Literature Form 2
POEM
Synopsis
HEIR CONDITIONING
This poem is written in London, May 4, 1995. It talks about issues regarding different lifestyles and values of two generations. It also talks about the generation gap that exists between grandparents and their grandchildren. This poem is like a dialogue between them. In the first stanza, the grandchild asks his grandfather if he could breathe without air conditioner and how people manage to survive without modern devices such as air conditioners, fans, faxes and telephones. The child asks his grandmother if she was uncomfortable fanning herself with paper fans. He inquisitively questions how they could communicate without today‟s modern media of communication which he cannot do without.
In the second stanza, the grandparents‟ answer sets the two generations apart. Though they lived void of the „basic necessities‟, they lived contentedly and respected nature. Also, they were God-fearing people. The grandparents warn the younger generations that they have inherited much technological advancement and it has led to a separation from his spiritual well-being. God has been replaced by money and nature has begun to fear man. Natural surroundings are being taken over by rapid development and that has led to pollution, deforestation and destruction of natural habitats that now threatens man.
I WONDER
"Questions are the answers." Similarly, life is full questions that seek answers especially for a child.The poem I Wonder is a poem about a rather intelligent and perceptive child who is curious about her surroundings. In this poem, the child is curious about the elements of nature. Throughout the poem, the child's inquisitiveness is displayed through her questions about things which most of us have probably taken for granted. She is keen to seek answers to questions such as 'why the grass is green'
and 'why the wind is never seen?'. As she looks at the trees, she wonders who taught the birds to build their nests. She also intelligently deduces that when the wind stops, the trees can actually take a break.
As she looks up into the sky, she has more questions about the moon, stars, lightning and rainbow. She wonders why the shape of the moon is never the same and wonders what happens to the missing parts when the moon is half or crescentshaped.
Next, she ponders over the twinkling stars and likens them to a candle that gives light and wonders who lights them up 'why they blow out?'. She is further intrigued and wants to know who causes the lightning to flash. Later, when she looks at the white clouds, she wonders why they are so soft and fluffy and who hangs them up so high. The child is also curious to know that after a downpour, who paints the seven colors of the rainbow.
Since most of her questions have gone unanswered by adults, we see that towards the end of the poem, she shows her annoyance at her father because he fails to feed her curiosity and does not provide answers to her questions.
