Poetry Revision: 'Neighbours & Made of Gold'

The speaker in ‘Neighbours’ is a Malay Muslim woman.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The poem states that during 'Hari Raya', the speaker gives cakes to her neighbour. Hari Raya marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. It is a time of forgiveness within the Muslim community and a time for strengthening of bonds among relatives and friends.

The neighbour in the poem is a Muslim woman as well .

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The neighbour gives the speaker sweets 'with gelatine inside.' The use of pork-derived food products such as gelatine is strictly prohibited according to the teaching of Islam. She may not be aware of this, and it shows that she is not in the same ethnic community as the speaker.

What is happening in the poem?

• The speaker is making friends with her neighbour.

• The speaker is gossiping about her neighbour.

• The speaker is praising her neighbour.

From the poem, what impression about the speaker would be inaccurate?

• Two-faced

• Judgemental

• Kind

• Competitive

What does the line 'she knocks on my conscience / I knock on her door and I give her cakes' (line 1-2) suggest?

• The speaker is very kind to share cakes with her neighbour.

• The speaker feels guilty towards her neighbour and wants to ease her guilt by giving cakes.

What tone does the speaker have in 'Poor woman, doesn’t know how to make cakes' (line 5) and 'That’s why the elder one is in Normal stream?' (line 7)?

• Sympathetic - having the same emotions as someone else, especially sadness

• Kind

• Condescending - having or showing an attitude of patronizing superiority

• Regretful

What does the imagery in 'But in our hands we hold with fists clenched tight / the keys to our home' (line 20) suggest?

• The words “fists clenched tight” suggest that both the speaker and neighbour are feeling relaxed.

• The words “fists clenched tight” suggest that both the speaker and neighbour want to fight each other.

• The words “fists clenched tight” suggest that both the speaker are defensive and not open to truly communicating with each other.

What is the main issue Alfian Sa’at’s ‘Neighbours’ poem discusses?

• Harmony between neighbours

• How to raise children

• Discrimination between neighbours of different race and religion 

In the poem 'Made of Gold,' there are two speakers in this poem - a Singaporean and a migrant worker.

• True

• False

Which two images have a negative connotation?

• Walls that bleed money:

• Dusty streets lined with gold.

• They build our towers like cliffs, strong/against the sky.

• to eat with cracked hands