Poem - In The Midst of Hardship by Latiff Mohaidin

In The Midst of Hardship by Latiff Mohaidin

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 browns
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 cigarette leaves

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Poet : Latiff Mohaidin

• Latiff Mohaidin was born in 1941 in Negeri Sembilan.
• He studied art in Germany, France and America, and has had his award-writing works exhibited both locally and overseas. His most popular collection of poem is Sungai Mekong.
• A celebrated artist, poet and writer, he received Malaysia's National Literary Prize and the Southeast Asian Writer's Award.

Overview of 'In The Midst of Hardship'

• This poem pints a realistic picture of life in a Malaysian/Indonesian/rural setting.
• The villagers live in hardship and poverty, made more difficult by natural disasters like flood and storms. However, the accept their fate and make the best of their situation.

Meaning of Stanza

Stanza 1 : The occupants of the house have just returned home at daybreak. Their wet clothes are torn an their arms and legs covered with scratches and wounds. They walk to the stove in the kitchen. Though is has been a rough day, they do not appear unhappy.

Stanza 2 : The people of the house had been out in the floodwaters for the past 24 hours. They were looking for their son's albino buffalo, which they never found. As they waded in the floodwaters, they saw signs of destruction, such as dead animals and parts of trees.

Stanza 3 : The persona observes that though these people were born into hardship, they never complained nor did they allow it to get them down. Instead they took the situation in their stride and even had time to sit around the kitchen making jokes and enjoying a smoke.

Elements of the Poem

Setting

PLACE

• A remote village where life is simple and the people live in hardship and poverty
• A flood has just occurred causing destruction to livestock and crops.
• The scenes take place out in the flooded village and inside the house (kitchen)

TIME

• Set in the past. The Scene could also be in the present in the more remote areas of the country
• The poem opens with dawn when the family returns home and is now relaxing in the kitchen. They have spent the entire pervious day and night in the floodwaters searching for a buffalo.

Persona

• Persona is one has visited or lived with the rural folk he is describing
• He is observant about attitudes, appearance, habit and the culture of the people
• The persona is sympathetic. He understands and admires the villagers for their positive and cheerful attitude ad the soldier on despite their troubles.

Themes

A flood drama and its effects

• These poor villagers seem to be immune to the drama and disaster of floods. However, the persona observes how they 'had to brave the horrendous flood in the water all the time' as well endure the sight of 'bloated carcasses' and tree bark chips floating around them. After a whole night in the water, their clothes are torn and they are physically wounded. However, they readily and cheerfully resume their daily routine despite the damage and losses sustained in the flood.
   

Poverty and hardship

• On a wider perspective is the perennial problem of poverty in the rural community. It seems to be an endless cycle of want and suffering which has been accepted and endured as their permanent lot in life. They suffer physically ('their limbs marked by scratches' , 'their legs full of wounds') as well as emotionally and mentally ('desperately looking for their son's albino buffalo' , 'in the water all the time between bloated carcasses'). "Born amidst hardship', they knew no other life and 'grew up without a sigh or complaint'.
   

Optimism and courage in adversity

• The village folk remain happy and hopeful despite their difficult  lives. After the flood, they go home and return to their normal routine of cooking, cleaning and socializing. In the fact, they are cheerful as they joke while 'rolling their cigarette leaves'. These qualities of courage, endurance and optimism in adversity impress the persona.

Message

Be resilient and persevere during difficult times

• The village were strong and resilient during and after the flood disaster. Hence, we too must be  courageous during trails and persevere, for good always comes out of a seemingly hopeless situation.

Be optimistic in the face of challenges

• Life is filled with challenges. We should not do nothing and fell sorry foe ourselves when we face a problem. If we have a positive attitude, the challenge will be less unpleasant and easier to manage. Hopefully, we will also take positive action to solve the problem or improve the situation.

Hardship and suffering build character

• All of us experience some form of hardship or suffering in our journey through life. If we are positive, courageous and persevering during hardship, we will gradually become emotionally and mentally stronger. Challenges, hardship and suffering help to build out character.

Moral Values

Courage

• Courage in times of trails is a value to be encouraged. Here, the villagers who have been used to natural disaster soldier on despite the physical hurt and emotional toll they have endured. In fact, they are cheerful as they resume their daily duties.

Resilience and perseverance

• Both mental and emotional strength are important if we are to persevere in life which is often fraught with challenges. If we are resilient and able to stand up and remain sturdy in difficult situations, we will be better equipped to walk the long and eventful journey of life.

Compassion

• The persona observes the courage and positive attitude of the villagers in the face of disaster. He evokes in us a feeling of compassion for the poor, flood stricken villagers. Hopefully, this feeling of compassion will progress into positive steps to help relieve the plight of disaster victims.

Tone & Mood

Sympathetic

• The persona is sympathetic towards the people in the poem. At the same time, the persona admires the rural folk for their positive attitude and perseverance despite their hard life.

Reflective

• The mood of the last stanza is reflective. Like the persona, we are moved to rethink our own action and reactions in the face of challenges. Perhaps the poem also help us to look at life differently.

Language & Style

The poem is written in free verse and has tree irregular stanzas. The poet uses simple but effective language to convey he message. Contrast, imagery and good diction (accurate choice of words) are used to bring his poem to life.

LITERARY DEVICES

Contrast

• Between the villagers' scratched and wounded limbs and their facial expressions that do not betray feelings of despair or hurt. Although they have been hurt physically, they do not allow it to affect them emotionally, as life must go on.
• However, this emotion contrasts with their desperation when they were looking for the missing buffalo.
• Between the cold weather, chilly flood waters and the heat from the stove and their warm fellowship as they enjoy a cigarette.
• Between two types of destruction caused by the flood, the big ('bloated carcasses') and the small ('chips of tree barks').

Imagery

• Vivid description of the villagers in torn , drenched clothes with scratches all over their bodies.
• The images associated with a flood - dead floating carcasses, broken tree parts, heavy water/rain.
• The picture of villagers relaxing in the kitchen after a day's work - leisurely smoking and talking.

Diction

• In Stanza 1, the adjective 'soaky' implies that the villagers were drenched to the skin.
• Their torn clothes were plastered to their weary, bruised bodies, ' marked by scratches' and 'full of wounds'
• In stanza 2, 'horrendous flood' allows the reader to visualize that the flood was tremendous in its destruction.
• The adverb 'desperately' shown how frantically the farmers were looking for their son's albino buffalo.