Are You Still Playing Flute?

The Original Version oI the Poem

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 naIas 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.
BIODATA OF ZURINAH HASSAN
O Date / Place oI birth : 13 June 1949, Alor Setar Kedah.
O Permanent address : No.2, Jalan Pinggir, 8/1L, Seksyen 8, 40000 Shah Alam since 1974.
O Academic QualiIications : B.A.Hons (Universiti Sains Malaysia), M.A. (Universiti Putra
Malaysia). Doktor FalsaIah, Akademi Pengajian Melayu, Universiti Malaya.
O Awards :
O
1. Anugerah Penulisan Asia Tenggara (S.E.A. Write Award) 2004
2. Book Category Award
i- Pujangga Tidak Bernama, Hadiah Sastera Perdana(1994/1995)
O ii- Memoir Zurinah Hassan Menjejak Puisi, Hadiah Buku Perpustakaan Negara
2002/2004)
O iii- Memoir Zurinah Hassan Menjejak Puisi , Hadiah Sastera Perdana 2002/2003.
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
Ga:ing at the evening rays
Collecting dew drops
Or enfoying the fragrance of flowers.

Are you still playing your flute?
The more it disturbs my conscience
to be thinking of you
in the ha:ard of you
my younger brothers unemployed and desperate
my people disunited by politics
my friend slaughtered mercilessly
this world is too old and bleeding.
Thanks toMalaysian Student, you can view the poet`s opinion regarding her own poem
http://zurinahhassan.blogspot.com/2010/05/masihkah-kau-bermain-serulingare-you.html
THEMES
O Family commitments
O Priorities in liIe
O Neglect oI one`s duties
MORAL VALUES
O We should be aware oI our Iamily commitments and carry them out properly.
O Everyone has priorities in, liIe and we should know what is important and what is not.
O Following a hobby is good but there is a time Ior work and a time Ior play.
POINT OF VIEW
O The poem is the Iirst point oI view.
O The person is addressing another person and describing a situation to him.
LANGUAGE AND STLYE
O Rhetorical question
O Descriptive and questioning
O Simple style and no rhyme
TONE, MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE
O Sombre and regretIul
O Serious atmosphere
POETIC DEVICES
O Imagery e.g. blown by the wind`, depth oI my heart`
O Alliteration e.g. Iragrance oI Ilowers`
O Symbol e.g. Ilute`, song`
O Repetition e.g. Are you still playing your Ilute?`
O Figurative Language Metaphor e.g. The melody concealed in the slime hollow oI
bamboo PersoniIication e.g. sick rice Iield`