In The Midst of Hardship

By Latiff Mohidin

Stanza 1

• The family returns home early in the morning, soaked to the skin.

• They have scratches and wounds on their hands and legs.

• They do not look depressed or disturbed after what they have just gone through.

• As we journey through life, we may experience situations that are painful and challenging.

• Despite these challenges, we should not despair.

• We should face hardships with courage.

At dawn they returned hometheir soaky clothes tornand approached the stovetheir limbs marked by scratchestheir legs full of woundsbut on their browsthere was no sign of despair

Literal Meaning Figurative

Meaning

Stanza 2

• They have been out the whole day and night.

• They have trudged through the floodwater which is full of twigs, branches and dead animals.

• They are looking for their son’s albino buffalo.

• However, they do not find it.

• Our journey through life may be troubled and we may face obstacles and tragic losses along the way.

The whole day and night just passedthey had to brave the horrendous floodin the water all the timebetween bloated carcassesand tiny chips of tiny barksdesperately looking for their son’salbino buffalo that was never found

Literal Meaning

Figurative Meaning

Stanza 3

• Although they have been poor from birth and have experienced a lot of hardships, they have grown up without regrets.

• They are now relaxing in the kitchen, cracking jokes and preparing to have a smoke.

• We may be born in to a life of hardship, but that does not mean that we should live in despair.

• We should learn how to cope with the difficulties we face, instead of dwelling too much on them

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

Literal Meaning

Figurative Meaning

Vocabulary of the Poem

Dawnearly in the

morning: Subuh

Eg: We must start working at

dawn.

• Pull apart into pieces : terkoyak• Torn handkerchief

torn

Soaky : Completely wet

Straches- cut or sores on limbs=kesan calar

Wounds-Luka

Brows/forehead- Dahi

Despair - Kecewa

Horrendous = terrible - dashyat

Bloated carcasses- diselubungi bangkai

Albino buffalo=animals with unusual genetic

condition