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 breathebefore 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 stayingalive 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 flusteredas 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 beforefaxes and long distance callsbecame 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 didn’t have to deal with pollution, stress, traffic jams and the damage of the natural environment.

Grand child we livedbefore your age. Becauseof our ignorance,we did not knowpollution, stress, traffic jamsdestruction 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 andMoney is your new God

Moral Values

• Take care and appreciate the nature• Use technology wisely• Do not be blinded by money• Appreciate God’s creation• Be religious. Do not forget your

responsibilities.