Pedro.
A461
San
Rizal Poem Collection
MI ULTIMO
ADIOS
Adios, Patria adorada, region del sol querida,
Perla del Mar de Oriente, nuestro perdido Eden!
A darte voy alegre la triste mustia vida,
Y fuera más brillante más fresca, más florida,
Tambien por tí la diera, la diera por tu bien.
En campos de batalla, luchando con delirio
Otros te dan sus vidas sin dudas, sin pesar;
El sitio nada importa, ciprés, laurel ó lirio,
Cadalso ó campo abierto, combate ó cruel martirio,
Lo mismo es si lo piden la patria y el hogar.
Yo muero cuando veo que el cielo se colora
Y al fin anuncia el día trás lóbrego capuz;
Si grana necesitas para teñir tu aurora,
Vierte la sangre mía, derrámala en buen hora
Y dórela un reflejo de su naciente luz.
Mis sueños cuando apenas muchacho adolescente,
Mis sueños cuando joven ya lleno de vigor,
Fueron el verte un día, joya del mar de oriente
Secos los negros ojos, alta la tersa frente,
Sin ceño, sin arrugas, sin manchas de rubor.
Ensueño de mi vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo,
Salud te grita el alma que pronto va á partir!
Salud! ah que es hermoso caer por darte vuelo,
Morir por darte vida, morir bajo tu cielo,
Y en tu encantada tierra la eternidad dormir.
(cont.)
Si sobre mi sepulcro vieres brotar un dia
Entre la espesa yerba sencilla, humilde flor,
Acércala a tus labios y besa al alma mía,
Y sienta yo en mi frente bajo la tumba fría
De tu ternura el soplo, de tu hálito el calor.
Deja á la luna verme con luz tranquila y suave;
Deja que el alba envíe su resplandor fugaz,
Deja gemir al viento con su murmullo grave,
Y si desciende y posa sobre mi cruz un ave
Deja que el ave entone su cantico de paz.
Deja que el sol ardiendo las lluvias evapore
Y al cielo tornen puras con mi clamor en pos,
Deja que un sér amigo mi fin temprano llore
Y en las serenas tardes cuando por mi alguien ore
Ora tambien, Oh Patria, por mi descanso á Dios!
Ora por todos cuantos murieron sin ventura,
Por cuantos padecieron tormentos sin igual,
Por nuestras pobres madres que gimen su amargura;
Por huérfanos y viudas, por presos en tortura
Y ora por tí que veas tu redencion final.
Y cuando en noche oscura se envuelva el cementerio
Y solos sólo muertos queden velando allí,
No turbes su reposo, no turbes el misterio
Tal vez acordes oigas de citara ó salterio,
Soy yo, querida Patria, yo que te canto á ti.
(cont.)
Y cuando ya mi tumba de todos olvidada
No tenga cruz ni piedra que marquen su lugar,
Deja que la are el hombre, la esparza con la azada,
Y mis cenizas antes que vuelvan á la nada,
El polvo de tu alfombra que vayan á formar.
Entonces nada importa me pongas en olvido,
Tu atmósfera, tu espacio, tus valles cruzaré,
Vibrante y limpia nota seré para tu oido,
Aroma, luz, colores, rumor, canto, gemido
Constante repitiendo la esencia de mi fé.
Mi Patria idolatrada, dolor de mis dolores,
Querida Filipinas, oye el postrer adios.
Ahi te dejo todo, mis padres, mis amores.
Voy donde no hay esclavos, verdugos ni opresores,
Donde la fé no mata, donde el que reyna es Dios.
Adios, padres y hermanos, trozos del alma mía,
Amigos de la infancia en el perdido hogar,
Dad gracias que descanso del fatigoso día;
Adios, dulce extrangera, mi amiga, mi alegria,
Adios, queridos séres morir es descansar.
-END-
Reflection
In "Mi Último Adiós," Jose Rizal's heart-
rending farewell poem, a palpable tragedy
unfolds. Rizal's deep affection for his
homeland is fervently expressed, even as he
faces the inevitability of parting. The
tragedy lies in the awareness that he will not
witness the fruits of his people's struggle
for independence. Rizal's call to his fellow
countrymen to carry on the struggle adds a
tragic layer to his farewell, for he can only
encourage from afar. "Mi Último Adiós" is a
mournful reminder of the unfulfilled dreams of
a patriot who dedicated his all, a testament
to the somber destiny of a hero who longed for
his nation's emancipation but could only
express it through his poignant verses.
A LAS FLORES
DE HEIDELBERG
Go to my country, go, O foreign flowers,
sown by the traveler along the road,
and under that blue heaven
that watches over my loved ones,
recount the devotion
the pilgrim nurses for his native sod!
Go and say say that when dawn
opened your chalices for the first time
beside the icy Neckar,
you saw him silent beside you,
thinking of her constant vernal clime.
Say that when dawn
which steals your aroma
was whispering playful love songs to your young
sweet petals, he, too, murmured
canticles of love in his native tongue;
that in the morning when the sun first traces
the topmost peak of Koenigssthul in gold
and with a mild warmth raises
to life again the valley, the glade, the forest,
he hails that sun, still in its dawning,
that in his country in full zenith blazes.
And tell of that day
when he collected you along the way
among the ruins of a feudal castle,
on the banks of the Neckar, or in a forest nook.
(cont.)
Recount the words he said
as, with great care,
between the pages of a worn-out book
he pressed the flexible petals that he took.
Carry, carry, O flowers,
my love to my loved ones,
peace to my country and its fecund loam,
faith to its men and virtue to its women,
health to the gracious beings
that dwell within the sacred paternal home.
When you reach that shore,
deposit the kiss I gave you
on the wings of the wind above
that with the wind it may rove
and I may kiss all that I worship, honor and love!
But O you will arrive there, flowers,
and you will keep perhaps your vivid hues;
but far from your native heroic earth
to which you owe your life and worth,
your fragrances you will lose!
For fragrance is a spirit that never can forsake
and never forgets the sky that saw its birth.
-END-
Reflection
Rizal's "A Las Flores de Heidelberg" offers a
reflective glimpse into his time in
Heidelberg, Germany, where he wrestled with a
profound yearning for his homeland and family.
Through the metaphor of the Heidelberg
flowers, Rizal conveys his deep love for the
Philippines. The poem poignantly captures
Rizal's sentiments of solitude and
homesickness while studying in a foreign land.
In its final stanza, Rizal grapples with the
sacrifices he's made in the service of another
country, fraught with the fear of losing his
roots. This poem serves as a somber reminder
of the inner turmoil experienced by
individuals working tirelessly for their
country's betterment, even when far from their
cherished home.
A POEM THAT
HAS NO TITLE
To my Creator I sing
Who did soothe me in my great loss;
To the Merciful and Kind
Who in my troubles gave me repose.
Thou with that pow'r of thine
Said: Live! And with life myself I found;
And shelter gave me thou
And a soul impelled to the good
Like a compass whose point to the North is bound.
Thou did make me descend
From honorable home and respectable stock,
And a homeland thou gavest me
Without limit, fair and rich
Though fortune and prudence it does lack.
-END-
Reflection
Rizal's poem, "A Poem That Has No Title," serves
as a contemplative exploration of the human
quest for meaning and happiness in life. In this
meta-poetic reflection, Rizal expresses
gratitude to his Creator for solace during
moments of despair. The verses underscore the
transformative power of existence itself,
acknowledging life as a gift with the potential
for self-discovery and growth. Rizal's metaphors
allude to an internal moral compass, guiding
individuals toward the path of "good." The poem
reflects on the journey of life, marked by
descent from an honorable background and the
endowment of a homeland, despite potential
limitations in material wealth. Ultimately, it
urges us to find contentment within ourselves,
even in the face of adversity and uncertainty.
KUNDIMAN
Truly hushed today
Are my tongue and heart
Harm is discerned by love
And joy flies away,
'Cause the Country was
Vanquished and did yield
Through the negligence
Of the one who led.
But the sun will return to dawn;
In spite of everything
Subdued people
Will be liberated;
The Filipino name
Will return perhaps
And again become
In vogue in the world.
We shall shed
Blood and it shall flood
Only to emancipate
The native land;
While the designated time
Does not come,
Love will rest
And anxiety will sleep.
-END-
Reflection
Rizal’s “Kundiman” is a profound expression of
love and loyalty to the Philippines, beautifully
encapsulating the sentiments of a Filipino
patriot. Divided into three stanzas, it adheres
to the traditional Kundiman structure, creating
a harmonious connection between form and
content. The poem's melancholic tone, stemming
from a sense of harm and sorrow, mirrors the
nation's anguish under colonial oppression.
Rizal's verses carry a message of hope, assuring
that despite the dark times, the sun will rise
once more, and the Filipino people will regain
their freedom and cultural identity. The poem's
enduring relevance lies in its capacity to
inspire Filipinos to continue the struggle for
independence and to honor their heritage, making
it a timeless testament to Rizal's unwavering
patriotism.
A LA JUVENTUD
FILIPINA
Itaas ang iyong
Malinis na noo
Sa araw na ito,
Kabataang Pilipino!
Igilas mo na rin ang kumikinang mong
Mayamang sanghaya
Magandang pag-asa ng Bayan kong Mutya!
Makapangyarihang wani’y lumilipad,
At binibigyang ka ng muning mataas,
Na maitutulad ng ganap na lakas,
Mabilis na hangin, sa kanyang paglipad,
Malinis na diwa, sa likmuang hangad.
Ikaw ay bumaba
Na taglay ang ilaw
Ng sining at agham
Sa paglalabanan,
Bunying kabataan,
At iyong kalagiun ang gapos mong iyang
Tanikalang bakal na kinatalian
Ng matulain mong waning kinagisnan.
Ikaw na lagi nang pataas nag lipad,
Sa pakpak ng iyong Mayamang pangarap,
Na iyong Makita sa Ilimpong ulap
Ang lalong matamis
Na mag tulaing pinakananais,
Ng higit ang sarap
Kaysa “ambrosia” at “nectar” na awagas
Ng mga bulaklak.
(cont.)
Ikaw na may tinig
Na buhat sa langit,
Kaagaw sa tamis
Na kay Filomenang Malinis na hiomig,
Sa gabing tahimik
Ay pinaparam mo ang sa taong sakit,
Ikaw, na ang batong sukdulan ng tigas
Sa lakas ng iyong diwa’y nagagawad
Ng buhay at gilas,
At ang alaalang makislap
Ay nabibigayan ng kamay mong masikap
Ng buhay na walang masasabing wakes.
At ikaw, na siyang
Sa may iba’t ibang
Balani ni Febong kay Apelas mahal,
Gayundin sa lambong ng katalagahan,
Na siayng sa guhit ng pinsel mong tanga’y
Nakapaglilipat sa kayong alinman;
Hayo na’y tumakbo! Sapagka’t ang banal
Na ningas ng wani’y nais maputungan
Kayong naglalama’y,
At maipamansag ng tambuling tangan,
Saan man humanggan,
Ang ngalan ng tao, sa di matulusang
Lawak ng palibot na nakasasaklaw.
Malwalhating araw,
Ito, Pilipinas, sa lupang tuntungan!
Ang Lumikha’y dapat na pasalamatan,
Dahilan sa kanyang mapagmahal,
Na ikaw’y pahatdan.
-END-
Reflection
In Rizal's poem "A La Juventud Filipina," the
Filipino youth is passionately called upon to
embrace culture and progress. They are depicted
as the ones who can bring about change and
advancement in the nation, with the belief that
they possess the potential to achieve greatness.
Rizal underscores their role in shaping the
future and refers to them as the "beautiful hope
of the motherland." He acknowledges the
importance of education and encourages the youth
to utilize their prodigious talents to build a
brighter tomorrow. Despite the challenges faced
during Rizal's time, the poem radiates optimism
and a deep sense of national pride. It's a
timeless testament to Rizal's unwavering faith
in the youth as the driving force behind the
country's progress and cultural renaissance.
Overall Realization
Studying this course (The Life and Works of Jose Rizal)
is of paramount importance for Filipino students for
several compelling reasons. Firstly, it allows students to
develop a profound understanding of their national
identity and heritage. Rizal's writings and sacrifices
mirror the aspirations, struggles, and resilience of the
Filipino people during a critical period in history. This
connection with our past fosters a sense of pride and
patriotism that is crucial for a strong and unified
nation.
Secondly, Rizal's life exemplifies the transformative
power of education and critical thinking. His dedication
to scholarly pursuits and his commitment to reforming
society through intellectual discourse serve as an
inspiration for Filipino youth to value education as a
means to create positive change. Rizal's legacy encourages
students to become critical thinkers, agents of change,
and advocates for social justice.
(cont.)
Overall Realization
Lastly, Rizal's story is a reminder of the enduring
relevance of his ideals. The issues he championed, such as
national sovereignty, equality, and social justice, still
resonate in contemporary Philippine society. Learning
about Rizal's life and works equips students with the
knowledge and values to engage in meaningful conversations
about the challenges and aspirations of their nation.
In essence, studying the life and works of Jose Rizal is
instrumental in preserving the Filipino identity,
promoting education and critical thinking, and inspiring a
sense of social responsibility and national pride among
Filipino students. It bridges the past and the present,
ensuring that Rizal's legacy continues to shape the future
of the Philippines.
-END-
"Rizal, the heartbeat of our
nation, pulses with the
unquenchable fire of liberty
in every Filipino's soul."
THANK YOU!!!
Brent Myles R. San Pedro | SS038.A461 | November 4th, 2023