In the Midst of Hardship -by Latiff Mohidin

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 brows

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

Do you like this poem by Malaysian poet and artist, Latiff Mohidin? What do you think he is trying to convey through this poem, In the Midst of Hardship. What is the theme? What are the literary devices he uses to convey his meaning? In reading a poem, the first impression is the literal (surface) meaning. However, the surface meaning is often not the real meaning or theme. You will have to infer from the poet's use of literary devices to convey his meaning. For example, what does bloated carcasses tell you? Its literal meaning refers to dead bodies, but is that what Latiff Mohidin mean? What does he mean when he says, they had to brave the horrendous flood? For this, you must read to understand the poem's theme and explain the the use of images or symbols in relation to the theme. More about this in my next post...