Poems for Form 4 & 5
1. He Had Such Quiet Eyes by Bibsy Soenharjo
He had such quiet eyes
She did not realise
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
If only she’d been wise
And had listened to the advice
Never to compromise
With pleasure-seeking guys
She’d be free from ‘the hows and whys’
Now here’s a bit of advice
Be sure that nice really nice
Then you’ll never be losing at dice
Though you lose your heart once or twice
SYNOPSIS
This poem is about a girl who falls in love with a pleasure-seeking man. She is fascinated with his eyes but she never realises that those eyes are two pools of lies or full of lies. She was charmed by the two eyes which looked so desolate , so lonely, and so sad, asking her to be "nice" or good to him. For him, being nice means asking her to render him "paradise". The word "render" is usually used with a service, to provide him with a service, ... what kind of service can a young girl give to a man?
The man has a pair of quiet eyes which she does not realise that they are not that "quiet". As she is ‘charmed’ by the eyes, she does not listen to the advice given by her parents, her friends who are concerned with her behaviour.
If only
(1) she had been wise , or able to make a good choice and decision ;
(2) and had listened to advices,
(3) and never compromise her principles, or values (that has been taught to her),
surely she wouldn't be in such difficult situation - in which she would be asking herself questions like why did she do it, why didn't she listen to people's advice, how did that happen? etc etc.
She should know when she says somebody is nice, make sure he is " nice" or really a good man, not a dishonest person, who isn't that nice or good.
By thinking and not compromising your principles and values, you'll never lose at dice - or the game of chance... you will survive because you are not affected physically,.. even though you may lose your heart several times, but it is a game of chance... You have to get to know man, make sure that if that person is good, he IS good! You might break your heart once or twice before really finding someone you like and also honest.
Hence, a piece of advice here.... do not get physically involved with a man..... Be sure that nice really means nice"!!!! Make sure that he is really nice or good, and not a deceitful person who is dishonest. Please listen to the experience and advice of other people because it would be too costly to experience it first and regret it later...
1. He Had Such Quiet Eyes by Bibsy Soenharjo
He had such quiet eyes
She did not realise
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
If only she’d been wise
And had listened to the advice
Never to compromise
With pleasure-seeking guys
She’d be free from ‘the hows and whys’
Now here’s a bit of advice
Be sure that nice really nice
Then you’ll never be losing at dice
Though you lose your heart once or twice
SYNOPSIS
This poem is about a girl who falls in love with a pleasure-seeking man. She is fascinated with his eyes but she never realises that those eyes are two pools of lies or full of lies. She was charmed by the two eyes which looked so desolate , so lonely, and so sad, asking her to be "nice" or good to him. For him, being nice means asking her to render him "paradise". The word "render" is usually used with a service, to provide him with a service, ... what kind of service can a young girl give to a man?
The man has a pair of quiet eyes which she does not realise that they are not that "quiet". As she is ‘charmed’ by the eyes, she does not listen to the advice given by her parents, her friends who are concerned with her behaviour.
If only
(1) she had been wise , or able to make a good choice and decision ;
(2) and had listened to advices,
(3) and never compromise her principles, or values (that has been taught to her),
surely she wouldn't be in such difficult situation - in which she would be asking herself questions like why did she do it, why didn't she listen to people's advice, how did that happen? etc etc.
She should know when she says somebody is nice, make sure he is " nice" or really a good man, not a dishonest person, who isn't that nice or good.
By thinking and not compromising your principles and values, you'll never lose at dice - or the game of chance... you will survive because you are not affected physically,.. even though you may lose your heart several times, but it is a game of chance... You have to get to know man, make sure that if that person is good, he IS good! You might break your heart once or twice before really finding someone you like and also honest.
Hence, a piece of advice here.... do not get physically involved with a man..... Be sure that nice really means nice"!!!! Make sure that he is really nice or good, and not a deceitful person who is dishonest. Please listen to the experience and advice of other people because it would be too costly to experience it first and regret it later...
Here's the literal meaning of the poem ( )
Stanza 1
The woman is taken up with his ‘quiet eyes’. The eyes mesmerise and beg her to ‘be nice’ to him and make him extremely happy, that is ‘render him paradise’. The poet uses a very long imagery of the eyes ‘breathing desolate sighs’ to enhance the effect of the eyes on the girl. The woman, being enamoured with those eyes, does not notice he is deceiving her. It would not be difficult to see through the man if the woman had her feet on the ground because the eyes have only the ‘thinnest ice’, easy to break through to learn the man’s true nature.
The woman is taken up with his ‘quiet eyes’. The eyes mesmerise and beg her to ‘be nice’ to him and make him extremely happy, that is ‘render him paradise’. The poet uses a very long imagery of the eyes ‘breathing desolate sighs’ to enhance the effect of the eyes on the girl. The woman, being enamoured with those eyes, does not notice he is deceiving her. It would not be difficult to see through the man if the woman had her feet on the ground because the eyes have only the ‘thinnest ice’, easy to break through to learn the man’s true nature.
Stanza 2
Something has happened to the woman and she has learnt the truth about the man. The poet suggests that she has learnt the hard way that is she learns her lesson through bad experience. She has made a mistake of trusting the man because she has refused to listen to the advice not ‘to compromise’, that is, lower her standards or expectations in order to please a man who seduces women.
Something has happened to the woman and she has learnt the truth about the man. The poet suggests that she has learnt the hard way that is she learns her lesson through bad experience. She has made a mistake of trusting the man because she has refused to listen to the advice not ‘to compromise’, that is, lower her standards or expectations in order to please a man who seduces women.
Stanza 3
The poet extends her friendly advice to women to understand what is meant by ‘nice’ what it means when men are ‘nice’ to you. When he is ‘nice’, friendly and pleasant to you, make sure that he is sincere and trustworthy and not because he has ulterior motive, that is he wants something from you in return. The poet further comments that love may be a gamble as suggested in ‘dice’, you take your chances with someone, you may find true love or you may not. The important issue here is that ultimately you have not lost anything because you have not compromised, you are not deceived.
2. Are you still playing your flute
Here's the easiest and fastest way to teach your students this poem.. Make sure they understand these points..
ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?
The village is quiet and deserted. The paddy fields looked barren.
The ‘luxuries’ here refer to " watching the rain, gazing at the evening rays, collecting dew drops and enjoying the fragrance of the flower" and all these luxuries can be enjoyed in the rural areas and not in the city where everything is so busy, everybody leading a hectic and busy life.
The persona and her boyfriend, the flutist live in two different "worlds" .. The persona's lifestyle and way of thinking is now different from her boy friend's.
She feels guilty - when she misses / or longs for the beautiful melody of the bamboo flute played by her beloved long ago
because her conscience tells her that it is not a right thing to do/feel.
She cannot accept the fact that while the village is under populated and the paddy field in a deplorable state, her lover can still play the fluteand not thinking of the situation, or at least feeling bad about not being able to do anything about it..
s She also feels guilty to be thinking of their love at their difficult times. The hardships portrayed here are unemployed young men, people disunited by politics and a ‘dying’ world.
Edited by MDMNOR
============================================================================
Themes/ Moral values
The poet extends her friendly advice to women to understand what is meant by ‘nice’ what it means when men are ‘nice’ to you. When he is ‘nice’, friendly and pleasant to you, make sure that he is sincere and trustworthy and not because he has ulterior motive, that is he wants something from you in return. The poet further comments that love may be a gamble as suggested in ‘dice’, you take your chances with someone, you may find true love or you may not. The important issue here is that ultimately you have not lost anything because you have not compromised, you are not deceived.
2. Are you still playing your flute
Teaching "ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE? "
Here's the easiest and fastest way to teach your students this poem.. Make sure they understand these points..
ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE?
By
Zurinah Hassan
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.
Are you still playing the flute?
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.
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 |
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.
Masihkah kau bermain seruling
ketika kampung semakin sunyi
sawah telah uzur
waktu jadi terlalu mahal
untuk memerhatikan hujan turun
merenung jalur senja
mengutip manik embun
menghidu harum bunga.
Masihkah kau bermain seruling
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
|
Questions :
1.
What is the persona feeling
guilty of?
2.
Where does the persona
live? What about the flutist/ her boyfriend?
3.
What is considered a luxury
by the persona ?
4.
Why is the village so quiet
and deserted?
5.
Why is the rice field sick?
6.
What are the problems/hardships
mentioned ?The village is quiet and deserted. The paddy fields looked barren.
The ‘luxuries’ here refer to " watching the rain, gazing at the evening rays, collecting dew drops and enjoying the fragrance of the flower" and all these luxuries can be enjoyed in the rural areas and not in the city where everything is so busy, everybody leading a hectic and busy life.
The persona and her boyfriend, the flutist live in two different "worlds" .. The persona's lifestyle and way of thinking is now different from her boy friend's.
She feels guilty - when she misses / or longs for the beautiful melody of the bamboo flute played by her beloved long ago
because her conscience tells her that it is not a right thing to do/feel.
She cannot accept the fact that while the village is under populated and the paddy field in a deplorable state, her lover can still play the fluteand not thinking of the situation, or at least feeling bad about not being able to do anything about it..
s She also feels guilty to be thinking of their love at their difficult times. The hardships portrayed here are unemployed young men, people disunited by politics and a ‘dying’ world.
Edited by MDMNOR
============================================================================
Themes/ Moral values
T Themes
· Adapting
to changes. This is inevitable. We need to adapt to all kinds of
social, economic and political changes. In this poem, the flutist is
aloof to changes happening around him.
· Love and appreciate the arts.
·
Moral Values
· Aware of your family commitment.
Everyone needs to take responsibility
to the changes that take place in life and act accordingly. The flutist
does not succumb to the changes around him. He clings on to his roots.
He is not aware of his family commitments. The persona, his former lover
has progressed in life while he still leads his conventional lifestyle.
· Get your priorities right.
Eg: Village nowadays is left quiet and deserted. Rice fields are left barren, but the flutist continues to play his flute. He needs to realize there is time to play and time to work. Hence, one must get his priorities right.
Source :
C Curriculum Development Division.
I am the poet mentioned here. Sorry to say that there has been a
misprint. Look at the last paragraph. In the hazard of you should be in
“the hazard of this city”.
What can I do about this mistake? I was not called to proof read.
just read this comment somewhere...
http://zahuren.wordpress.com/poems/are-you-still-playing-flute/#comment-1778
http://zahuren.wordpress.com/poems/are-you-still-playing-flute/#comment-1778
What can I do about this mistake? I was not called to proof read.
zurinah hassan Said: