In The Midst of Hardship by Latiff Mohidin
In the Midst of Hardship by Latiff Mohidin
At dawn they returned home
their soaky clothes torn
and approached the stove
their limbs marked by scratches
their legs full of wounds
but on their brows
there was not a sign of despair
The whole day and night just passed
they had to brave the horrendous flood
in the water all the time
between bloated carcasses
and tiny chips of tree barks
desperately looking for their son’s
albino buffalo that was never found
They were born amidst hardship
and grew up without a sigh or a complaint
now they are in the kitchen, making
jokes while rolling their ciggarete 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.
SYNOPSIS (ACCORDING TO STANZA)
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.
STANZA 2
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.
STANZA 3
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.
SETTING
The setting of the poem is in the house.
THEMES
- Being resilience when facing hardship
- Family love
- Acceptance of way of life
MORAL VALUES
- We 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, ATMOSPHERE
- Understanding and sympathetic
- Acceptance of situation
POINT OF VIEW
- Third person pint of view.
LANGUAGE & STYLE
- Language is simple and easy to understand.
- The style is simple with no rhyming scheme.
POETIC DEVICES
- Imagery – 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‘
310 Comments »
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zahuren
Welcome all English teachers around Malaysia!! 
najmichak Said:
on January 15, 2010 at 12:48 pm
thank you give me a favour to finish task that my teacher gave it to me…
asha Said:
on March 5, 2012 at 11:00 am
helpful to me too
WaMwA97 Said:
on January 22, 2013 at 12:54 pm
me too.. gee thanks..
Natalie Lim Said:
on January 20, 2010 at 8:52 am
thank you ! because of ur help i am able to finish my homework that my english teacher gave
nurfarhana najwa Said:
on January 13, 2012 at 9:16 am
also me too,at the first i reading the poem i dind’t understand and after that i read at here i aslo know what is it in the poem of this…thank you …!!!!
noraza alishah mohamed yusof Said:
on February 2, 2012 at 8:36 am
thanx bcoz this page can help me finish my homework,..
WaMwA97 Said:
on January 22, 2013 at 12:54 pm
same to me.. thank you blog owner..
fatin rostah Said:
on February 6, 2012 at 10:57 am
thank you toooo…
zack Said:
on May 5, 2012 at 12:43 pm
thanks …. it help me to do rivision
zul n peace Said:
on May 8, 2012 at 1:00 pm
ohh..me too..now i can understand about this poem,….thankss….
arv Said:
on January 28, 2010 at 9:47 am
Thanx. U also helped me to finish my homework.
zahuren Said:
on February 5, 2010 at 7:44 am
They were searching for their son’s albino buffalo. This poem wants to convey the hardship that they endured and even though they saw many dead animals floating because of the flood, they were still searching for the buffalo. It is important to know that they did not complain and did not lose hope as they were used to difficult life. i hope that answers ur question.
wawa je Said:
on March 4, 2012 at 1:52 am
i also hard to understand this poem..but its really interesting here! ^-^
memey... Said:
on May 6, 2013 at 12:57 pm
yap….their albino buffalo very important and special to their son, that’s the reason to why they face hard time to search the buffalo…because they love their son very much..
林伟轩 Said:
on July 30, 2013 at 5:25 pm
thank…this question is what im looking for….haha…
ash (@ashieefan) Said:
on May 8, 2014 at 12:11 pm
thanks ^^
faridah Said:
on February 5, 2010 at 5:30 am
i would like to know in the second stanza u mentioned that they were looking for their son’s albino buffalo but in the synopsis u said looking desperately for their albino buffalo.
so, are they considering the buffalo as their son or as their son’s buffalo?
nazme Said:
on February 17, 2010 at 6:46 am
thank you so much..cause u help me to done myhomework.. u teacher good..hehe
nazme mohamud Said:
on February 17, 2010 at 6:49 am
uhya.. i want to know, where we can search the poems “IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP” IN BM???..I HOPE u answer my question..alright.. help me ah..
zahuren Said:
on March 1, 2010 at 1:25 pm
There’s a book called ‘Sajak-sajak Lengkap Latif Mohidin’. It will cost you RM 180. You can buy it at Galeri Petronas, Aras 3, KLCC. Hope the book is still there!
aisyah Said:
on September 20, 2014 at 8:24 am
Dalam Bencana
Mereka pulang ke rumah
Waktu subuh hari
Dengan pakaian robek basah
Menghampiri tungku api
Lengan mereka penuh calar
Kaki mereka penuh luka
Tapi di kening mereka
Tidak kelihatan rasa kecewa
Sehari semalaman
Mereka mengharungi banjir
Berendam antara bangkai ternakan
Dan serpihan kulit tumbuhan
Kerbau balar si buyung
Masih belum ditemui
Mereka dilahirkan dlm bencana
Tidak ada keluhan dan kutukan
Kini mereka berjenaka di dapur
Sambil menggulung rokok daun
2010 Said:
on February 23, 2010 at 8:16 am
i also agree what faridah said..i also dont understand that they looking desperately for their son or their son’s buffalo?
zahiah Said:
on January 8, 2012 at 3:10 am
they are looking for their son’s albino buffalo. they are looking for an albino buffalo belongs to the son. the son has an albino buffalo and now is missing. so they are looking/searching for it.
fatin Said:
on February 24, 2010 at 5:47 am
thank u 4 helping me!!!
from smk lui barat n9
fatin ,aimi, wani, shira n suhada
epul Said:
on February 24, 2010 at 5:48 am
gggooodddd……i like…..get easy my work
saidatul Said:
on March 28, 2010 at 1:34 am
this will help a lottt!!!!
thanks (:
Lily Said:
on March 30, 2010 at 6:35 am
Dalam Bencana
Mereka pulang ke rumah
waktu subuh hari
dengan pakaian robek basah
menghampiri api tungku
lengan mereka penuh calar
kaki mereka penuh luka
tapi di kening mereka
tidak kelihatan rasa kecewa
Sehari semalaman
mereka mengharungi banjir
berendam antara bangkai ternakan
dan serpihan kulit tumbuhan
kerbau balar si buyung
masih belum ditemui.
Mereka dilahirkan dalam bencana
tidak ada keluhan dan kutukan
kini mereka berjenaka di dapur
sambil menggulung rokok daun.
1978
daisy Said:
on January 9, 2012 at 9:57 am
It’s the real one in malay??
wawa je Said:
on March 4, 2012 at 1:54 am
nice! ^_^
asha Said:
on March 5, 2012 at 10:58 am
is this usefull..
nurfaznisya Said:
on January 20, 2014 at 3:38 am
thank you …
zahuren Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 2:40 am
You are welcome 🙂
cicol Said:
on March 28, 2012 at 4:13 am
which one is real ?
Nithya Kino Said:
on May 10, 2012 at 2:56 pm
thanx… yg nie muda utk diphm !!…..
Lily Said:
on March 30, 2010 at 6:39 am
Salam, sorry ye sajak tu pulak yang keluar dulu. rajinnya cikgu buat blog literature ni, i tumpang refer ye cikgu. thanks so much 🙂
Elaine Said:
on April 20, 2010 at 7:49 am
thanks for post these info.it is helpful for my homework .i frm sabah.
liana Said:
on April 30, 2010 at 8:32 am
tq,it make my work easier
Wan Star Said:
on January 17, 2012 at 1:18 pm
In your opinion,why did the boy love the albino buffalo so much?…..can u help e give this answer..
ogy Said:
on October 4, 2012 at 4:43 am
because only buffalo that family have..
divyananth Said:
on May 7, 2010 at 11:00 am
this web help me to finish my work easily.i hope it will help other students too
Viviane'mo Said:
on May 10, 2010 at 1:00 pm
wow.thank 4 the information teacher,it help me a lot.-student.
YoMomma Said:
on May 11, 2010 at 10:56 pm
I have found this very usefull for my English class Thank you
Yvonne Elsa Said:
on May 18, 2010 at 1:10 pm
tq so much. it makes me more easier to search for the moral values… its great…i appriciate it so much!!!!
Mr. Foo Said:
on May 21, 2010 at 2:50 pm
English grammar has to be taught instead of forcing the students to handle literature. The fact of the matter is, if a student is unable to construct proper sentences, what’s the point of learning English?
Many would think that literature enhances the curricular activities. However, how many of the students, as well as teachers in schools, can explain why sentences are written in certain ways? If students were taught to construct sentences correctly, they would not write such sentences:
thank you give me a favour to finish task that my teacher gave it to me…
thank you ! because of ur help i am able to finish my homework that my english teacher gave
thank you so much..cause u help me to done myhomework.. u teacher good..
i like…..get easy my workthanks for post these infotq,it make my work easierthis web help me to finish my work easily.
wow.thank 4 the information teacher,it help me a lot
zahuren Said:
on May 24, 2010 at 5:16 am
Mr Foo, I couldn’t agree more.
TheOwl Said:
on February 10, 2012 at 2:04 am
Same here. Grammar drills must be carried out but language is a living thing so they’ve got to use it.
Literature is helpful but the way it is taught is all wrong. Literature exposes learners to other people’s experiences,culture and values so it opens up other worlds and at the same time sub-consciously helps them with their learning. Literature should not be exam-oriented. It should purely be for enjoyment and experiencing the experiences and emotions of other people. Readers should experience a change in some way,no matter how insignificant the change is for it to have any impact on them.
It is so sad to read such sentences. Even adults who call themselves university graduates write like this. Do not be shocked if you find masters and PHD holders writing such rubbishy sentences! The rot in Malaysia cuts across the board. Many adults do not know their prepositions and many are unable to differentiate between nouns,verbs and adjectives when it comes to spelling e.g. resilient and resilience,no? LOL
Serah Farron Said:
on February 22, 2012 at 12:02 pm
True!!
And there’s one:
thanks for post these info.it is helpful for my homework .i frm ….
Esther Yong Said:
on May 24, 2010 at 7:24 am
thanks ^^
rabiatul Said:
on July 27, 2010 at 4:29 am
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kama Said:
on August 17, 2010 at 1:22 am
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shee Said:
on September 28, 2010 at 4:33 am
this is very good…
this website helps me to learn mo fast….
zahuren Said:
on September 28, 2010 at 4:38 am
That’s the purpose of this blog 🙂
atiqah.. Said:
on September 28, 2010 at 4:38 am
thanx 4 ur good work ! keep it up..~
Qinggg Said:
on October 5, 2010 at 9:39 am
Nice :))
hajar Said:
on October 7, 2010 at 1:03 pm
thanks………..i can understand….
lekha cubyxx Said:
on October 18, 2010 at 12:01 pm
thankz….. saye dah blh dpt 100% correct in this Ques,,,,,////:)
zahuren Said:
on October 18, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Welcome. Good for you 🙂
sri Said:
on October 19, 2010 at 10:08 am
I agree with Mrs Foo. Now what I am trying to do is to use this poem to teach other aspects of the English Language, such as grammar, guided writing, etc instead of focusing on the literary aspect. Our students are really weak in writing. Many (even at SPM level) are unable to construct simple sentences without guidance.
chasingsucceed Said:
on November 24, 2010 at 9:31 am
thank u because this site have help me some in finishing my homework.. (^-^)
najwahassim Said:
on December 7, 2010 at 6:45 pm
thanks because it really does help me as additional research
candidate SPM 2011 Said:
on December 14, 2010 at 5:30 am
thank you very muchhh….4 your note…..
very useful 4 all….i hope u can give me example or
explain about the themes…. =)
zulaikha Said:
on December 17, 2010 at 10:43 am
thanx u sebab byk bagi maklumat utk saya belajar
zulaikha Said:
on December 17, 2010 at 10:45 am
note yang diberi sangat berguna utk saya dan rakan2 lain
spm candidate 2012 Said:
on December 26, 2010 at 6:36 am
thanks 4 this note..
this site help me 2 finish my homework..^_^
Daniel Lim Said:
on December 26, 2010 at 9:30 am
In the midst of hardship in Malay:
DALAM KESUSAHAN
Pada waktu senja mereka pulang ke rumah,
baju basah mereka telah koyak,
mereka berjalan ke arah dapur,
tangan mereka penuh dengan calar,
kaki mereka penuh dengan luka,
tetapi pada muka mereka,
langsung tidak ada perasaan kecewa.
Satu hari dan satu malam baru berlepas,
mereka perlu menghadapi banjir besar ini dengan berani,
sepanjang masa berada dalam air,
berada di antara barangan yang terapung di permukaan air,
serta bahan-bahan pecahan yang kecil,
asyik mencari kerbau kepunyaan anak mereka,
yang akhirnya tidak dapat dijumpa juga.
Mereka dilahirkan dalam kesusahan,
dan membesar tanpa mengadu atau mengeluh,
sekarang mereka berada di dapur,
sambil bergurau sambil menggulungkan daun tembakau.
zahuren Said:
on January 11, 2011 at 4:39 am
Thanks Daniel for the Malay version of the poem..It helps other visitors of this blog too.
Honey Haniff Said:
on February 3, 2011 at 1:50 am
yep… i’ve been searching for the malay version high n low..thanks… and thanks to uyean too..:))
ila Said:
on October 17, 2011 at 10:47 am
I think the original version is Dalam Bencana and it slightly different from this one..but it still brings the same meaning and interpretation… =)
nini faline Said:
on January 3, 2011 at 1:51 pm
salam sis..
do you have notes on novel?
The Curse by Lee Su Ann..
TQVM
zahuren Said:
on January 11, 2011 at 4:48 am
salam…i’m working on it. Now I’m using step by wicked step for the form 5 students. Will inform you later.
dev the don Said:
on January 6, 2011 at 12:27 pm
thanx 4 the whole info..it was very helpful 4 me 2 do my schol home work that teacher gave me.
nas Said:
on January 7, 2011 at 1:22 pm
wah…thanks ..now i can finish my homework … 🙂
ying Said:
on January 8, 2011 at 4:23 pm
good explanation!
yayahnews Said:
on January 9, 2011 at 6:10 am
tank u so much…arigatou…
Muslim Boy Said:
on January 9, 2011 at 6:23 am
thanks for the info, there was great, may god bless you.
=)
Donna Said:
on January 11, 2011 at 8:27 am
Why was it important for them to go search for the albino buffalo?
noratikah Said:
on January 11, 2011 at 3:10 pm
wah ! thanks . . i have done my hmwok . . thanks 4 helping us !
Nur Atiqah Said:
on December 23, 2013 at 9:27 am
Alsalam,teacher…..sya nak tnye apa yg dmksudkn dgn ‘approached the stove’?Lg stu,knape kluarga tu trus-trusan cri’buffalo’ tu?Sye hrap teacher bg jwpn dlm B.Inggeris=)
zahuren Said:
on December 23, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Waalaikusalam,
Approached the stove means that the family go near the stove..As you know, the stove must be inside the kitchen..so why do people go to the kitchen? Why do you go to the kitchen?
Why do they keep on looking for the albino buffalo? It’s because it is the only property that they have. Shouldn’t we look for our missing property? 🙂
I hope I have answered your question… Happy 2014!!
lyssa Said:
on January 12, 2011 at 11:38 am
wow very helpful. although the themes aren’t completed but still it’s enough for reference. thanks teacher.
Yukiko Said:
on January 13, 2011 at 3:13 pm
weee~~!!! watashi wa shukudai o yatte…aligatogozaimasu!!! ^o^
anneyth vamps Said:
on January 15, 2011 at 9:35 am
thanx foe de much information .now i can done my hmework ;D
LITTLE CHIN Said:
on January 15, 2011 at 11:20 am
thank you !!!
u helped me finish my homework…^^
Mimi... Said:
on January 16, 2011 at 4:19 am
thanks for this information…
arina Said:
on January 16, 2011 at 9:52 am
thanks:-) its really useful…may Allah bless u…^^
disha Said:
on January 16, 2011 at 11:57 am
thanx this help me 2 finish my homework
Student F4 of SMKATJ Said:
on January 18, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Wah…thanks for this….
Thank you so much
=D
me Said:
on January 20, 2011 at 11:16 am
saya mau biodata latiff mohidin…..kat mane yer?
me(anysh) Said:
on January 20, 2011 at 11:33 am
guys!!help!katne nak cari biography latiff mohidin??
i can’t find it!!!huhuhuhu!!=(
Hazlinah Said:
on January 20, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Hope you can explain more, why is the ‘albino buffalo’ significant, because we all know that we don’t have such animal in our country. Thank you.
zahuren Said:
on January 26, 2011 at 8:42 am
I think it tells the readers that even though the albino buffalo is very rare to be found, they still can crack jokes and are not worried with the plight that they are facing.
urukiora Said:
on January 21, 2011 at 2:31 pm
thanks! Now i understand and able to answer teacher’s quation!
zero Said:
on January 21, 2011 at 3:11 pm
…..a….sry but i founded that :the stanza 3 have someting might be wrong….in the plot,it is say that:’jokes while rolling their ciggarete leaves’
but when write in the SYNOPSIS (ACCORDING TO STANZA), writed :’cracking jokes while smoking cigarettes.’
well i thing it should be :’cracking jokes while rolling cigarettes leves’
a…..if what i say on above is not correct, i apologize to teacher who translate it at here….
zahuren Said:
on January 27, 2011 at 11:07 am
It’s ok Zero..They are rolling the cigarette leaves because they are making a cigarette using leaves. This is not the cigarette that you see nowadays. It’s a simple one with tobacco inside the leaves.
Julfhabri95 Said:
on January 24, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Thank you, so much…
Now I can do my homework.
makcik goyang Said:
on January 25, 2011 at 5:20 am
thank for the watching
thanks for the information also
because of you,
i have to do my homework
intan Said:
on January 25, 2011 at 5:42 am
thanks ah…
nadd Said:
on January 25, 2011 at 8:13 am
thank u 4 help me….
🙂
sigs jb says! Said:
on January 26, 2011 at 1:28 am
salam,thank you so much to remain me of this time
laaa~ Said:
on January 26, 2011 at 1:53 am
that’s good poem
ainhanani Said:
on January 26, 2011 at 6:34 am
as salam 🙂
can i ask some question?
1.to whom did the buffalo belong?
2where they able to find the buffalo?
i hope you can answer my question..tqvm
:))
zahuren Said:
on February 3, 2011 at 7:12 am
Answers
1. The son’s albino buffalo.
2. They did not manage to find the buffalo.
shi ting Said:
on January 28, 2011 at 9:38 am
r u have the author biography??
syamil Said:
on January 28, 2011 at 2:07 pm
thank you,this help me a lot
arial Said:
on January 29, 2011 at 1:08 pm
what would be the conclusion of this poem? if i may ask and what season is it when this poem is being potrayed?
zahuren Said:
on February 3, 2011 at 7:15 am
Well, we can say that in life, there are many problems. How we take and handle the problems is what that matters. We should accept problems in life in a positive way. Based on the flood and the rain mentioned, it could be the monsoon season.
arial Said:
on February 7, 2011 at 9:13 am
thank you so much!!!
arial Said:
on February 7, 2011 at 10:10 am
sorry disturb again but how do we know what the villagers are poor all their lives?
zahuren Said:
on February 8, 2011 at 4:29 am
It’s ok Arial. ‘They were born amidst hardship’ in the last stanza suggests that they are poor.
elya Said:
on January 29, 2011 at 1:24 pm
thanks so much!now,,i could finish my homework easily!
aki Said:
on February 2, 2011 at 3:19 am
thanks for the poem(in the mist of hardship) now i can do my work easily…. yeah..
qllye Said:
on February 5, 2011 at 8:08 am
thnks…my homework wll be done………^_^
nana Said:
on February 5, 2011 at 8:15 am
hye..what can you conclude about their outlook on life in stanza 1..??
zahuren Said:
on February 8, 2011 at 4:32 am
They were very positive.
jc Said:
on February 5, 2011 at 12:21 pm
thank u so much!~this help me a lot
Anis Nabilah Said:
on February 5, 2011 at 2:56 pm
what does the phrases ‘soaky clothes’ imply?
zahuren Said:
on February 8, 2011 at 4:31 am
They were soaked to the skin as they stood in the kitchen. There must have been pools of water.
arry Said:
on February 6, 2011 at 12:15 pm
yeah..
thanks cuz help me to find what i want..
hehe..
my work is done now..
thanks again..
sharmini Said:
on February 13, 2011 at 8:40 am
thank u,because its help to me to done my english work that my teacher Goh gave.
estaban Said:
on February 16, 2011 at 2:02 am
in your opinion does the ‘ albino buffalo’ has any significant in relation to the malay belief that anything white is sacred and by losing it calamity might befall them
Nur Fatihah Said:
on February 27, 2011 at 1:23 pm
what does the title mean ? i really need your help
myra_jingga Said:
on February 28, 2011 at 2:01 am
ouhh~~!!! this poem is totally amazing!! i would luv 2 hear from u soon 4 d f5 poem detaily.. =) gud job~~!!
fie Said:
on February 28, 2011 at 2:49 pm
thank you..nice work…
Loga Said:
on March 2, 2011 at 9:06 am
Thank you 4 ur notes…it was a big help 4 me….
echi Said:
on March 5, 2011 at 4:07 pm
tq teacher for the explanation..its really help me out. 😀
yap chai yun Said:
on March 8, 2011 at 1:15 pm
thx, u really help me finish my work n understanding the poem…………….but i think u can write more detail about the setting n more themes………..i also need to say thankyou so much
candicate spm 2012 Said:
on March 16, 2011 at 3:46 am
thnks 4 this note…
this is helping me in my homework ^_^
ranjini Said:
on March 20, 2011 at 5:33 am
thank you very much sifu.It really help me so much.
==" Said:
on March 22, 2011 at 4:51 am
thanks a lot to u..now my omwek already done
afeeq asyraf Said:
on April 10, 2011 at 12:36 pm
ty….ty….ty….my homework is done…..ha3 :)…..this website is the best…..
kennedy luki ak garan Said:
on May 3, 2011 at 7:55 am
im agree what did you say…
myra Said:
on April 12, 2011 at 9:12 am
Hi zahuren/TEACHER. I read your background and found many things in common. I am/was an Eng teacher, graduated from UM zillions of years ago. Was born in Miri, taught in Saratok, Sarawak and later transferred to JB when I got married. Resigned from gov service and later taught at a private tuition centre. Our Seremban connection? My daughter was at IMU Seremban for 2 years. So you see our paths have crossed but we were destined not to meet. LOL.
I’m posting this cos I need to ask your opinion. My son’s Eng teacher in Form 4 says that in this poem, the men here actually refer to the entire village; the villagers are so closely-knit it is as though they are all family. But I read reference books and my own personal interpretation is that the poem is focussing on ONE family in particular. I was wondering why the teacher said that? Is this point mentioned in the notes/CDs supplied by Kementerian? Not one reference book mentions that the family here is the entire village. I was surprised when my son told me about it, cos it puts a whole new interpretation on the poem. In SPM, do you think both interpretations would be accepted? I think so, cos Literature is so subjective. I’d be grateful if you tell me your personal views on this. Thanks.
zahuren Said:
on May 3, 2011 at 2:05 am
Hi Myra. Haha..never thought that we have that much in common. As far as I’m, concerned, I believe that ‘they’ in the poem refers to the parents of the son who lost the albino buffalo. However, in the larger context, it may represent those who are involved in the same plight. In SPM, as literature is subjective I believe whatever interpretation it might be, it must always be justified. This is my personal view.
wanted Said:
on May 2, 2011 at 12:10 pm
thanxx…….b’coz of u I am now prepared 4 my exam………. 🙂
kennedy luki ak garan Said:
on May 3, 2011 at 7:53 am
wooooowww…..so happy larhh…coz i can search this web….thanks latiff mohidin…
liena.. Said:
on May 3, 2011 at 10:06 am
thanks.. i have my mid term exam 2morow.. hopefully, this can help me to do it 4 my exam.. 😀
ADY Said:
on May 5, 2011 at 8:55 am
Good luck Liena
yanyan Said:
on May 4, 2011 at 12:36 pm
thank u so much for the info
much helpful for me 🙂
farah Said:
on May 9, 2011 at 10:52 am
thank u 4 help me….
mariyamALFREIDO Said:
on May 9, 2011 at 11:07 am
Thanx for thi..I really want to use this for my examination!!!
Aziz Jaffar Aj Said:
on May 9, 2011 at 2:00 pm
this website is 100% good!!! i like it.. 🙂
RazinRosdin Said:
on May 14, 2012 at 5:41 am
agree 110% 🙂
jayretto Said:
on May 10, 2011 at 9:23 am
thank god ive found this page… i dont have 2 worry bout the exam anymore…..
dnes Said:
on May 11, 2011 at 10:04 pm
thank you so much because u help me to my exam….
azira Said:
on May 17, 2011 at 3:28 am
thank lot cikgu
zuhair Said:
on May 17, 2011 at 11:43 am
i checked this site for mid year exam 🙂 ty
zuhair Said:
on May 17, 2011 at 11:48 am
i checked this site today to prepare for the midyear exam tomorow :DDDDD
anisa Said:
on June 21, 2011 at 7:18 am
i like it .. thanx .:)
dalila syafira Said:
on July 14, 2011 at 11:46 am
heyyo . thank for the bm trnslation .
saLLy cLouRiNa .. Said:
on August 12, 2011 at 1:52 pm
oo.. thnkzz .. nw i thnk i cn answr the question on nxt monday .. oo i hpe that i cn answer it .. btw thnkzz teachr.. wish me gud luck ok? doa kn aq .. = )
LATIF BAHARUDIN Said:
on August 19, 2011 at 4:11 am
THANK YOU 😀
Latif Said:
on August 19, 2011 at 4:21 am
Vey good. 5-Star
Hazy Said:
on September 6, 2011 at 7:17 am
it’s help me in my examination
ladylia n cik ann Said:
on September 13, 2011 at 5:13 am
thank you soooo much…with this we can finish the work that our teacher gave to us..lap u..
Gomez 78 4 EPS Said:
on September 15, 2011 at 2:00 am
thank u teacher for the notes, just copy paste and print…from 4 Epsilon batch 10, Sir Hafidz class XD
aini khurairah Said:
on October 4, 2011 at 3:33 am
it really2 work out..thak you =)
aini khurairah Said:
on October 4, 2011 at 3:35 am
thank you sir =)
Lucky Said:
on October 12, 2011 at 11:10 am
Thank you so much, it was very helpful
izumi chinatsu Said:
on October 17, 2011 at 9:28 am
so interesting..
ila Said:
on October 17, 2011 at 10:54 am
hi Mr Zahuren,
I would like to ask you one question that keep bothering me…
In the first stanza, “and the approached the stove” or in Malay version “menghampiri api tungku”
what does it mean?
is it they approached the stove because they were hungry or because they were soaking wet and need to dried up as the kitchen then used the traditional stove (dapur arang)?
thank you in advance
zahuren Said:
on October 25, 2011 at 7:22 am
Most probably they are hungry as they have left the house for almost one day. Most probably they have not eaten for the whole night. Plus, it is in the morning and they might want to have breakfast. There is also possibility that they want to dry themselves but I think the first reason is more concrete.
revathi Said:
on October 17, 2011 at 2:05 pm
thank u so much for the info
much helpful for me 😀
michele carvalho Said:
on October 29, 2011 at 7:43 am
thank you so much:)
Amanina Abu Bakar Said:
on November 1, 2011 at 4:29 am
sigh! fuhh! thnx… your post free me from my holiday package… thnx a lot….
ray Said:
on November 8, 2011 at 9:40 pm
if very helpful … thanks a lot …. C; easy ,clear ,simple ..
ray Said:
on November 8, 2011 at 9:41 pm
*is .. type wrong ..
zahuren Said:
on November 15, 2011 at 4:43 am
TQVM. Typing error
aikal Said:
on November 14, 2011 at 11:21 am
:((
Az Nur Fitrah Said:
on November 14, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Thank you for sharing information on this poem ^^
student Said:
on November 15, 2011 at 5:21 am
why they were in the water all the time ?
please answer this
zahuren Said:
on January 16, 2012 at 4:36 am
Because they are searching for the albino buffalo during the flood. Of course they are in the water all the time.
eryannie jaffar Said:
on December 7, 2011 at 3:13 am
haha. thx a lot. i now can finish the assignment tht my teacher gave to me (!)
Rovits Said:
on January 2, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Cool poem….
adam Said:
on January 4, 2012 at 1:30 pm
were 2 seacrh ur biogrphy ?
zahuren Said:
on January 16, 2012 at 4:35 am
Why do you want my biography?
ainul Said:
on January 6, 2012 at 4:47 am
thankz 4 the information…
im ready 2 submit my work…^_^
Nadia Said:
on January 6, 2012 at 9:44 am
Tqvm.(;
Cy Choubyz Said:
on January 8, 2012 at 11:48 am
thank you.now i can finish my hw:D
Desy Said:
on January 9, 2012 at 9:15 am
Susah nak faham poems ni. Alhamdulillah lepasa baca sinopsis dari blog ni dgn bantuan google translate dapat membantu saya untuk memahami. Version dalam derita jugak turut membantu. Akhir sekali saya tertawa sendiri kerana tidak menyangka poems ini berkisahkan ”MENCARI KERBAU” Apa apa pun, terima kasih saya ucapkan 🙂 Sekian
Nur Syahirah Said:
on January 11, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Huhu… Thank u so much!! Bcause of u i can finish my english homework.
Izzaty Said:
on January 14, 2012 at 3:30 am
thanks.now my understanding for this poem is increasing 🙂
priya Said:
on January 14, 2012 at 8:39 am
i like is very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
priya Said:
on January 14, 2012 at 8:40 am
i like is very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
amirthavalli Said:
on January 14, 2012 at 8:44 am
i like this
WTLoo Said:
on January 15, 2012 at 1:52 am
thank for your help !
Shahirah Said:
on February 8, 2013 at 3:58 am
thanks for the poems..i appreciate it..you are the good teacher.
night katu Said:
on January 15, 2012 at 11:38 am
thanks..
master hack Said:
on January 15, 2012 at 12:32 pm
awesomeness!!!!!!!!!!!!
tinie Said:
on January 15, 2012 at 12:37 pm
why do they approached the stove ???
my teacher ask it and i don’t know..can you help me please ^^,
zahuren Said:
on January 16, 2012 at 4:31 am
Most probably they were hungry because they looked for the albino for the whole day and night.
Azreal Said:
on January 25, 2012 at 10:04 pm
actually, they want to warm themselves..hehe.. i just suggest it..but, that is what my teacher told me.
Aaron Said:
on March 5, 2012 at 11:12 am
My teacher told me that the reason they webt to the stove, was because they wanted to keep warm and dry their wet clothes after finding for their sons albino buffalo all night. Is this acceptable too?
Najdah Said:
on January 15, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Thanks for this !
My teacher ask me to do the sypnosis but i don’t know how ~
U make my work easier ~
Thanks once again ~
From SMK Bukit Gambir ,Johor
FIFI Said:
on January 16, 2012 at 10:45 am
Thank youu 🙂 i will refer your blog again after this 😀
AlinaHaris Said:
on January 16, 2012 at 5:39 pm
wow this helps a lot. thanks. God bless x
Fjying Said:
on January 17, 2012 at 7:01 am
now, i really understand the poem….thanks! i love this blog!
Wan Star Said:
on January 17, 2012 at 1:23 pm
who can help me answer the question..?
MoMoRoZu Said:
on January 18, 2012 at 6:50 am
Thank you so much sir!
Faradila Said:
on January 23, 2012 at 8:51 am
I really hope this explanation can help me in my presentation . thankyou very much
fareeha Said:
on January 23, 2012 at 11:52 am
the story very sad :-(..but i like it,,because it’s abaout life
nurul Said:
on January 24, 2012 at 8:10 am
thank you..
Satsuki Said:
on January 24, 2012 at 3:30 pm
can i ask something.. which one of the lines that reveals this incident took place in village?? i can’t see the connections.. sorry.. and another one is the last two lines in stanza 3, what kind of attitude is that lines imply?? i can’t understand.. sorry..
happyyayayeah! Said:
on January 25, 2012 at 10:00 pm
thanks for the information..at least i can understand the poem/story !!..wonderfull meaning! thank you!
wana Said:
on January 26, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Mr.Zahuren,
i have a qstn for you.What does bloated carcasses symbolize??
tqvm n sry for the disturbance..,,by the way,,fantastic notes!!~~
Sally Mohd Khalid Said:
on January 28, 2012 at 7:35 am
What does stanza 3 say about the family’s background?
Sally Mohd Khalid Said:
on January 28, 2012 at 7:36 am
How do we know the personas have been poor all their lives?
Sally Mohd Khalid Said:
on January 28, 2012 at 7:37 am
What did the personas do when they returned home? why do you think they did that?
aziera Said:
on January 28, 2012 at 12:48 pm
1)how do we know that the animals had been dead for a while
2)what does stanza 3 say about the family’s background?
aziera Said:
on January 28, 2012 at 12:52 pm
1)what does stanza 3 say about the family’s background?
2)how do you know that the animals had been dead for a while?
JohnLim Said:
on January 29, 2012 at 9:02 am
thank you ! because of ur help i am able to finish my homework that my english teacher gave
mieya Said:
on January 30, 2012 at 12:19 pm
amazin note from you sir….
i will use this note as a revision
aisyah Said:
on February 1, 2012 at 1:52 pm
thnkz you..i can finish my homework..:)
Huda Solehah Said:
on February 3, 2012 at 6:12 am
thank for this..
bermakna…
for my homework…
Adess….
😀
Assalamualaikum…
misz Said:
on February 7, 2012 at 1:12 am
tanxx a lot …
suhalyn Said:
on February 7, 2012 at 1:21 pm
thx..i got many info from here..awesome…….
Amirah Said:
on February 11, 2012 at 11:32 am
can i ask some question ? 🙂
1 .what were the couple looking for in the flood ?
2. meaning they had to brave the horrendous flood
cute cat Said:
on May 4, 2012 at 1:23 am
just read the poems… >_<
nn Said:
on February 13, 2012 at 9:27 am
what is the irony of this poem?
senorita Said:
on February 16, 2012 at 1:52 pm
10x a lot 4 the notes…..
shinchaekyungnandhu Said:
on February 18, 2012 at 11:48 am
thank you for helping
from smk malim,melaka
nanthini,shanti,reshma,lala,yap,rachel
nifna Said:
on February 22, 2012 at 2:01 am
very gooooooooooooooooood poem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Niza Mahamod Said:
on March 3, 2012 at 6:26 am
ermm
mimie Said:
on March 3, 2012 at 12:49 pm
thanks. 🙂
aina Said:
on March 4, 2012 at 5:03 am
the best…
kelvin Said:
on March 5, 2012 at 9:44 am
thanks alot weih ! 🙂 because of you i manage to get the meaning of the whole poem . My teacher did not gave me back my exercise book ! and the worst part is im having exam tomorrow -.- TROLOL !
azza@wiaz Said:
on March 5, 2012 at 12:12 pm
thank!i will reading this for an axem
Frazie Anna Said:
on March 9, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Thanks a lot for the poem!! i didn’t have the book so i don’t know how the poem is!!
this helped me a lot!! ^_^
ikmal Said:
on March 21, 2012 at 5:50 am
tanxx a lot …. 😀
cicol Said:
on March 28, 2012 at 3:55 am
thanks dude
Aznan Said:
on April 3, 2012 at 2:24 pm
Tq… : )
Yasmin Said:
on April 17, 2012 at 10:26 am
Thank you very much! Very helpful blog. ^_^
cute cat Said:
on May 4, 2012 at 1:21 am
nice poems…. l like it!!!
Hamsalekha Said:
on May 6, 2012 at 11:48 am
Thanks a lot
jacque147 Said:
on May 7, 2012 at 10:30 am
can I ask one Q? why was important for them to go in search of the albino Buffalo? if the answer is to help them plough the paddy.. is this answer accepted? thx
林伟轩 Said:
on July 30, 2013 at 5:32 pm
yaya…”what do you think is the significance of the albino buffalo?”…i just can’t find this answer…><
vivianinsane Said:
on May 8, 2012 at 12:31 pm
thank you 😀 awesome website ❤
Kumar Raj Said:
on May 13, 2012 at 2:45 pm
thxxxxxxxxx!!!!!!!>… -raj-
RazinRosdin Said:
on May 14, 2012 at 6:22 am
Im hoping for this useful informtion :))) thankyou so much 😀
lya Said:
on May 16, 2012 at 5:31 am
i hope i can answer my mid exam with greatly after this 🙂
Dessy Said:
on July 1, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Hey, thanks for the notes! I really appreciate it! Just one thing though, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t it ” Being RESILIENT when facing hardship” instead of ” Being resilience when facing hardship ” ? Other than that, great notes! It really helped me!
khairuddin 4 suria Said:
on July 9, 2012 at 1:33 am
it make me more easier to finish my power point that need to present 4 my individual oral
Ramsarvin Raperzz Said:
on July 23, 2012 at 1:43 pm
LOVE YA
krishnaperumal Said:
on August 4, 2012 at 1:40 pm
thanks a lot…im juz having a blast after read it…:)
arerifx Said:
on August 4, 2012 at 3:14 pm
thanx for the notes..May Allah bless you
krishnaveni Said:
on August 22, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Now i can feel the pain of the family in the poem….the explanation also markabally outstanding….thannksssss a lot and a lot..hv a nice day ahead….:)
Eiya Said:
on October 3, 2012 at 8:04 pm
Teacher, what the evidence to show that they are staying in a village? I dont know how to get the answer from this poem. Help me please 😦
zahuren Said:
on October 4, 2012 at 2:43 am
Can you keep a buffalo in a city? Usually, buffalo can be seen in a village 🙂
aminamat Said:
on October 8, 2012 at 12:55 pm
i feel very enjoy read this story after my teacher tell all information about this book.tomorrow i hve a test,i really hope this poem will be out in my exambecause i thnk tihs
poem is very easy to i memorise all information in this poem 🙂
🙂
🙂
🙂
🙂
🙂
:)P
😛
?:P
:P”””””:”KMJH?:???
.
nirmal Said:
on October 17, 2012 at 11:02 am
thx 🙂
Aisyah Alexander Said:
on January 3, 2013 at 12:00 pm
i love this poem..it so lovely..
adeeb Said:
on January 10, 2013 at 2:38 pm
thank you so much. it’s a very nice poem, though. love it
zahuren Said:
on January 22, 2013 at 12:28 am
You are most welcome
CAHAYA ILLAHI Said:
on January 18, 2013 at 6:32 am
I LIKE IT..!! IT’S VERY INTERESTING… 🙂
CAHAYA ILLAHI Said:
on January 18, 2013 at 6:36 am
I HOPE I WILL BE BRAVERY PEOPLE LIKE THEM….WHERE THEY GREW UP WITHOUT ANY COMPLAINT….
zahuren Said:
on January 22, 2013 at 12:28 am
You can do it! Always be brave as long as it is a right thing to do 🙂
JUNISA JUMADI Said:
on January 18, 2013 at 6:45 am
Wow…!!!..interesting poem..I LIKE IT..!!..
Coboy Stylee Said:
on January 20, 2013 at 4:13 am
thanks
zahuren Said:
on January 22, 2013 at 12:27 am
You are welcome 🙂
muhammad azamudden Said:
on January 22, 2013 at 7:12 am
thx. this is very helpul 4 me
goodluck Said:
on February 1, 2013 at 5:10 pm
What I would get in SPM ??…English really hard for me, I don’t know how to write an essay by using present and past tenses. so confuse with it
zahuren Said:
on May 8, 2013 at 4:09 am
Give it a try..Language is something that you need to practice. Don’t give up easily. You can do it 🙂
Arif Zainol Said:
on February 19, 2013 at 8:52 am
wah thanks…… at least wont be scold in school tomorow 😀
ain Said:
on February 24, 2013 at 8:20 am
Now i understand ,what the meaning from this poem.Before this i can’t understand what my teacher was teaching about this.
MY QUESTION= what does the mean the word”bloaked” in stanza 2 mean?
ain Said:
on February 24, 2013 at 8:21 am
correction=bloated
林伟轩 Said:
on July 30, 2013 at 5:37 pm
when animal dead their stomach swollen or in malay they say kembung…^^
hope it help u out… 🙂
Khairul Amirin (@amier9774) Said:
on March 4, 2013 at 1:01 pm
good notes…
jesspreet Said:
on May 5, 2013 at 11:23 am
i wan to ask sum Q? 1)based on stanza 2,list 2 things that were destroyed in the flood?????? 2)what important,message is the poet trying to convey to his reader through this poem?????
林伟轩 Said:
on July 30, 2013 at 5:40 pm
see the conversation on top….the answer is already there…^^
jesspreet Said:
on May 5, 2013 at 11:26 am
sir i wan the ans soon
▲ⓑⓞⓞⓑⓞⓞ▲ Said:
on May 9, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Thanks to the means of ‘The midst of hardship . It’s so nice for me .. Will be coming here again ..
Qasaira Aina Said:
on June 18, 2013 at 2:27 am
it realy help us
Fitri Said:
on August 15, 2013 at 7:39 am
hei2!~,,thank you very much ya!i’ve complete my task!
izwannie Said:
on September 15, 2013 at 3:01 pm
this is useful for my final examination…
thank you!!
Quad-P Said:
on October 22, 2013 at 12:28 am
Be proud! coz it will be use as reference in my school in UKM! 🙂
lol Said:
on November 1, 2013 at 12:48 pm
my brother like this
miss syuklieyz Said:
on November 3, 2013 at 9:36 am
thankz….its useful
Mohd. Shahril Said:
on November 3, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Oh… Camtu rupanya…
Faham2
are'ya nasrin Said:
on January 7, 2014 at 12:01 pm
Can I have the background of poet?? Thank you..
zahuren Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 2:42 am
The background of the poet is already inside the literature text book 🙂
22 Said:
on January 18, 2014 at 12:47 am
Question…
1)why do you like the poem??give yr reasons
Anak PakYon (@aida_kaluuuuttt) Said:
on January 18, 2014 at 1:17 pm
thank you so much!
nurfaznisya Said:
on January 20, 2014 at 3:42 am
terima kasih sangat2 ^_^
zahuren Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 2:40 am
You are welcome 🙂
Muhammad Nor Asyraf Said:
on January 21, 2014 at 1:29 am
i feel very enjoy read this story after my teacher tell all information about this book.tomorrow i hve a test,i really hope this poem will be out in my exambecause i thnk tihs
poem is very easy to i memorise all information in this poem .
:
zahuren Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 2:39 am
Well, I am glad you are interested and enjoyed reading this story. Hopefully your marks are good in the test that you took 🙂
mila Said:
on January 24, 2014 at 3:42 pm
thanks !
zahuren Said:
on January 29, 2014 at 2:38 am
You are welcome 🙂
syah Said:
on February 3, 2014 at 8:19 am
It is very helpful! Now i can do my hw.♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
nana Said:
on February 16, 2014 at 8:26 am
what is the acceptance of farmers to hardship?
zahuren Said:
on February 19, 2014 at 9:28 am
The personas in the poet accept hardship with indifference as they are used to one.
ochiechie.oc Said:
on March 2, 2014 at 10:47 am
Disini saya ada soalan. . .how do know that the family in the poem is farmer?.and how do we know that they are poor?
zahuren Said:
on April 3, 2014 at 2:11 am
We know the family is poor because they treasure the buffalo that much until they are willing to search for the missing buffalo through the day and night. Furthermore, if they were rich, why would they search for the buffalo for themselves? And why they keep a buffalo? They might want to keep other exotic animals as pets ;P
fauzan Said:
on March 3, 2014 at 2:29 pm
very helpful to me
Muhd Zainul Arifin Said:
on March 8, 2014 at 5:10 am
thank you
Hamza Said:
on March 11, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Thanks
It’s very helpful 🙂
cumigail Said:
on May 11, 2014 at 1:24 pm
sorry can i get the answer of what does the phrase “albino buffalo” tell you about the setting of this poem .
what setting .there r many setting right?
susan shee Said:
on June 2, 2014 at 11:30 am
Hi Cikgu Zahuren, in your opinion, do you think the albino buffalo is a sacred animal to some? I hv heard of this from a colleague but couldn’t find further info from internet. And, what if students give answer : “They searched for the albino buffalo because it’s expensive and sacred to the village.” What do you think? 🙂
By the way, love your blog !
Lookman Hujan Said:
on September 3, 2014 at 1:32 pm
Thanx a lot, wish me luck for the SPM 2014- Muhammad Luqman Hakim b. Asmadi (5 Epsilon )
Ahmad Fadzli Said:
on October 8, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Thank you … 😀
SeanChan Said:
on October 27, 2014 at 11:09 pm
Thank you blog owner!!^^
amirazainudin97@yahoo.com Said:
on November 4, 2014 at 11:36 am
besides floods, what other hardship that the villagers faces? and what is the reason?
luq Said:
on January 21, 2015 at 12:53 pm
thank you so much!!
rebecca Said:
on February 4, 2015 at 8:09 am
Big thanks because notes are in detail.
Azreen Razali Said:
on March 15, 2015 at 9:58 pm
what does the word ‘desperately’ in second stanza suggest?
zahuren Said:
on June 16, 2015 at 2:59 pm
I would say desperately would be using all your might regardless day and night 🙂
La Femme Cynique Said:
on May 9, 2015 at 3:40 pm
I really wish you’d work on your grammar. Also, note that the main point is not the fact that the buffalo went missing, I’m not sure why you keep focusing on that in your overall synopsis. Otherwise, not a bad effort.
zahuren Said:
on June 16, 2015 at 2:48 pm
Please highlight the grammatical error as I might not realise it. Well, it suits you well if you think that the buffalo went missing as it is up to individuals what they want to focus on 🙂
Tanoshamalar Said:
on June 6, 2015 at 3:13 am
CAN I KNOW WHAT IS THE MEANING OF BLOATED CARCASSES????
zahuren Said:
on June 16, 2015 at 2:45 pm
The carcasses have been dead for some times so they are bloated.
Amaya Said:
on July 16, 2015 at 3:34 pm
Excuse me sir. I have a q 4 ya. My eng teacher gave me d SPM 2011 q and for q c it asked, if u were 1 of d villagers, what would you do to help. I’m confused with this q, whether it is asking me what can I do 2 help the couple in the poem, or helping to subdue the flood or help all of the villagers.