Monday 21 March 2011

Jonathan- We Live Here

We Live Here

We live here.
On the eleventh floor of the hundredth twenty-fifth block,
behind the first black door next to the second grey lift.
The one marked with the crucifix, jesus and the dust,
a little thing we salvaged from our old place
as a counter to the neighbours’ talismans.
One, nailed to their door like ours and
the rest loose on their money plant,
flutters for attention, trying to convert the wind.
Like everyone else, we’ve never introduced ourselves,
or touched hands, or come closer to saying anything than
the slightest hint of our most reluctant smile,
but imagine that the joss they burn on the altar outside,
to their furious God, bearded and well-armed,
with an equal coat of dust
will one day burn us all down.


By Eric Low Soon Liang
QLRS Vol. 3 No. 4 Jul 2004

Level/ Stream: Secondary 2 Express
Objective:  Students are to identify the tone and analyse the writer’s portrayal of HDB living in Singapore

1. What do you think the poem is about?
It is the initial stage where i want the students to be able to pick up the overall idea. In this case, the writer is describing the place he lives in. This poem is picked as it is easy for students to identify with the setting and the issues being raised through the poem. 

2. Why does the author title the poem "We Live Here"?
The teacher can  get the students to think about other titles that they see appropriate for the poem. On one level, the poem is titled "We Live Here" as the poem describes where the persona lives at. On the other hand, it is presented in the tone of irony that the residents doesn't seem to know one another who stay at the same place.

3.How are the neighbours and religious items described? Use the poem as evidence to support your answer.
Students should be able to pick up the hostility amongst neighbours, as well as the fear that one neighbour has of the other neighbour's belief. From the poet's description, it would allow the teacher to go into the tone and the effect which the tone would have on the reader.

4. Why do you think the persona described his corridor in such a manner? Is it true for you too?
Students would be able to think about the tone of irony and the reason why the writer describes the corridor in such a manner. It is ironic that the nieghbours live so closely to one another but little interaction takes place for them to know one another and thus become fearful of one another's belief. Students would also be able to relate and consider if it is true for them. 












1 comment:

  1. Good choice of poem and questions. I think the question about the title is a nice one. Alfian Sa'at has another poem called "Neighbours" which would make a good companion piece to this as that poem is written from the perspective of a Muslim living in an HDB flat with Chinese neighbours.

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