Are you still playing your flute?

The more it disturbs my conscience

to be thinking of you

1. Write down two things that trouble the

poet.
Her younger brothers are unemployed (they
have no work).
His friend was killed mercilessly.

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

1. The phrase younger brother refers to

____________________________________

2. What is the state of mind of the poet?

She feels disturbed / troubled.
3. How does the poet feel about the world?
Do you agree with her? Give a reason to
support your answer.
The poet feels that the world has many
problems and is in a bad state. I think she is
right because we have many problems in the
world today, for example, wars and rising
crime rates.

2. Which line from this stanza explains the

existence of violence?
____________________________________

4. Why has the village become quiet and

deserted?
It is quite likely that many of the young
people in the village have left to go to the
towns and cities, in search of jobs.

3. What caused the people to be disunited?

____________________________________

5. Name two things that the persona

considers a luxury.
(a) Spending time watching the falling rain
(b) Enjoying the sweet smell of flowers

6. Without using examples from the poem,

suggest two things you would consider as
luxuries in your life.
(a) Going for a movie
(b) Spending time window shopping
7. What two reasons does the persona give
for not wanting the flute to be played?
(a) She has no time to think about love.
(b) She feels guilty for wanting to hear her
beloved play his flute.
8. What does the persona feel about the
music produced by her beloved? How do you
know?
She thinks that the music is pleasing to the
ears because she calls him "an artist", that
is, he excels in what he does.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 nafas 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.