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. 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. 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. By Zurinah Hassan

Masihkah Kau Bermain Seruling oleh Zurinah Hassan 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.

Practise 1 1. Who is the persona in the poem? . 2. Write one line from the poem that depicts that people are jobless. . 3. Provide three phrases that depict the message of cruel realities of a nation in uncertainty of its future. . . 4.In your own words describe why the poet used the word sick to describe the rice fields. . . Practice 2: 1. What did the persona mean when she said deserted? . 2. Why is the persona feeling guilty? 3. Why is the question Are you still playing your flute repeated as the starting line of all the stanzas? 4.In your opinion, is this a romantic poem? Provide reasons for your answer. .

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Are You Still Playing Your Flute?

Practice 5 1. 2. 3. a very perceptive and reflective woman. my younger brothers unemployed and desperate my people disunited by politics

my friend slaughtered mercilessly

this world is too old and bleeding.

4.Perhaps the yield is not rewarding/ the harvest is destroyed due to bad weather.

Practice 6 1. 2. 3. 4. the villagers have left/migrated. Feeling guilty as she is enjoying the music when the nation is plagued with problems This is to stress on the activity as something that should not be done when the nation is facing so much trouble. No, it is not a romantic poem. It is poem that shows the irony between a leisure activity and problems faced by the nation at the same time.