur, lalu aku bergelar isteri ketika baru melangkah ke alam universiti

Berkahwin tanpa kenal

Terkapai2 mencari apa makna cinta

Cuma ajaran ustaz dan ustazah menjadi panduan

ku belajar cara-cara menjadi isteri yang baik, yang solehah

Walau dalam airmata

Amat sukar jika tiada saling mengenali

susahnya bila tanpa cinta, yang ada hanya taat dan takutkan Tuhan

Mohon Tuhan beri kekuatan, agar bahagia hidup ini

Saban hari dengan doa, membilang saat tidak dikasihi

Yang ada hanya duduk bersama, tanpa rasa dihargai

Sukarkah menghargai diriku, anak-anakku

Hingga dugaan pula tiba

menguji sejauh mana kesetiaanmu, keteguhan kata-katamu

Pahitnya yang kutelan

Hanya kepada Allah kumerintih dengan airmata saban waktu

Begitu lah janjiNYA Tuhan

Kau pergi ketika ayah tempat kubermanja dipanggil Ilahi

Seperti hilang arah, tangisan hiba bagaikan taufan

Kau tinggalkan aku terkapai2, aku memang tidak secantik dia

Tapi ini lah diriku, tiada siapa dapat mengubah takdirku

Allah tempatku mengadu, bersandar mencari secebis kekuatan

menjadikan tembok tebal menutupi hatiku

membenci insan bernama lelaki

Lelaki yang suka bicara manis, ada agenda tersembunyi

Lelaki yang ingin mendekat hanya kerana nafsu gilanya

Lelaki pendusta, bercakap bohong, suka ambil kesempatan atas diri perempuan yang lemah

Lelaki tiada yang ikhlas, hanya inginkan badan, tiada niat kerana ALLAH, hanya kegilaan

Lelaki berbelit, hari ni lain esok lain, yang indah hanya topengan

menutupi kejahatan nya yang tersembunyi

Oh Allah Tuhanku, Kau lebih kenal diriku

Aku lah yang paling lemah lagi hina

Bantu lah aku, sokong lah aku, sayangi lah aku

Aku amat tidak berdaya tanpa MU

POEM - ARE YOU STILL PLAYING A FLUTE? (2013 question)

THEMES;
-  Longing for the past
-  Sadness and concern
-  Choosing priorities


SETTING;
- Second stanza describes rural area as the setting, in quiet remote village
- Next, the persona describes a setting in a country in a state of chaos with people fighting each other


MORAL VALUES;
- Love which is separated by time and distance
- Peace, but in dying village
- Responsibility, even she migrate to the city, but still very concern about her brother who is unemployed
- Appreciation, she still appreciate the fluter and his flute



SYNOPSIS;

STANZA 1

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.

-  The persona is longing about her past in the village - she recalls the time she and the fluter, her beloved who likes to play a flute

-  The song from the flute is carried by the wind and touches her heart

-   She felt guilty of yearning for his flute-playing


STANZA 2

Are you still playing your flute?

In the village so quiet and deserted

Amidst the sick rice fields

While here it has become a luxury

To spend time watching the rain

Gazing at the evening rays

Collecting dew drops

Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers. 

-  The village now is quiet and deserted - probably because the youth migrated to the city for a better job

-   Only the 'sick padi field' because of no attention and disease

-   The village luxuries with nature = like watching the rain, evening ray, collecting drewdrops, fragrance flowers

STANZA 3

Are you still playing your flute?

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.

-   The persona still longings about the melody of the flute, yet, she felt guilty thinking of him while her relatives and friends are in a war

-   The highlights of political which has divided the people, violence has occurred

-   And, it resulted to unemployment, people are disunited, killing and death

-   The persona feels grief as the world is dying due to the problems - and hopes that the song of the flute can help her relief from the pain and suffering thinking all problems around her

QUESTIONS;

1.   The line that shows the condition of the village? = 'In the village so quiet and deserted'

2.   Three phrases to show the action of playing flute

The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo

Uncovered by the breath of an artist

Composed by his fingers

3.   The village are deserted because = the youth are looking for a better job in the city

4.   'Longing' in Stanza 1 implies that =  The persona wants to hear the flute song of the fluter, her lover, but she is in the city 

5.   Words related to the flute are;  Bamboo, melody

6.   The prove that the persona wants to hear the flute-playing =  'To be longing for your song' 

7.   Which line refers to the paddy fields are not productive? = Line 3 in stanza 2

8.   'While here it has become a luxury', Here means =  It refers to where the persona is at present, most probably in a city or town

9.   Give two examples of activities the persona considers a luxury? = 

To spend time watching the rain  Gazing at the evening rays

10.   The persona's brothers are;  unemployed, feeling desperate

11.   Which line in Stanza 3 suggests violence? =my friend slaughtered mercilessly/Line 7

12.   Two words to describe the world =  Old, bleeding

13.   In stanza 1, ' I am feeling guilty'. Why? = Because she longs to hear the song of the flute, but,she has more important things to do

14.   In last stanza, two problems that concerns society presently are; Poverty, conflict

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POEM ; BE HUMBLE IN LIFE

Sharing from FB friend,...... 

Never insult others 

even if you think he's less than you 

or, did he ever make a mistake and sin 

which you have seen with your eyes, or 

heard people talk about him or her 

It's better if you reflect upon yourselves alone 

if you are good enough? 

if you are is perfect? 

if you never do sin 

and never mistaken? 

Or, maybe you've never felt a lack of 

food, money or rank and status 

Then, you look down on others 

and, you insulting him or her 

and, you yelling at them 

like you are getting mad of an animal 

Close your eyes, be humble in life

Life is like a cycling tyre on the road

When you are always look down on people lower than you

Worry if once

people will do the same to you

Just keep in heart

Life here is a journey to HIM ALONE

Better fulfil your life, our life

with a sincere preparation

FOR HIS LOVE AND BLESSING