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
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