Poetry analysis by Hengxu, Zhi Heng and Yak Hng

Introduction :

Name of poem	Neighbours
Name of poet	By Alfian Sa’at
Date of publication	1998
Background information about poet	Alfian bin Sa'at is a Singaporean writer, poet and playwright. He is a Muslim of Minangkabau, Javanese and Hakka descent. He is known for his provocative works and is often referred to as his country's enfant terrible.

Form :

Form of poem	Narrative
Structure of poem	10 stanzas with 2 lines each stanza
Rhyme scheme	Free verse

Overall meaning

about his neighbour whom he described as a mother with no shame and does not cherish her own life. This poem suggests that we humans should cherish our own lives and be responsible as the mother in the poem does not spend time with her kids. He wrote that his neighbour’s kids’ studies aren't good at all; the elder one is in normal academic studies and the younger one can’t even spell her own name, because the mother does not even help them, yet beat them for not studying enough when it is her own fault in the first place. She can’t bake well and the author throws the sweets she gives him away, probably because he had tasted it and must taste bad. She sometimes scream out loud that she wanted to kill herself probably because of stress.

How the poem relates to life in general, and/or my life

It relates that we as humans should cherish our lives and take responsibility for our action and not to blame people and not take actions to help.

Figurative Language and Poetic Techniques

Free verse	The entire poem
Alliteration	Line 1 and 2, line 13 and 14, line 17 and 18
Metaphor	Each night we slam the bolt shut
Hyperbole	I once hear her scream she wanted to kill herself