JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<span id='container'>
    <a href='#' id='first'>First Link</a>
    <a href='#' id='second'>Second Link</a>
</span>

JavaScript

var first = document.getElementById('first');
var second = document.getElementById('second')

function message_me_first(m_text) {
    alert(m_text);
}

function message_me_second(m_text) {
    return function () {
        alert(m_text);
    };
}

first.addEventListener('click', function () {
    alert('sup!');
});
second.addEventListener('click', message_me('shazam'));