MALAYSIA - 1957

MALAYSIA - TODAY
HEIR CONDITIONING
The Poet - Dato' M. SHANmughalingam
Poet, novelist.
Studied at University
of Malaya, Harvard
and Oxford
University.

The Meaning
In Stanza 1, the grandchild asks
questions to his/her grandfather and
grandmother
Grand dad did you breathe
before air cons were invented
Meaning:
The grandchild asks his grandfather if he was able to
breathe before air conditioners were made.
Meaning:
The grandchild asks whether his/her grandfather
found it difficult to live without modern gadgets.
was it hard staying
alive without modern inventions?
Meaning:
The grandchild asks his grandmother whether she
was angry when she had to cool herself with paper
fans.
Grandma weren't you flustered
as you fluttered with paper fans?
Meaning:
The grandchild wonders how his/her grandparents
communicated before there were no facsimile machines
and telephones. These are considered basic needs in our
lives.
Could you communicate before
faxes and long distance calls
became basic necessities?
In Stanza 2, the
grandfather/grandmother responds to
the questions posed by his grandchild in
Stanza 1.
Meaning:
The grandparent says that they lived at an earlier
time than the grandchild.
However, since they were not educated, they didnt
have to deal with pollution, stress, traffic jams and
the damage of the natural environment.
Grand child we lived
before your age. Because
of our ignorance,
we did not know
pollution, stress, traffic jams
destruction of forests, streams and hills
Meaning:
We were afraid of God and respected nature.
We feared God and nature
Meaning:
Now, nature is being threatened by you and money
has become your main focus.
Now nature fears you and
Money is your new God
Moral Values
Take care and appreciate the nature
Use technology wisely
Do not be blinded by money
Appreciate Gods creation
Be religious. Do not forget your
responsibilities.