I.

II.

Who is the persona in the poem?

2. Write one line from the poem that depicts that people are jobless.

III.

3. Provide three phrases that depict the message of cruel realities of a nation in uncertainty of its future.

IV.

4.In your own words describe why the poet used the word sick to describe the rice fields.

V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.

What did the persona mean when she said deserted?

Why is the persona feeling guilty?
Why is the question Are you still playing your flute repeated as the starting line of all the stanzas?
In your opinion, is this a romantic poem? Provide reasons for your answer.

Are You Still Playing Your Flute?

Practice 5
1.

a very perceptive and reflective woman.

2.

my younger brothers unemployed and desperate

3.

my people disunited by politics

my friend slaughtered mercilessly

this world is too old and bleeding.
4.Perhaps the yield is not rewarding/ the harvest is destroyed due to bad weather.
Practice 6
1.

the villagers have left/migrated.

2.

Feeling guilty as she is enjoying the music when the nation is plagued with problems

3.

This is to stress on the activity as something that should not be done when the nation is facing so much
trouble.

4.

No, it is not a romantic poem. It is poem that shows the irony between a leisure activity and problems faced
by the nation at the same time.

TASK: Try to answer all!!

1. Why does the persona ask if her loved one is still playing the flute?
2. In stanza 1, how does the persona feels when she listens to the man playing the flute?
3. Why the persona feels guilty?
4. What are the feelings of the persona towards the music produced by the flute
5. What is considered a luxury in stanza 2?
6. What sound can be heard in the quiet village?
7. Why is the village deserted?
8. In stanza 3, how does the persona look upon the world?
9. Which phrase in stanza 3 indicates that the persona is upset that she is thinking of her
love?
10. Which phrase in stanza 3 tells you how her friend died?
11. Which word in stanza 3 means danger?
12. Why is the persona's conscience disturbed?
1. It seems to be wrong to be playing music when there is no time even for their love.
2. Guilty
3. She longs for his music (even though she thinks he should not be playing the flute).
4. She obviously loves the music and thinks the player is an artist whose music touches the
depths of her heart.
5. Collecting dew drops.
6. The sound of the flute.
7. The rice fields are not doing well.
8. She sees the world as torn and troubled. She sees much suffering and feels disturbed.
9. 'disturbs my conscience'
10.'slaughtered mercilessly'
11. Hazard
12. She is enjoying herself while her people are suffering.