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 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.
SYNOPSIS
This poem his about a persona who reminisces the time he/she spends when in a village. There
are many things that are now luxury to her such as listening to the melody of the flute itself,
gazing at the evening rays, collecting dew drops, or enjoying the fragrance of flowers. The
village is now unpopulated as many have moved to the city. Now that she has moved on with her
life, she wonders whether the flutist is still playing the flute. This is because, there are many
challenges in the world today such as the world is dying, the unemployment issue and the people
are disunited because of different political views.

THEMES
Family commitments
Priorities in life
Neglect of ones duties

MORAL VALUES
We should be aware of our family commitments and carry them out properly.
Everyone has priorities in, life and we should know what is important and what is not.
Following a hobby is good but there is a time for work and a time for play.

POINT OF VIEW
The poem is the first point of view.
The person is addressing another person and describing a situation to him.
LANGUAGE AND STLYE
Rhetorical question
Descriptive and questioning
Simple style and no rhyme
TONE, MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE
Sombre and regretful
Serious atmosphere
POETIC DEVICES
Imagery e.g. blown by the wind, depth of my heart
Alliteration e.g. fragrance of flowers
Symbol e.g. flute, song
Repetition e.g. Are you still playing your flute?
Figurative Language Metaphor e.g. The melody concealed in the slime hollow of bamboo
Personification e.g. sick rice field

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. Which lines in stanza 1 tell you that the flautist plays the flute beautifully?
Uncovered by .depth of my heart
2 In the second stanza, what does the word deserted mean?
Empty / abandoned / neglected / vacant
3 In the second stanza, why are the rice fields deserted?
The farmers have left the fields for the city / better income jobs away from the village.
4 In your own words, explain the meaning of the last stanza.
The persona is feeling anxious because there are political and economical problems in her
city and she feels the world is changing for the worst.
5 From stanza 1, what does the persona want to hear?
The flautists song / flute music. / The flautist playing his flute.
6 In stanza 2, what does the word here refer to?
The city / town / personas place
7 In stanza 3, why does the persona feel guilty for thinking about her beloved?
She feels guilty because at present people around her are suffering.
8 Suggest two things you would do to stop the world from bleeding.
Spread the message of peace, tolerance and living in harmony
Learn to appreciate what life has offered and be happy with it.
9 How is the rice field?
Sick / unhealthy / infertile / neglected
10 State two activities that I consider luxuries.
i. Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
ii. Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers
11 Why do you the personas conscience is disturbed? Give reasons for your answer.
Thinking of the flautist while feeling worried about the troubled with the situation around
her.

12 What musical instrument is the poets friend playing?

A flute
13 Describe the village.
It is empty has people have left for the city.
14 Who feels guilty?
The persona
15 While here it has become a luxury! To spend time watching the rain
Why do you think the persona says it is a luxury to spend time watching rain? Give reasons for
your answer.
Life in the city is so busy that one has no time for simple pleasures and there are other
problems to worry about.
16 Why does the persona ask if the flute player is still playing his flute?
She does not know if he is still in the village enjoying his favourite pastime.
17 How does she feel about his music?
Nostalgic / desirous / wishful
18 Write down the line which shows that the persona thinks highly of his music.
To the depth of my heart
19 In your own words,
i. What kind of a person do you think is the flute player?
Passionate / Obsessed / An introvert / A sequester
ii. Have you been involved in a similar passion over any interest or hobby? Provide explanation.
20 Identify two words used to describe the village.
Quiet and deserted
21 What has happened to the village?
It is deserted as the people have left for better jobs.
22 In stanza 2, what does the words here refers to?
The city / town / personas place
23 In your own words,
i. What do you of the things the persona consider luxuries?
Rain, sunset (evening rays) / dew / fragrance of flowers
ii. What would you enjoy doing for pleasure?
24 Why does the poet feel guilty?

To be longing for the flautists song

25 What musical instrument does the poets love play?
Flute
26 How is the situation in the village?
Quite bad as it is empty because the villagers have left the village for better jobs and
conditions.
27 Why do think the poet is surprised that the flautist is still playing his flute? Give reasons for
your answer.
She thinks that he is undisturbed with the turmoil in the nation and the world.
28 Why is the village so quiet and deserted?
The villagers have left the village for better jobs and conditions.
29 Which phrase in stanza 1 implies how much the music affected the poet?
To the depth of my heart
30 What does the poet mean by using the words concealed and uncoveredto describe the music?
It means that the melody is in the bamboo and will only be heard when the flautist plays
the flute.
31 What could the poem be about?
It is about upholding values, accepting changes in life and appreciating simple pleasures of
life.
32 Describe ONE emotion the poet is feeling in the first stanza.
Guilty / nostalgic
33 What does the phrase, slim hollow of the bamboo refer to?
The flute
34 Describe a significant memory that you have. Explain briefly why it is significant to you.
35 Based on stanza 2, where do you think the persona is?
In the city
36 Based on stanza 2, what is the contrast between the personas place and the flautists?
The flautists place is empty and deserted whereas the personas place is undergoing a
turmoil [ political and economical crisis].
37 Based on stanza 2, in the first line, what do you think the persona is feeling?
A sense of doubt / unsure / puzzled
38 Based on stanza 1, which line reveals the intensity of the personas feelings?

To be longing for your song

39 Based on stanza1, how does the persona feel about the flautist?
Longing / pining/yearning/passionate / love
40 Based on stanza 1, which line (s) reveal (s) that the persona is struggling with her feelings?
Where there is hardly time for our love
41 Based on stanza 1, describe the personas mood.
Sombre / solemn / Sad
42 What is so distinctive about the melody from the flute?
It touches the depth of her heart
43 Why is the rice field described as sick?
It has been neglected so it is no longer productive and fertile.
44 What is the meaning of the metaphor slaughtered mercilessly?
People are no longer tolerant of each other and people are being killed cruelly.
45 What kind of feeling is expressed by the persona in the poem?
A sense of sadness, hopelessness, despair and misery
46 Why does the persona feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song.
47 Why is the personas conscience disturbed?
She is worried about the present situation in her nation which is facing a crisis.
48 In your opinion, does the persona feel depressed about this world? Give your reasons.
Yes,..
49 Based on stanza 2, how would you describe the person who seems to be very interested in his
flute?
Idle / unaffected by the crisis / carefree / in his own world
50 Write the two words that relate to how a flute is played?
Breath and fingers____________________________________________________________
51 What do you think the persona feels about the other persons obsession with playing the
flute? Using your own words, give a reason to support your answer.
52 What is the main theme in the stanza above?
Upholding values, appreciating simple pleasures of life, accepting changes in life

53 Write two words that are related to the condition of the village.
Quiet and deserted
54 Where do you think the persona is? Using your own words, give a reason to support your
answer.
In the city because .
55 Who is playing the flute?
The flautist in the village / The personas love
56 Why does the persona feel guilty?
To be longing for the flautists song
57 Where does the melody originate from?
The bamboo / The slim hollow of the bamboo
58 Which two lines best describe how a flute is played?
Uncovered by the breath of an artist & composed by his fingers
59 Which word would you use to describe the personas village? Name one.
Quiet / deserted
60 What does the persona mean by the sick rice field?
The paddy fields are neglected so they are barren and unproductive.
61 What are the evening rays referred to?
Sunset
62 Write two activities that are considered a luxury by the persona.
Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers
63 Why is the person still thinking of her beloved?
She has feelings for him. / She still loves him.
64 Write two problems faced by the persona as mentioned in the stanza above.
Her brothers are unemployed and desperate / Her people are disunited by politics / Her
friend is slaughtered mercilessly
65 What is the tone used? Give a reason for your answer.
Sad / Hopelessness / Despair / Anxious
66 Where do you think the persona is likely to be?
In the city / town
67 Where is the flautist playing his flute?

In the village
68 What does the flute represent?
Tradition
69 Why is the phrase, Are you still playing your flute?, repeated three times in the poem?
Using your own words, give reasons to support your answer.
To reinforce the emotion (wondering/puzzled) behind the question and create a dramatic
effect
70 In stanza 1, what poetic device does the first line above refer to?
Rhetorical question
71 In stanza 1, what does line 2 tell us about the relationship between the persona and the
flautist?
They loved each other when they were together.
72 What is the persona guilty about?
To be longing for the flautists song.
73 The poet used certain words to indicate where the melody is:
i. What are these words?
Concealed in the slim hollow of the bamboo
ii. Do you think they are suitable? Why?
Yes, because the flute is played by blowing into hollow of the bamboo and melody is created
by the fingers.
74 In stanza 1, why does the persona feel guilty listening to music of the flautist?
She is very busy and also her nation is undergoing a crisis.
75 Why is enjoying the fragrance of flowers regarded as a luxury by the persona in stanza 2?
In the city, one can be very busy in the rat race that they have no time to even appreciate
the flowers growing around them.
76 Give one problem the nation is undergoing.
Political crisis / Economical crisis / Disharmony
77 Explain in your own words why the persona feels her world is too old and bleeding.
The world is changing for the worst and non-renewable resources cannot be replenished.
78 What do you think the flute represents?
Tradition
79 What do you think the phrase, the world is too old and bleedingrepresents?
The world is changing for the worst and non-renewable resources cannot be replenished.

80 Suggest a reason why the persona cannot forget the music from the flute?
The music must have been beautiful and special that it has embedded in her heart.
81 Do you think the persona has made the right decision in leaving the village? Give a reason.
Yes,
No, .
82 What is it like in the village?
Quiet and empty
83 What does the word sick imply about the rice field?
Barren / Unproductive / Infertile / Neglected
84 What are the luxuries mentioned by the poet? State two of them.
Spend time watching the rain / gazing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops/ Enjoying the fragrance of flowers
85 Do you like to live in the village? Give reasons to your answer.
Yes,
No, ..
86 In the last stanza, what is the personas feeling when she remembers the flautist?
Guilty / Remorseful /
87 Why is there disunity among the citizens of the country?
They lack tolerance and understanding.
88 What happened to the personas friend?
Killed cruelly
89 What do you think the last line of the stanza mean?
The world is changing for the worst.