POEM : THE DEAD CROW

He saw a death crow

in a drain

near the post office.

He saw an old man

gasping for air

and a baby barely able to breathe

in a crowded morning clinic.

This land is so rich.

Why should we suffer like this?

I want clean air

for my grandchildren.

I want the damned fools

to leave the forest alone.

I want the trees to grow,

the rivers run free,

and earth covered with grass.

Let the politicians plan how we may live with dignity,

now and always.

A.Samad Said

Biography of The Poet

A. Samad Said is well known for his literary works and is a distinguished personality in the literary world. He has a number of National Award to honour him and his remarkable literary works. He has been honoured with the title Sasterawan Negara or National Laureate in 1985, which was awarded as recognition for his contributions to literature.

A. Samad Said introduces a new form of literary style in his works which marked uniqueness in his writings and poems. He is a sharp observer, and records his observations in writing, paying attention to minute details and narrative accuracies. This has enabled him to produced literary works that mirror real life situations and dramatic experiences. His novel "Salina" provides detailed descriptions of life and the human dimensions. Most of his literary works relate to human experiences in society and provides socio-cultural dimensions, into the lives of the ordinary peoples. Many of his literary works have been translated into English and other languages. His literary works are well-received and appreciated for their remarkable literary richness.

General Introduction

Poets are generally interested in putting across their ideas through their poems. They do this through their observations and based on their experiences. They wish to share their perceptions and experiences with people or the readers. They use words to bring out the human dimensions and what they go through in their lives. These are rich experiences that make readers become aware of some issues and concerns. 

In the poem, The Dead Crow by A. Samad Said, the persona makes some observations and expresses his feelings of what is happening. The persona shares his or her feelings and concerns.

Subject of The Poem

The poem relates to pollution and issues concerning the environment. The subject of the poem is the preservation of the environment for future generations. The environment is everyone's concern and there is a need for everyone to protect the environment.

Theme of The Poem

The theme of the poem relates to the general idea or ideas running throughout the poem. A poem may have one or more themes depending on the subject of the poem the persona deals with and the experiences the persona undergoes. There are several themes in the poem "The Dead Crow". The themes are :

• The pollution of the environment
• The need for preservation of nature
• The dangers of modernisation
• Awareness for the need for balanced development

Tone of The Poem

The tone of the poem refers to the feelings, attitudes, perceptions and experiences of the persona. It also relates to the mood of the persona (angry, sad, upset, disappointed, regretful, sarcastic, etc). These feelings, attitudes and perceptions are expressed either directly or indirectly.

In "The Dead Crow", the persona feels angry and disappointed. He feels regretful that the environment is taken for granted. The persona asks "Why should we suffer like this?" The poet is cynical when he says: "I want the damn fools to leave the forest alone."

People are suffering because of the polluted environments. The persona demands for clean air, forest to be left alone, trees to grow, rivers to flow freely and the earth to be covered with grass. The persona hopes for a better and cleaner environment for the people and future generations.

Moral Values

The poem deals with pollution and the environment. Environmental problems and pollution are happening everywhere. The persona notices that a crow is dead in the drain, 'an old is gasping for air', a baby having difficulty breathing, and a crowded clinic. The environment is a threat to animals and people. The persona is fearful that the would no longer be clean, forests would be destroyed, rivers being polluted and cannot flow freely, trees are not allowed to grow and are felled, and the Earth is no longer green. The persona is worried that there would be nothing left for future generations to appreciate the beauty of nature if the damage to the environment continues.

From the poem "The Dead Crow" we learn that, it is important to protect the environment. We cannot allow modernisation to rob us of the environment and nature. We need to preserve nature (the environment) for the good of the people and for future generations. We should be proud of the natural heritage and protect it.

We should learn to take care of the environment and carry out development in a balanced manner without destroying the fauna (animals) and flora (forests, trees, earth) and nature (rivers, atmosphere). Thus, we need to play our part in the preservation of the environment and in reducing pollution.

Language

Poets use language to make the presentation of the poem more interesting. They use  language to engage the readers' senses and imagination. Poets use different styles to express their ideas, feelings and experiences.

Style refers to the unique features of a piece of poem, which differs from other poems. Poets use a particular style, which allows them to gain readers' interest and appreciation for their poems. In "The Dead Crow" the poet (A.Samad Said) makes use of two stanzas to express his feelings and share his experiences.

In "The Dead Crow" the poet uses the following words, phrases or sayings that are commonly used. The poet also uses imagery (words, phrases or expressions) which works on our senses. Our senses are engaged through the use of particular imagery and we, as the readers feel the experiences, as if we too are part of the experiences or events. We also feel the emotions or moods of the persona, as we read the poems.

Imagery : Words  and phrases used in the "The Dead Crow"
Sense of sight : 'a dead crow' 'drain' 'post office' 'old man' 'baby' 'clinic' 'earth covered with grass'
Sense of hearing : 'crowded clinic' 'rivers run free'
Sense of smell : 'a dead crow'

The poet uses words to state that people are suffering because of the polluted environment. He uses words or phrases like 'an old man gasping for air' and 'a baby barely able to breath' (in Stanza 1) to show the seriousness of the problem of pollution.

In Stanza One, the poet uses the word "He" to refer to someone (a male; as it could be a young man, a boy, and adult or an old man). The poet tells what the person sees (the dead crow, and the suffering of the people, both young and old). In Stanza Two, the poet uses the word "I" and becomes involved in the poem. The poet, states what he wishes to see, and what should not be done. The poet uses the word "want" showing us that the persona is making demands. His demands are: 'clean air', 'leave the forest alone', 'trees to grow', 'rivers run free', 'earth covered with grass'.

The poem "The Dead Crow" relates to observations someone makes on what is happening and the persona's demands for a cleaner and better environment for the people and future generations. The poet uses the words "forests", "grass" and "trees" (in Stanza Two) which relate to the environment. We get the impression of a green environment.

The poet uses a dead crow as a symbol. In literature, symbols relate to the use of objects, animals or human experiences or socio-cultural aspects to mean something. The eagle is often seen as a symbol of freedom and strength. Red symbolises danger. Green would mainly refer to the environment.

The dead crow is used to show that the issue of pollution needs to be taken seriously. A crow is a scavenger which lives on the carcasses of animals or carrion, rubbish, and left-over food. If a scavenger like a crow could be found dead, then something is seriously wrong with the environment. The poet also uses the suffering of the people, who find it difficult to breath, to show the seriousness of the problem of pollution. There is an urgent need to protect the environment.

Glossory

1. gasping - wanting or needing something very badly 
2. barely - in a way that almost does not happen or exist
3. suffer - to be badly affected by a disease, pain, sadness, a lack of something
4. damned - to show annoyance or disappointment
5. covered - placed something over or in front of something in order to hide or protect it
6. politicians - people who are concerned with politics
7. dignity - a sense of your own importance and value

Additional words:

1. issues - important topics or matters that people discuss, problems that draw people's attention
2. concerns - are matters that cause people to worry or fear
3. cynical - showing a negative attitude that things would not turn out well 
4. imagery - words that create pictures in one's mind, words that engage one's senses
5. observation - watching or noticing something carefully
6. symbol - the use of objects to represent ideas and meanings
7. scavenger - an animal that looks for food in waste or rubbish, or eats dead animals 
8. carcasses - dead bodies of animals 
9. carrion - the flesh of decaying animals