APPRECIATION AND COMPREHENSION

IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP by Latiff Mohidin

At dawn they returned hometheir soaky clothes tornand approached the stovetheir limbs marked by scratchestheir legs full of woundsbut on their browsthere was not a sign of despair The whole day and night just passedthey had to brave the horrendous floodin the water all the timebetween bloated carcassesand tiny chips of tree barksdesperately looking for their son’salbino buffalo that was never found

They were born amidst hardshipand grew up without a sigh or a complaintnow they are in the kitchen, makingjokes while rolling their cigarette leaves

SYNOPSIS (OVERALL) This poem is about a family

who faces  hardship whereby their son’s albino buffalo is nowhere to be found. A flood occurs and they go out to find the buffalo. They reach home early in the morning without the buffalo and yet there is no  sign of despair in them. Meanwhile, they can still crack jokes and roll the cigarettes.

STANZA 1 They returned home at day

break and headed for the stove. This is probably because they were hungry. However, I have also received some feedbacks saying that they went straight to the stove to dry themselves as they were drenched with the flood water. Their clothes were soaking wet and tattered. Their bodies were covered with scratches and wounds. Yet, they did not display any signs of being worried.

They were out in the flood the whole day and night. They were surrounded by dead animals and parts of trees that had been destroyed by the flood. We know that the animals were already dead because of the phrase ‘bloated carcasses’. They searched desperately for their son’s albino buffalo but were unable to find it.

They were born into poverty and difficulty, but they do not complain about their suffer. Instead, they sit in the kitchen, cracking jokes while smoking cigarettes. This shows that they face difficulties all the time and this time there is no different. They have inner strength that makes them strong to face any hardship poses to them.

SETTINGThe setting of the poem is in the

house.THEMESBeing resilience when facing

hardshipFamily loveAcceptance of way of lifeMORAL VALUESWe should learn to accept

problems in life with a positive outlook.

We must attempt to face and solve problem.

Facing hardship is part and parcel of life.

If we face a problem, do not feel despair

TONE, MOOD, ATMOSPHEREUnderstanding and sympatheticAcceptance of situationPOINT OF VIEWThird person pint of view.LANGUAGE & STYLELanguage is simple and easy to

understand.The style is simple with no rhyming

scheme.POETIC DEVICESImagery – Gives picture of poet’s

thoughts e.g ‘soaky clothes torn’ and ‘legs full of wounds’

Alliteration – e.g. ‘but on their brows’

Symbols – e.g. ‘horrendous flood’ and ‘bloating carcasses’

Diction – e.g. ‘stove’ and ‘brows‘

Are you still playing your flute? When there is hardly time for our loveI am feeling guiltyTo be longing for your songThe melody concealed in the slim hollow

of the bambooUncovered by the breath of an artistComposed by his fingersBlown by the windTo the depth of my heart. Are you still playing your flute?In the village so quiet and desertedAmidst the sick rice fieldsWhile here it has become a luxuryTo spend time watching the rainGazing at the evening raysCollecting dew dropsOr enjoying the fragrance of flowers. Are you still playing your flute?The more it disturbs my conscienceto be thinking of youin the hazard of youmy younger brothers unemployed and

desperatemy people disunited by politicsmy friend slaughtered mercilesslythis world is too old and bleeding

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 one’s 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’

He had such quiet eyes She did not realise They were two pools of lies Layered with thinnest ice To her, those wuiet 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 lady who falls in

love with the wrong man. She is fascinated with his eyes that seem to lure her to give him paradise. The man has a pair of quiet eyes that she does not realise they are not that quiet. As she is ‘charmed’ by the eyes, she does not listen to the advice given by other people who are concerned with her behaviour. In the end, she realises her mistakes and is broken hearted.

THEME Betrayal of love Personal experiences Relationships that are meaningful

MORAL VALUES Don’t be naive and believe everything

we are told especially in matters of the heart.

Be wise when choosing friends. Falling in love is normal but one

should be careful. We must learn from the experience of

other people. We should be very careful not to give

in our principle in order to please 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

MEANING OF WORDS sighs – long, deep audible breaths eyes – a pair of organs of sight advice – guidance desolate – unhappy and uninhabited pleasure-seeking – looking for a

feeling of happy satisfaction dice – a small cube with each side

having a different number ranging from 1 to 6

layered – arranged in layers lies – intentional false statements realise – become aware compromise – agree paradise – heaven render – provide or give help imploring – begging desperately wise – having knowledge and good judgement

Biodata of H. D. Carberry, 1921-1989 Hugh Doston (“Dossie”) Carberry was born July 12,

1921, the son of sir John Carberry, a former Chief Justice of Jamaica, and Lady Georgina Carberry, in Montreal, Canada. He came to Jamaica in infancy and spent most of his life there. He had his primary education at Decarteret school in Mandeville, Jamaica and then attended Jamaica College. After working with the Civil Service, to which he qualified as second out of over 100 applicants, Carberry went to St. Catherrine College, Oxford University, where he obtained his B. A. and B. C. L.. He read Law at Middle Temple and was called to the Bar in 1951, then returning to Jamaica to engage in private practice.

In 1954, Carberry married Dorothea, and they had two sons, Martin and John, and a daughter, Christine. In addition to his career in law, Carberry was a poet and gave outstanding service in the cultural field, being a member of the Managing Committee of the Little Theatre since 1951. A devout Christian, he was also a pillar of the Providence Methodist church as Class Co-leader. Carberry was Clerk to the Houses of Parliament from 1969-1978 and a member of the commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He was appointed Judge of the Jamaican court of appeal in 1978 and served for a decade. H. D. Carberry died on June 28, 1989.

Nature by H.D. Carberry We have neither Summer nor WinterNeither Autumn nor Spring.We have instead the daysWhen the gold sun shines on the lush

green canefields-Magnificently.The days when the rain beats like bullet

on the roofsAnd there is no sound but thee swish of

water in the gulliesAnd trees struggling in the high Jamaica

winds.Also there are the days when leaves fade

from off guango trees’And the reaped canefields lie bare and

fallow to the sun.But best of all there are the days when

the mango and the logwood blossomWhen bushes are full of the sound of bees

and the scent of honey,When the tall grass sways and shivers to

the slightest breath of air,When the buttercups have paved the

earth with yellow starsAnd beauty comes suddenly and the rains

have gone.

SYNOPSIS The poem tells of the

weather conditions in Jamaica although it does not have the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The weather conditions of golden sunny days and wet rainy days are just as good and are almost equivalent to the four seasons.

1. VOCABULARY2. WORD &MEANING 3. Lush-Healthy growth1. Magnificently-Wonderfully, grandly, beautifully1. Swish-The sound made by moving water1. Gullies-Channels cut out in the earth by

persistent rainfall1. Struggling-Fighting to survive; moving with

great physical effort1. Fade-Lose their colour1. Fallow-Left bare (in order to recover natural

fertility)1. paved-Covered

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM Lines 1 to 10 The poet tells about his homeland ,

Jamaica and rejoices the beauty of this island. Jamaica has no seasonal changes. It has a tropical climate which is hot and wet throughout the year. The days of golden sunshine are glorious and magnificent. The are many canefields in Jamaica as sugar is one of the main exports in this country.

Lines 11 to 15 In the ending of the poem, the poet tells

us his favourite time – days when the flowers of mango trees and logwood blossom. He uses imagery of sound and smell to illustrate abundant life and activity in the bushes when the ‘sound of bees and the scent of honey’ add to the charm and beauty if Jamaica. He describes the fields filled with lovely yellow buttercups. All this happens when the rains have stopped and the beauty if nature emerges once again.

THEMESBeauty of natureAppreciation of one own

countryAppreciate natureMORAL VALUESWe should appreciate what

we have in our own countryWe should not long for what

we do not have.We should appreciate our

homeland.We should appreciate the

beauty of nature.TONE,MOOD, ATMOSPHEREAppreciative and happyCarefree and light-heartedSense of beautyPOINT OF VIEWThird person point of view

LANGUAGE AND STYLE Simple and easy to understand the

language Clear and descriptive Simple style with no rhyming

scheme POETIC DEVICES Imagery – e.g. ‘gold sun’, ‘lush

green fields’, ‘trees struggling’ Alliteration – e.g. ‘sways and shivers

to the slightest breath of air’ Symbols – e.g. ‘gold sun’ – symbol

of summer, ‘rains’ – symbol of winter

Contrast – e.g. ‘beauty’ or summer is compared with ‘rains’ or winter

Figurative Language  – Simile – ‘rain beats like bullets’

Metaphor – e.g. ‘the buttercups paved the earth with yellow stars’

Personification – ‘buttercups have paved the earth’ …  buttercups have been personified as having laid tiles

Onomatopeia – e’g ‘swish’