CAPÍTULO III: LOS TRIBUTOS AMBIENTALES PARA LA PROTECCIÓN DE
C. Consideraciones esenciales para la aplicación de tributos ambientales 161
NATURE
IN THE MIDST OF HARDSHIP
STANZA POEM MEANINGS
1
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
It had been raining the whole day and the couple had been out the whole night, searching for their son‟s albino buffalo. They returned home soaked and bruised. The couple headed straight to the stove for warmth and some food.
Although the search was unsuccessful, they never felt sad or dejected.
2
The whole day and night justpassed 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
The couple braved the fierce flood and searched through the dead animals and floating debris.
Unfortunately, the buffalo was not found although they tried their best.
3
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 couple accepted difficulties as part of their lives. They had grown up in poverty and had learnt to accept the challenges in life. At the end of the day, they enjoy each other‟s company, feeling neither sad nor sorry for the lost. It was part and parcel of life. That is what their lives are all about, with its up and downs.
QUESTIONS
01. What was happening to the village?
02. Why were the couple‟s clothes wet?
03. Where were they the whole night?
04. Describe the condition the couple were in when they returned home after the search.
05. Why were their limbs “marked with scratches” and their legs “full of wounds”
06. Which line shows that they have accepted difficulties as part of their lives?
07. What does the line “born in hardship” tell you?
08. Why were the couple out in the heavy rain?
09. If you were the couple, would you have gone out searching for the buffalo? Give a reason for your reply.
10. Why do you think they took a long time searching for the buffalo?
11. Why do you think “there was not a sign of despair”? Give a reason for your reply.
12. In your own words, describe the flood experienced by the villagers.
13. “they are in the kitchen, making jokes while rolling their cigarette leaves.”
Why are they doing that? Give reasons for your answer.
14. What is the message found in the poem?
15. In your own words, describe the attitude of the villagers portrayed in the poem.
16. What does the phrase “bloated carcasses” refer to? What probably happened during the flood?
17. Do you think the setting for this poem is a village or a town? Give two reasons to support your answer.
18. Mention one hardship that is probably faced by the couple in the poem.
19. Why is the flood described as “horrendous”?
20. Would you be able to accept the difficulties in life like the villagers? Give a reason for your answer.
HE HAD SUCH QUIET EYES
STANZA POEM MEANINGS
1 He had such quiet eyes She did not realise
They were two pools of lies Layered with thinnest ice To her, those quiet eyes Were breathing desolate sighs Imploring her to be nice
And to render him paradise
The persona is taken up by the man‟s quiet eyes which seems lonely and miserable. She feels sorry and is made to believe that she can offer him happiness that his eyes lack. Unfortunately, she is not aware that she is being cheated.
2 If only she‟d been wise
And had listened to the advice Never to compromise with pleasure-seeking guys
She‟d be free from “the hows and whys”
Now, she regrets not following the advices given by other who have warned her not to get involved with men who are smooth talkers and seductive. Then, she would not have to experience the heartache of breaking up
3 Now here‟s a bit of advice
Be sure that nice really means nice Then you‟ll never be losing at dice Though you may lose your heart once or twice
The poet gives a strong advice to all the ladies. She asks them to be sure that whoever they meet is really and truly a gentleman. In the process of finding a life partner, one may face some failures but in the end, you will be a winner in the game of life
QUESTIONS
01. “two pools of lies” refers to ………..
02. Why are the eyes described as layered with thinnest ice?
03. What were the eyes asking of the lady?
04. Do you think the lady will make the same mistake again? Why?
05. What was the advice given by others?
06. In the last stanza, the persona advices one to be sure that nice really means nice.
What does the persona mean and why?
07. In your opinion, why did the lady fall for the man?
08. Explain the phrase “pleasure-seeking guys”
09. In your own words, explain the last two lines of stanza 3.
10. What would have happened if she had listened to the advice?
11. To render him paradise means…………..
12. In your opinion, how did lady feel after she realized her mistake?
13. Why do you think the eyes are described as „quiet‟?
14. What would you do if you meet a person with such quiet eyes? Why?
15. If you were the lady in the poem, what would you do when you realized the mistake? Why?
16. Give two messages found in the poem.
17. What did the man do to deceive the lady?
18. Do you think the lady was foolish for not realizing the deception? Give a reason for your answer.
NATURE
STANZA POEM MEANINGS
1
We have neither Summer nor Winter Neither Autumn nor Spring
We have instead the days
According to the poet, Jamaica‟s weather cannot be categorized in to four seasons.
2
When the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields
The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofs
And there is no sound but the swish of water in the gullies
And trees struggling in the Jamaica winds
However, on wet days, the rain pours down heavily and in torrents. The streams and gullies are full of water. No other sounds are heard as everyone is indoors.
Strong winds accompany the rain, beating and bending the sugar canes in the field.
4
Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango trees
And the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun
In between the hot and wet days, nature slows down. The canefields are harvested and wait for the next planting season.
Even the leaves on the trees fall off.
5
But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossom
When the bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey
When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow stars
The best days are when flowers bloom, filling the air with fragrance and vibrant colours.
The grass is green, luxuriant, covering the once bare ground.
6 And beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone
Nature comes alive again after a healthy downpour
QUESTIONS
01. What kind of weather does Jamaica experience?
02. Name four seasons that some countries have.
03. Why is the rain described as bullets?
04. What is magnificent in a hot day?
05. In your opinion, why is there no other sound except the sound of rain?
06. In your own words, explain the last line of the poem.
07. Describe a rainy day in Jamaica.
08. When is the most beautiful time in Jamaica?
09. What do you think is the main crop in Jamaica? Give reasons.
10. In your opinion, why does beauty come suddenly after the rain have gone?
11. What are the seasons experienced by people of Jamaica?
12. What is the meaning of „the gold sun shines‟?
13. When do the canefields lie bare?
14. The line‟….full of sound of bees and the scent of honey‟ means……
15. What do the “the yellow stars” refer too?
16. Mention two words from the poem that describes the canefields?
17. What happens to the tall grass at the slightest breeze and why?
18. What are words used by the poet to describe the rain?
19. During the flowering season, what can you hear and smell?
20. What does the phrase “paved the earth” mean?
ARE YOU STILL PLAYING YOUR FLUTE
STANZA POEM MEANINGS
1
Are you still playing your flute?
When there is hardly time for our love
I am feeling guilty
O be longing for your song
The melody concealed in the slim hollow of bamboo
Uncovered by the breath of an artist Composed by his fingers
Blown by the wind
To the depth of my heart
The persona wonders if the person is still playing the flute. The
Are you still playing your flute?
In the village so quiet and deserted Amidst the sick rice field
While here it has become a luxury To spend time watching the rain Gazing at the evening rays Collecting dew drops
Or enjoying the fragrance of flowers
The persona wonders if her beloved is still playing
The flute when many have left the village which has become a polluted and lonely place there is no time to enjoy beauty of nature such as the sunset, the rain or the smell of blooming flowers from the place the persona is
.
3
Are you still playing your flute?
The more it disturbs my conscience To be thinking of you
In the hazard of you
My younger brothers unemployed and desperate
My people disunited by politics My friend slaughtered mercilessly This world is too old and bleeding
For the third time, the persona wonders if the person is still playing the flute in these times of trouble. The persona feels guilty thinking of the flutist when there is much sadness around her like unemployment, political unrest and unnecessary killings
QUESTIONS
01. What musical instrument is mentioned in the poem?
02. Who is the artist mentioned in stanza 1?
03. Why is the village quiet and deserted?
04. What has happened to the rice field?
05. What is the persona longing for?
06. How is the song played on the flute
07. Why do you think the rice fields are not healthy?
08. What are considered luxuries by the persona?
09. In stanza 3, why does the persona feel guilty when thinking about the flutist?
10. What does the line “this world is too old and bleeding” means?
11. Based on stanza 3, mention two problems faced by the country?
12. Name some of the activities that the persona is unable to do?
13. Why do you think doing these activities is considered a „luxury‟?
14. In stanza 3, why do you think the persona‟s conscience is disturbed when the flute is played?
15. What is the message found in this poem?
16. Why do you think the persona keeps repeating the same question in every stanza?
17. What was blown to the depth of the persona‟s heart?
18. Why is there hardly an time for their love?