SPM Poems - Notes and Exercises

Poems for SPM
1119/2
PREPARED BY
NO
1
2
3
4
NAME
MOHD NAWAWI BIN

HUSSIN
NAJIHAH BINTI
TALAHA
HEDZLIN SHAZWANI
BINTI ADZLAN
PAUZIMA BINTI
ZAKARIA
SPM LITERATURE COMPONENT 2012
SCHOOL
SMK CHENDERING,
KUALA TERENGGANU
SMK TENGKU BARIAH,
KUALA TERENGGANU
SMK SULTAN MANSOR,
KUALA TERENGGANU
SMK PANJI ALAM,
KUALA TERENGGANU
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Poems for SPM
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FOREWORD
Teaching English nowadays gets more and more challenging. In our school
syllabus we also have to teach English Literature Component which consists of
poems, short stories, plays and novel.
The teaching of literature is important because students have a chance to
study the language as well as learn new cultures. It also provides the students with
many examples of good sentence structures, correct usage of grammar and
vocabulary. The teaching of literature would definitely help students to improve
their language skills. Therefore, a good introduction to literature can compensate
for the deficiencies of the linguistic approach in the area of grammar, vocabulary
and syntax and it can augment the students' competence in English.
Moreover, literature exposes students to complex themes and exemplary
uses of language. Great novels such as The Curse and Around the World in 80 Days
can take students to foreign countries, exciting events and wonderful journeys.
These stories evoke certain dilemmas and powerful emotional responses which
students can reflect.
I strongly believe that using literature to teach students can help them to
become more sensitive to some of the overall features of the English Language and
enhance their linguistics ability. The aim of this module is to simplify the teaching
and learning of the literature components for both the teachers and students. I do
hope the module will play a pivotal part in our English Language classrooms.
Finally, I would like to thank all English teachers who are involved in the
publication of the module. Your excellent contribution is greatly appreciated.
By
English Language Unit
Academic Management Sector
Terengganu State Education Department
(Free circulation for educational purposes only)
IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP

By Latiff Mohidin
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About the Poet
Latiff Mohidin was born on 25 August 1941 in Seremban,

Negeri Sembilan. He was graduated from University of Fine,
Berlin. He has served as Writer in Residence at the Science
University of Malaysia (USM), the National University of Malaysia
(UKM), and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. He is not only a wellknown poet in Malaysia and South-east Asia but also a famous
artist. Many of his poems have won the Putra I Poetry Award.
Poem
In the Midst of Hardship
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
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
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
Understanding the poem in pictures

STANZA 1
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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
The family returned home

at day break. Their clothes
were wet and torn.
They were hungry and

tired. They quickly walked
towards the stove for
warmth and food.
Their bodies were covered

with scratches and
wounds. Yet, they did not
display any signs of being
worried.
STANZA 2
The whole day and night just passed
they had to brave the horrendous flood
in the water all the time
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between bloated carcasses

and tiny chips of tree barks
desperately looking for their son's
albino buffalo that was never found
They spent the whole day and night

searching for their sons albino buffalo
that was never found.
They were surrounded by dead animals

and parts of trees that had been
destroyed by the flood.
STANZA 3
They were born amidst hardship
and grew up without a sigh or a complaint
now they are in the kitchen, making
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jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves
Even though, they were born in hard

times, they did not complain about their
lives.
They were still cheerful and made jokes

as they relaxed and smoked their
cigarettes.
Activity 1 - Test Your Vocabulary

Match the pictures with the words
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A)
Wounds
B)
Stove
C)
Flood
D)
Carcasse
s
E)
Cigarette
F)
Tree
barks
G)
Scratches
ACTIVITY 2
Answer the questions below
1. (i) What natural disaster had occurred?
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. [1 mark]
(ii) In stanza 2; which line shows that an animal had gone missing during the
natural disaster.
. [1 mark]
2. Despite the conditions of the people in the poem, did they give up? Give a
reason for your answer.
.. [2 marks]
3. From Stanza 1, which line shows that they were patient?
. [1 mark]
4. From Stanza 2, they had been outside the house.
(i) How long had they been out?
. [1 mark]
(ii) What were they doing outside?
. [1 mark]
5.
In stanza 1, why are their clothes soaking wet?
. [1 mark]
6. Which phrase in the poem refers to dead animals?
. [1 mark]
7. Do you think the parents love their son so much in the poem? Give a reason
for your answer.
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.. [2 marks]
8. Where do you think is the setting of the poem.
. [1 mark]
9.Why are their limbs and legs full of scratches and wounds?
. [1 mark]
10.What was unusual about the buffalo?
. [1 mark]
11.Do you think that the buffalo was important to the family? Why?
.. [2 marks]
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ANSWERS
Activity 1
A. Flood
B. Wounds
C. Stove
D. Cigarette
E. Carcasses
F. Tree barks
G. Scratches
Activity 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
(i) Flood/ flash flood

(ii) Albino buffalo that was never found
Accept any reasonable answer. Do not award marks if no reason is given.
And grew up without a sigh or complain
(i) the whole day and night
(ii) looking for their sons albino buffalo
Because they have to wade the flood/ it was raining heavily/ they had to
brave the horrendous flood

6. Bloated carcasses
7. Yes/No. Accept any suitable answer. Award either 2 or 0. Do not ward mark
for yes/no answer only.
8. House/ village
9. They were surrounded by dead animals, parts of trees and got scratch
because of sharp/thorny objects in the flood water. (accept any suitable
answer)
10.White in colour
11.Accept any reasonable answer. Do not award marks if no reason is given
ABOUT THE POET

BIBSY SOENHARJO
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Born 22November 1928 in Jakarta,Indonesia.she was the

daughter of Haji Agus Salim,one of the founding fathers of
the Republic of Indonesia.
Bibsy and her siblings were taught at home and they were
taught at home and they were encouraged to pursue their
own interests.
Writes under the pen name NUSAPATI for the Indonesian

dailies.
After returning home from a four-year stay in Japan, she

began writing first prose in 1957 and then poetry in the
sixties.
Her Indonesian works have been translated into

English,Dutch and and Japanese.
Now lives in Jakarta with Haryo Soenharjo the youngest of

her three sons and his wife,Sutji and their children.
He had such quiet eyes (Bibsy Soenharjo)

Stanza 1
He had such quiet eyes (lelaki itu mempunyai mata yg kuyu/baik)
She did not realize (perempuan itu tidak menyedari)
They were two pools of lies (terdapat penuh penipuan dimatanya)
Layered with thinnest ice (dilapisi dgn ais nipis/perempuan itu dlm bahaya)
To her, those quiet eyes (baginya, mata lelaki itu)
Were breathing desolate sighs (menunjukkan
kesedihan/kesunyian/kegersangan)
Imploring her to be nice (meminta dia supaya berbuat baik/tunduk)
And to render him paradise(dan memberi dia syurga/kenikmatan /memenuhi
keinginannya)
Stanza 2
If only shed been wise (kalaulah dia pandai menilai/bijaksana)
And had listened to the advice (dan mendengar nasihat)
Never to compromise (iaitu tidak bertolak ansur/tidak membiarkan dirinya
tergoda)
With pleasure-seeking guys (dengan lelaki buaya darat/yg suka keseronokan)
Shed be free from the hows and whys(dia akan bebas dr masalah yg
membelenggu dirinya)
Stanza 3
Now heres a bit of advice (Dengarlah nasihat yg ingin disampaikan)
Be sure that nice really nice (pastikan baik bermakna benar2 baik/ikhlas)
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Then youll never be losing at dice (kamu tidak akan kecewa dalam percintaan)
Though you lose your heart once or twice (walaupun kamu mungkin
kecundang/patah hati sekali atau lebih dlm percintaan)
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SYNOPSIS
In this poem, the poet talks about the betrayal of a young girls feelings for a
man. She believes in his sincerity to her as he had pleaded to her to surrender to
him. She is taken in by his quiet eyes. If she had listened to advice about men
who seek pleasure, she would not be in this situation. The poet advises all young
girls to be careful and not be betrayed by men.
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THEME
Betrayal of love
Personal experiences
Relationships that are meaningful
MORAL VALUES
Dont be naive and believe everything we are told especially in matters of
the heart.
We must be careful when choosing friends.
Falling in love is normal but one should be careful.
We must learn from the experience of other people.
TONE, MOOD, ATMOSPHERE

Reflective
Sad and happy
Sympathetic
POINT OF VIEW
Second and third person points of view
LANGUAGE & STYLE
Simple and easy to understand
Simple style with rhyming scheme
POETIC DEVICES
Imagery e.g. pools of lies, layered in thinnest ice
Symbol e.g quiet eyes, dice
Alliteration e.g lies layered
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Activity 1
1119/2
Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the poem.
He had such .eyes

She did not realise
They were two ..of lies
Layered with ice
To her, those quiet eyes
Were breathing .sighs
Imploring her to be nice
And to ..him paradise
If only shed been wise
And had to the advice
Never to compromise
With .guys
Shed be free from the .
Now heres a bit of..
Be sure that nice really nice
Then youll never be losing at ..
.. you lose your heart once or twice
Activity 2
Find the most suitable meaning to each quotes
1. two pools of lies in stanza 1 refers to

a)
two people telling lies
lies
b)
a pair of eyes that are full of
2. eyes that were breathing desolate sighs means

a)
eyes that reflect sadness
b)
eyes that only see sadness
3. to render him paradise is the same as
a)
to show him heaven.
b)
to grant him a state of bliss
4. The word quiet in the phrases he had such quiet eyes in stanza 1 means
a)
sad
b)
calm
5. The hows and whys refer to
a)
the questions we usually ask
problems of
b)
the difficult question-to-solve
life
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Activity 3
1119/2
Match correct symbolism with its meaning.
Symbolism
Meaning
1.quiet eyes
a)a state of bliss
2.pools of lies
b)losing at a game of chance
3.thinnest eyes
c)areas of deceit
4.eyes breathing desolate sighs

not easily found
5.paradise
d)a difficult situation where solutions are

e)eyes that pour out sadness
6.the hows and whys
f)a thin veil that is easy to see through
7.losing at dice
g)eyes that do not show much emotions
Activity 4
Imagine you are the persona.Write a letter to the editor of the Dear Thelma
column telling her of your broken heart.Describe to her how you were seduced by
a man with charming eyes and ask for her advice on how to get over your heart
broken.You need to refer to the poem He had such quiet eyes
Dear Thelma,
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Please help me, I am really very desperate.
From
Broken-heart
Activity 5
Answer the questions given.
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He had such quiet eyes

She did not realize
They were two pools of lies
Layered with thinnest ice
To her, those quiet eyes
Were breathing desolate sighs
Imploring her to be nice
And to render him paradise
a.What did the girl think of the mans eyes?
____________________________________________________________
b.What were the eyes asking of the girl?
____________________________________________________________
c.Which word means give or grant?
____________________________________________________________
d.Write two words that are related to feelings of happiness?
____________________________________________________________
e.What do you think the man said to convince the girl to accept him?
____________________________________________________________
Activity 6
Answer the questions given.
If only shed been wise

And had listened to the advice
Never to compromise
With pleasure-seeking guys
Shed be free from the hows and whys
a.What does the girl regret not doing?
____________________________________________________________
b.What do pleasure seeking guys normally do to nave girls?
____________________________________________________________________________
c.Do you think the girl will make the same mistake again? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________
d.The poet uses two expressions to show the girls confused thoughts. What are
these expressions?
_____________________________________________________________________________
ANSWERS
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Activity 1
(refer to the poem)
Activity 2
1
)
2)
3) b
4
)
5
)
Activity 3
1
)
2
)
3
)
4
)
5
)
6
)
7
)
Activity 4 accept any suitable answers

Activity 5
a.she thought he had quiet or sincere-looking eyes.
b.Begging her to accept the man.
c. render
d. nice and paradise
e. In your own words give a reason to support your answer (use any suitable
answer)
Activity 6
a. She regrets not listening to advice.
b. the man probably said she was in love with her and she should show her
feelings physically as he had asked her to render him paradise.
c. No, because she gives advice to the girls out there/she regrets for not listening
the advice/she has learnt her lesson.
d. if only and the hows and whys
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NATURE : By HD. Carberry

The Poet:
H.D. Carberry was born on 12 July 1921 in

Montreal, Canada and migrated to Jamaica
when he was still an infant,
A law practitioner
He was also a poet and contributed greatly

to the literary world.
He wrote this poem with much focus and

affection about his island, his people, his
heritage , love, humanity and nature.
He died on June 28, 1989 at the age of 68.
NATURE
Synopsis
Jamaica has no four seasons like spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Instead, the year is divided into cycles or short periods of bright, golden sunshine
beating down on the canefields, followed by days of heavy rain which beats
noisily on the roof-tops. Though Jamaica does not have all four seasons as in
other countries, it is just as beautiful as compared to those with hot and wet
days.
Then, there are periods when the leaves from the guango trees fall and the
canefields become bare after the harvest. According to the poet, the best time is
when the mango and logwood blossom with growth of grass and flowers and the
sound of buzzing bees and the fragrance of honey.
There is beauty and fine weather all around.
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UNDERSTANDING THE POEM:

The poem
We have neither summer nor winter
Neither Autumn nor Spring
We have instead the days
When the gold sun shines on the
lush green canefieldsMagnificently
meanings
We (in Jamaica) dont have four
seasons of summer, winter,
autumn or spring
Instead, we only have variety of
days:
There are days when the sun
shines brightly on the rich green
fields of sugarcane.
It is a beautiful and magnificent
sight
The days when the rain beats like

bullets on the roofs
There are days of heavy rain

which beats rapidly and noisily on
the roof-tops
And there is no sound but the swish

of water in the gullies
The only sound heard (during

rainy days) is that of water
flowing in the gullies
And trees struggling in the high

Jamaica winds
There are times when trees

struggle to stay rooted in the
strong Jamaican winds
Also there are the days when leaves

fade from off guango trees
There are days when leaves fall

from guango trees
And the reaped canefields lie bare

and fallow to the sun
And the harvested canefields lie

empty and unproductive in the
sun
But the best of all there are the

days when the mango and the
logwood blossom
But the best times in our country

is when the mango trees and the
logwood blossom and flower
When the bushes are full of the

sound of bees and the scent of
honey
(still the best moment) The

bushes are filled with the buzzing
of bees and wonderful smell of
honey
When the tall grass sways and

shivers to the slightest breath of air
When the tall grass moves

gracefully to the gentlest breeze
When the buttercups have paved

the earth with yellow stars
When the buttercups lace the

ground with yellow stars
And beauty comes suddenly and

the rains have gone
Beauty comes immediately after

the rain stops
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From the poems:

1) Instead of having no regular four seasons in a year, Jamaica has a
changing days of hot sunny days and cold rainy days.
2) During sunny days, the sun is very hot and is described like gold - it shines
brightly.
3) On the other hand, the rain comes in a torrential shower like bullets
shooting on the roof of houses
4) There are also sad moments for the poet: strong windy days which make it
difficult for trees to stay rooted on the ground, leaves fall from trees and
barren harvested canefields lie fallow to the sun.
5) The best moment in Jamaica :
i)
When the mango trees and the logwood blossom bearing fruits
ii)
When the smell of honey emerges from the bushes
iii)
When the gentle breeze of air sways the tall grass
iv)
When the earth is filled with a buttercups
6) Those four moment marks the coming of beautiful days in Jamaica (the
poet loves the situation)
7) Words list :
1. Lush (Adj) abundant, dense, flourishing, verdant, luxurious, opulent,
plush
2. Canefields (Noun) sugarcane fields or plantations
3. Magnificently (Adv) splendidly, gloriously, gorgeously, imposingly,
impressively, majestically, regally, excellently, brilliantly, finely,
outstandingly, superbly
4. Beats (Verb) - hits, bangs, batter, knocks, pounds, strikes, thrashes
5. Swish (Noun) - to move or make something move quickly through the air
with a quiet sound
6. Gullies (Noun) channel, ditch, gutter, watercourse.
7. Struggling (Noun) fighting, battling, competing, contending, grappling,
wrestling
8. Fade (Verb) pale, bleach, discolour, lose colour, wash out, dwindle,
decline, die away, disappear, vanish, vane
9. Guango trees (Noun) a type of tree unique to Jamaica
10. Reaped (Adj) collected, brought in, garnered, gathered, harvested
11. Bare (Adj) naked, nude, stripped
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12. Fallows (Adj) uncultivated, dormant, idle, inactive, resting, implanted,

unused
13. Logwood (Noun) a type of tree unique to Jamaica
14. Blossom (Verb) flower, bloom, bud
15. Scent (Noun) fragrance, aroma, odour, perfume, smell
16. Sways (Verb) leans, bends, rocks, rolls, swings
17. Shivers (Verb) trembles, quakes, quivers, shakes, shudders, flutters
18. Slightest (Adj) smallest, most feeble, most insignificant, most
meager,
slimmest, most trivial, most unimportant
19. Breath (Noun) respiration, breathing, exhalation, gasp, gulp,
inhalation, pant, wheeze
20. Buttercups (Noun) small shiny yellow wild flowers
21. Paved (Verb) covered, concreted, floored, surfaced, tiled
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ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:
Activity 1:
Match the verbs found in the poem with the meanings.
Verbs
Meanings
shines (line 4)
swings
beats (line 6)
covered
struggling (line 9)
glows
fade (line 10)
appears
lie (line 12)
wilt
blossom (line 14)
battling
sways (line 17)
hits
shivers (line 17)
remain
paved (line 19)
shakes
10
comes (line 21)
disappeared
11
gone (line 21)
bloom
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Activity 2:
Fill in the blanks with the words
Canefields
bullets
Grass
wind
Delighted
different
harvested
visualize
leaves
shedding
From the poem, we know that the persona is a nature lover. He is able to
describe the seasons so vividly that the readers can (1)________________ it in their
mind. First, he says that the four seasons in his country is not literally there.
However, there are (2)________________ days. There are days when the sun shines
right through the green (3)________________ . it is a magnificent sight. Then, there
are days when it rains heavily. The persona says it is as if (4)__________________
are hitting the roofs. The sound of water in the gullies is like music to his ears. If
there are days with sunshine and rain, there are also days when the
(5)_____________ takes over. After the wind, comes the sad days because the trees
start (6)________________ their leaves. Meanwhile, the canefield has been
(7)_____________, making it look so bare and empty. However, the sad days are
not forever. The persona is (8)__________________ when the trees begin to flower
and bear fruit. Insects can now be found among bushes. The beautiful sight of the
tall (9)___________ swaying is awesome. Soon, the ground is carpeted with yellow
(10)____________. The persona is overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of nature as
teh rain is forgotten for a while.
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Activity 3:
Match the sentences parts in Column A to the correct sentence parts in
Column B.
Then, write the sentences in one paragraph
COLUMN A
1. Jamaica does not have
2. Instead, Jamaica has
seasons of
3. The magnificent sun
shines on
4. The rain is heavy
5. On rainy days, one can
only hear
6. The trees struggle to
remain standing
7. There are times when the
guango trees shed their
leaves and
COLUMN B
a) The harvested canefields
are left bare
b) In the strong Jamaican
winds
c) The bushes are full of
bees and the fragrance
of honey
d) That look like stars
e) Summer, winter, autumn
and spring
f) To the slightest breeze
g) The sound of water
flowing in gullies
8. The best days are days

when trees blossom and
h) Bright, sunny days and

wet, rainy days
9. The tall grass moves
i) Beats forcefully on the

roofs of houses
j) Fields rich with
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 4:
Write TRUE or FALSE in the space provided
1. The personas country experiences the four season
_________
2. Days in Jamaica may be hot or wet
_________
3. The sunshine is described as magnificent
_________
4. The water flow through the gullies with a swishing sound
_________
5. The guango trees are bare because of the strong wind
_________
6. The persona sounds sad when he talks about the bare canefield
_________
7. After the canes are harvested, the fields are left to fallow
_________
8. The tall grass sways throughout the year
_________
9. The buttercups shine like stars only in the night
_________
10.The beautiful days are associated with the blossoming of flowers
_________
Activity 5:
Find words or phrases from the poem which have the same meaning as
the words given.
1. Season when vegetation begins to appear :
____________________
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2. Extremely beautiful :
____________________
3. Move with rushing sound:
____________________
4. Ravines:
____________________
5. Harvested:
____________________
6. Ploughed and exposed to sunlight:

____________________
7. Produce flowers:
____________________
8. Plants come alive:
____________________
9. Move rhythmically forwards and backward:

____________________
10.A cup shaped flower:
____________________
Activity 6:
Answer the following questions:
1. What point is the poet stressing on in the first two lines?
___________________________________________________________________
2. What seasons Jamaica has?
___________________________________________________________________
3. What colour is the canefields when it is ready for harvest?
___________________________________________________________________
4. What is the condition of the rain in Jamaica?
___________________________________________________________________
5. Where is the sound of water swishing heard?
___________________________________________________________________
6. What causes the trees to struggle?
____________________________________________________________________
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7. What kind of movement is made by the tall grass when it sways and
shivers?
_____________________________________________________________________
8. In Jamaica, the phase when leaves fall off trees is similar to which season?
_____________________________________________________________________
9. What attract the bees to the bushes?
_____________________________________________________________________
10.
What happens after the rain has gone?
____________________________________________________________________
Exam based Questions:

Read the poem below and answer the following sets of questionnaires:
Set 1:
1. What are the two seasons found in Jamaican?
________________________________________________________(1 mark)
2. Which phrase tells you that the wind blows strongly?
________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
3. How do the canefields look after being harvested?
________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
4. Would you like to live in a country with different weather conditions? Why?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________(2 marks)
Set 2:
1. What does the poet compare the rain to?
_________________________________________________________(1 mark)
2. What has happened to the guango trees?
_________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
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3. Why are the canefields bare?

__________________________________________________________(1 mark)
4. What do you think are the feelings of the poet for this place? Give a reason
for your answer
_________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________( 2 marks)
Set 3 :
1. Which of the four seasons are equivalent to Jamaicas wet and hot
seasons?
__________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
2. Write two words that are related to the appearance of the canefields?
i)
____________________________________________________( 1 mark)
ii)
____________________________________________________( 1 mark)
3. Why do you think the poet feels that Jamaica does not need to have the
four seasons? In your own words, give a reason to support your answer.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________( 2 marks)
Set 4:
1. Which line indicates that there are bright sunny days?
___________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
2. When it rains, where does the rain water usually flow into?
___________________________________________________________(1 mark)
3. What type of winds does Jamaica have?
___________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
4. In your own words, describe the sad moment for the poet based on your
understanding of the poem.
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________( 2 marks)
Set 5:
1. What are the weather conditions in Jamaica?
___________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
2. Which phrase suggests a crop-free land?
___________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
3. What does the phrase and there is no sound indicate?
___________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
4. Do you agree that sunny days are better compared to rainy days? Why?
Page 28
Poems for SPM
1119/2
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________( 2 marks)
ANSWERS
Enrichment Acitivities
Activity 1 :
1.shines glows
7.sways swings
2.beats hits
8.shivers shakes
3.struggling battling
9.paved covered
4.fade wilt
10.comes appears
5.lie remain
11.gone disappeared
6.blossom bloom
Activity 2 :
1. visualize
2. Different
5. wind
Delighted
6. Shedding
9. grass
10. leaves
3. Canefields
4. Bullets
7. Harvested
8.
Activity 3:
1. Jamaica does not have summer, winter, autumn and spring
Page 29
Poems for SPM
1119/2
2. Instead, Jamaica has seasons of bright, sunny days and wet, rainy days
3. The magnificent sun shines on fields rich with sugarcane waiting to be
harvested
4. The rain is heavy beats forcefully on the roofs of houses
5. On rainy days, one can only hear the sound of water flowing in gullies
6. The trees struggle to remain standing in the strong Jamaican winds
7. There are times when the guango trees shed their leaves and the
harvested canefields are left bare.
8. The best days are days when trees blossom and the bushes are full of bees
and the fragrance of honey
9. The tall grass moves to the slightest breeze
10.The fields are covered with yellow buttercups that look like stars
Activity 4:
1. FALSE
4. TRUE
7. TRUE
10. TRUE
2. TRUE
5. FALSE
8. FALSE
Activity 5:
1. Spring
3. swish
5. reaped
7. blossom
9. sway
3. TRUE
6. TRUE
9. FALSE
2. Magnificent
4. Gullies
6. Fallow to the sun
8. Bushes are full
10. Buttercup
Activity 6:
1. Jamaica does not have the regular four seasons of the year.
2. Bright, sunny days and wet, rainy days
3. Green
4. Heavy rain
5. In the gullies
6. The strong wind
7. It moves gently
8. autumn
9. The nectar in the flowers
10.The Surroundings look beautiful
Exam based questions
Set 1:
1. hot, sunny days and wet, rainy
days
2. the high Jamaican winds
3. bare and fallow

4. Accept any possible answers
Set 2 :
Page 30
Poems for SPM
1119/2
1. bullets
3. it is harvested
2. the leaves fall off from it
4. Accept any possible answers
Set 3:
1. winter and summer
2. i) lush
ii) reaped
3. Jamaica has a very beautiful surroundings with the changing climate of sunny
days and rainy days and there are times when Jamaican people can
experience the fruits and smell of honey.
Set 4:
1. When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields
2. Into the gullies
3. Strong
4. When guango trees shed their leaves and when the harvested canefields are
left bare and fallow to the sun.
Set 5:
1. Hot , sunny days and wet, rainy days
2. Bare and fallow
3. There is no activities and everyone is indoors
4. Accept any logical answers
Page 31
ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR

FLUTE
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
In the village so quiet and deserted
Amidst the sick rice field
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 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
Is this the end of our love
time is forcing us, as artists
to live outside ourselves
(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
translated by Zurinah Hassan
THE ORIGINAL VERSION

MASIHKAH KAU BERMAIN
SERULING
Masihkah kau bermain seruling
walau waktu telah terlewat untuk kita
bercinta
aku semakin terasa bersalah
melayani godaan irama
lagu yang tersimpan pada lorong
halus buluh
dikeluarkan oleh nafas seniman
diukir oleh bibir
diatur oleh jari
dilayangkan oleh alun angin
menolak ke dasar rasa.
ketika kampung semakin sunyi
sawah telah uzur
waktu jadi terlalu mahal
untuk memerhatikan hujan turun
merenung jalur senja
mengutip manik embun
menghidu harum bunga.
ketika aku terasa mata bersalah
untuk melayani rasa rindu padamu
di kota yang semakin kusut dan tenat
adik-adikku menganggur dan sakit
jiwa
bangsaku dipecahkan oleh politik
saudara diserang bom-bom ganas
dunia sudah terlalu tua dan parah.
Di sinilah berakhirnya percintaan
kita
kerana zaman sedang menuntut
para seniman
hidup di luar dirinya.
(Zurinah Hassan)
ABOUT THE POET
Zurinah Hassan was born on 13th June 1949. She went to an

English-medium school and received her Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran in
1970. The next year she entered Pusat Pengajian Ilmu Kemanusiaan
at University Sains Malaysia and graduated in 1974.
She worked for a while as an instructor with Jabatan Pengajian
Melayu in Universiti Malaya and later as the Senior Officer at Jabatan
Penerangan Malaysia until her retirement.
She is now the Karyawan Tamu at Institut Alam and Tamadun
Melayu at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
PARAPHRASE OF THE POEM

Stanza 1
The persona questions whether the person is still playing his musical instrument.
He has not paid any attention to her, the persona, who feels guilty about wanting
to hear his song. The song is played on the flute and the melody is heard by the
persona.
Stanza 2
The persona questions again whether the person is still playing his flute, in a
quiet and lonely village and in the middle of dry paddy fields. While he is there,
the persona is in a place where it is difficult to enjoy nature. The persona is
unable to watch the rain, the sunset collect dew or smell of nature.
Stanza 3
The persona questions for the third time whether the person is still playing his
flute. The persona is not happy and feels disturbed thinking of the person. All this
is happening while her younger brother is unemployed and desperate, there are
political problems and a friend has been killed. The persona feels her world is
collapsing.
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
FIGURATIVE MEANING-FORM ZURINAH HASSAN (THE POET) POINT OF

VIEW
Zurinah Hassan - The persona believes that it is not the time to pay attention
to the arts. It is time for hard work. It is time to solve problems, rather being
lulled into artistic pleasure, even though the artists cannot serve his passion for
art. Sadly as they claim, he would never become an artist again. (Adapted from
zurinahhassan@blogspot.com)
NOTES FROM HER BLOGSPOT (ADDITIONAL NOTES FOR TEACHERS)

At first glance, it sounds like a love poem because the words used are romantic
and soft.
Are you still playing your flute
when there is no time for our love
I am feeling guilty
to be longing for your song
But the soft and romantic message of the flute player is simply a method or style
of the persona to express all that is in his mind. The theme for this poem is
community. Overall the expressions of the persona are about the state of society
in her country and the people which are full of turmoil and chaos. The persona
still keeps the memories of flute player. In fact the persona remembers the dying
village vividly.
in the village so quiet and deserted
amidst the sick rice field
A flute is chosen because this is the closest instrument to nature. It is only a reed,
and does not require sophisticated technology to create. So everything is back to
nature. Back to basics, the melody conceals in the slim hollow of the
bamboo uncovered by the breath of an artist
composed by his lips
arranged by his fingers
blown by the wind
to the depth of my heart
Persona feels guilty for the nostalgia made by the flute player. That sense of guilt
she thinks of something beautiful as art. In the city she should be busy because
there, life is ticking away.
to spend time watching the rain

gazing at the evening rays
collecting dew drops

or sniffing scented flowers.
As if she is giving time to think of the small things in life while the world is being
hit by various problems. These problems appear in the next line. At that time
many youngsters are unemployed. Her people are divided because of politics.
And all over the world like in Bosnia and Palestine, Muslims are being haunted by
war and violence.
in the hazard of this city
my younger brothers unemployed and desperate
my people thorn by politic
my Muslim friends slaughtered mercilessly
this world is old and badly injured.
(this phrases are not included in the text- extra notes to help the teachers)
Is this the end of our love?
time is forcing us as artists
not to be ourselves.
This is not the time to pay attention to art. This is the time to work hard. This
happens when artists are unable to pursue the love of art as the world around
them is plagued by problems and violence.
Activity
Read the poem and fill in the blanks

When there is hardly time for our love

I am feeling (1) ________
To be longing for your song
The melody concealed in the slim hollow of the (2) ________
Uncovered by the breath of an artist
Composed by his fingers
Blown by the wind
To the dept of my (3) ________.
In the (4) ________ so quiet and deserted
Amidst the sick rice field
While here it has become a (5) ________
To spend time watching the rain
Gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops
Or enjoying the (6) ________ of flowers.
The more it disturbs my conscience
To be thinking of you
In the hazard of you
My younger brothers (7) __________ and desperate
My people (8) ________ by politics
My friend slaughtered mercilessly
This world is too old and (9) __________
Activity 2
Based on the poem, answer the questions given correctly.
1. Where does the melody originate according to the persona in stanza 1?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2.
In stanza 1, how does the persona feel when she longs for the song?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. Is the persona deeply affected by the melody of the song in stanza 1?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. What is the meaning of the sick rice field in stanza 2, line 3?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5. What is the persona comparing her village to in stanza 2?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6. What is the evening rays indicated in stanza 2?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------7. Name one luxury that they used to enjoy in the village.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8. In stanza 3, why is her conscience disturbed?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activity
Tick (/) against the sentences you think are true.
Activity 4
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words taken from the paraphrase of
the poem
Activity 5
Set 1
a)
In stanza 1 line 7, to whom does the word his refer?

________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
b)
In stanza 2 line 3, what does the phrase the sick rice field mean?
________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
c)
Which line in stanza 2 shows that the poet feels she has very little time for
leisure/
trivialities?
_______________________________________________________________(1 mark)
d)
my younger brothers unemployed and desperate

my people disunited by politics
my friend slaughtered mercilessly
this world is too old and bleeding
In your own words, explain the problems that the poet mentions in these
lines.
____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________(2 mark)
Set 2
a)
In stanza 1,why does I feel gulity?
__________________________________________________________________(1 mark)
b)
From stanza 2, explain what these words refer to:

(i)
here : ________________________________ (1 mark)
(ii)
luxury:_______________________________ (1 mark)
c)
Without using examples from the poem, give two problems that concern
the society
presently.
i)
__________________________________________________________(1 mark)
ii)
__________________________________________________________(1 mark)
Set 3
1)
Why does the persona ask if her loved one is still playing the flute?
___________________________________________________________( 1 mark)
2)
What are two reasons the persona give for not wanting the flute to be
played?
a)________________________________________________________(1 mark)
b)________________________________________________________(1 mark)
3)
What are the feelings of the persona towards the music produced by the
flute?
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________(2 mark)
ANSWERS
ACTIVITY 1
1. GUILTY
2. BAMBOO
3. HEART
4. VILLAGE
5. LUXURY
6. FRAGRANCE
7. DISUNITED
8. UNEMPLOYED
9. BLEEDING
ACTIVITY 2
1. It is in the slim hollow of a bamboo.
2. She feels guilty
3. Yes, she is affected
4. Rice field that is barren, infertile and does not produce healthy crop.
5. She is comparing it to an urban area where she is living now.
6. They refer to the sunset.

7. It is collecting dew drops
8. One of the reasons is that her younger brothers are unemployed and
desperate
ACTIVITY 3
1,2,4,6,8,10
ACTIVITY 4
1. LUXURY
2. QUITE
3. GAZING
4. FRAGRANCE
5. DESERTED
6. HARDLY
7. COMPOSED
8. DEPTH
9. YOUNGER
10. SICK
ACTIVITY 6
SET 1
a) It refer to the artist.
b) rice that are barren and no longer fertile
c) while here it has become a luxury /to spend time watching the rain
d) The problems mentioned in the lines are; rising unemployment, people and
families
seperated by politics, and people being killed in numerous wars.
SET 2
a) I feels guilty because she longs to listen to her lovers flute despite the fact
that she has
more important things to do.
b) (i) in town
(ii) being able to enjoy the simple things in life
c) (i) poverty
(ii) conflict
SET 3
1) It seems to be frivolous to be playing music when so many things are not
right.
2) i) There is no time for their love

ii) She is feeling guilty to be longing for the music
3) She obviously loves the music as she longs for it and think the player is an
artist whose
music touches the depth of her heart. (accept any suitable answer)

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