In The Midst Of Hardship 3z3il

IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP (LATIFF MOHIDIN) About the poet Date of birth: 25August 1941 Place of birth: Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan Family background: - parents were of Minangkabau-Sumatran descent - 11 siblings Education: - University of Fine Arts in Berlin, - - America (Pratt Graphic Centre) Literary career: - Malaysia most celebrated living artist and poet - Is considered as a national treasure - Started writing poetry seriously after completing his studies in (1960-1964) - Held exhibitions of his works and traveled abroad extensively in 1960s and 1970s - Received Malaysia’s National Literary Prize and SouthEast Asia (SEA) Writer’s Award - Famous poem ‘Sungai Mekong’ - Most recent written anthology is Latiff Mohidin Sajaksajak Lengkap (1963-1994) - Well-known as a nature poet - Won the honourable Diploma Prize at the Festival of International Book at Leipzig, in 1989 for his book ‘Garis: Dari titik ke titik’ - Has served as writer in residence at USM, Penang, UKM and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka - Uses simple style and symbolism in his poems At present: a freelance poet and artist His anthological poems include: • Sungai Mekong (Mekong River) – 1972 • Kembara Malam (Night Travel) – 1974 • Wayang Pak Dalang (Puppeteer’s Show) – 1977 • Serpihan dari Pedalaman (Fragments of Interior) – 1979 • Pesisir Waktu (Edge of Time) – 1981 • Sajak- sajak dinihari (Midnight Poems) – 1996

Summary of the poem • It is about the hardship a family experiences during and after a very bad flood. • However, the family handle their hardship well. • Instead of complaining and moaning, they enjoy being together. • They are grateful for what they still have. • They do not dwell on what they have lost. • Life has its ups and downs. • During natural disasters, people encounter hardship, pain and death. Yet life will go on. Synopsis: The first stanza tells us about the return of a couple / parents in their soaked clothes, hungry, with scratches on their hands and wounds on their legs. They head for the stove, probably feeling hungry and seeking warmth. Despite their extreme discomfort, they show no signs of hopelessness. The second stanza relates what they go through the night and the day before. They face and fight against the terrible flood, wading among bloating dead bodies of animals and floating tree barks looking for their son’s albino buffalo which is never found. The third stanza reveals that they are born in poverty. They have more or less accepted their fate and have learnt never to sigh or complain about their lot in life. They take the realities of life philosophically and go out living life leisurely. Analysing the poem Stanza

Meaning •

They (a couple) returned home in the early morning and headed for the stove to keep themselves warm as their clothes were wet and torn.

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They did not show any sign of unhappiness eventhough their arms and legs were covered with cuts and bruises. The expression on the brows usually reflects the emotional state of the person. They walked courageously in the flood the whole night and day looking for their son’s missing albino buffalo. They had to wade among dead animals and broken pieces of tree barks. Though they tried very hard looking for it, they were unable to find it. The family, like the other villagers, leads a life of hardship. Yet, they live without complaining or grumbling. They are poor but they are contented. They make jokes and this shows that they are happy.

Note: An albino buffalo is a buffalo that lacks natural colouring as a result of genetic malfunction. Ex: Answer the following questions. 1. What is the poem about? …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …… 2. When did the couple return home? …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …… 3. Why did the couple approach the stove? …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… …… 4. What were the conditions of their limbs? …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… ……

5. What is an ‘albino buffalo’? …………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………… ……