Babae Akong Namumuhay Nang Mag-isa by Joi Barrios

Babae akong namumuhay nang mag-isa,

hiwalay sa asawa,
matandang dalaga,
kerida,
puta.
Ang aking pag-iisay batik na itinuring,
latay na pabaon ng nakaraan,
pilat na taglay habambuhay.
May pagsusulit na di ko nakayanan,
may timbangan sumukat sa aking pagkukulang,
May pagsusuring kumilatis
sa pagkatanso ng aking pagkatao.
Lagiy may paghuhusga saaking pag-iisa.
Ang di nila nakitay
Akin ang pasya.
Maliit na kalayaang
Hinahamak ng iba pang
Pagkapiit at pagkaalipin
Sa akiing lipunan.
Ang pag-iisay di pagtalikod sa
pag-ibig, o pagnanasa o pananagutan.
Hindi ito pagsuko
Sa katuparan ng mga pangako
O pagkakatutuo ng mga pangarap.
Hindi pagtanaw sa buhay
Nang hubad sa pag-asa.
Paghangad ko lamang
Na kamay ko ang magpatakbo sa aking orasan;
Puso at isipan and sumulat ng aking kasaysayan,
Sarili ko ang humubog sa aking kabuuan.
Hayaan akong mabuhay nang payapa,
nang hindi ikinakabit sa aking pangalan

ang mga tawag na pagkutya:

puta,
kerida
matandang dalaga,
hiwalay sa asawa,
babae man akong namumuhay nang mag-isa.
ANALYSIS
The woman in the story had a troubled past that had her scarred for life. this incident
wrote a false impression on her. she was treated unfairly by the people around her
because of her solitude. despite what people call her, she is undaunted that her
dreams will be fulfilled and that it will all come true...even if she's separated, an oldmaid, a mistress and a whore. (Don Gaoiran)
The poem speaks of the past of an old woman. Binansagan siya ng sari saring
pangalan. And the past still haunts her but that doesn't stop her from proving her
worth in the society. Lahat ng mga napagdaanan niya ay may mga dahilan na kapag
ibinahagi niya sa lipunan mali pa rin o masama para sa kanila. Maaaring sa hirap ng
buhay napilitan siyang pumasok sa isang trabahong kinailangang walang malisya o
pakikiapid sa iba. Gumamit ng tao para sa kanyang kaginhawahan. Hindi naging
maganda ang propesyon o ibang aspeto ng kanyang pamumuhay. Pinili niya ang
landas na ito maaari dahil sa kagipitan o kawalan na ng paraan. Inisip niya na
kinailangan niyang makasurvive sa hamon ng buhay. Pero kapalit nun ay ang tingin
ng tao sa kanya. Gusto niyang pabayaan na siya ng tao at wag ng pagisipan pa ng
ibang bagay dahil buhay naman niya ito at siya ang pangunahing aktor ng bawat
kabanata. Para sa kanya anong alam ng tao sa totoong istorya ng naging buhay niya.
Ipaliwanag man niya may posibilidad ba na mabago ang pagtingin sa kanya?
Nakadikit sa kanya ang kanyang prinsipyo. maaring ito ay ang prinsipyo ng
pakikipagsapalaran sa buhay na hindi malinaw ang direksyon. (Ballesteros,
Josephine A. 4H4)
"ang pag iisa ay di ibig sabihin ng pagtalikod sa mga responsibilidad tulad ng pagibig, pagnanasa o pananagutan, hindi ito pagsuko "kundi ang nais lamang nya ay siya
ang humubog ng kanyang buong pag katao at mamuhay ng payapa na walang
ikinakabit sa kanyang pagkatao tulad ng kerida, puta, matandang dalaga at hiwalay
sa asawa. Hiling sa lipunan ay sanay unawain ang kanyang pamumuhay na mag-isa.
(Sandy Rose Arabia)

Pagkat Lalaki Ka by Michael Coroza

I
Pagkat lalaki ka, Anak,
Matuto kang umiyak.
Mapait langgasin ng luha ang gunita
O ang bagong sugat ng huling pagkadapa
Subalit malinis at subok ang bisa
Ng luha sa pagtanggal ng mga mikrobyo
Sa isip, puso at buong pagkatao.
Pagkat ikaw ay lalaki,
Matuto kang magsisi,
Dagok sa danal ang pag-amin sa kasalanan
Ngunit sadyang walang may monopolyo ng katwiran
Hayaan mo na ikaw ay usigin, husgahan,
Sa ganyan mo mahahanap ang angkop na sangkap
Upang ang iyong pagkatao'y maganap.
II
Minana mo, Anak,
Ang laksang pribilehiyo
Na pinagpasasaan
Ng mga nagtindig ng torre ng Babel,
Piramide, Koliseo,
Ziggurat, Templo,
Ang mga imperyo.
Iyo rin ang luwalhating
Tinatamasa nila
Sa mga maskuladong
Pahina ng istorya.
Ngunit, Anak, dumadaloy rin
Sa iyong katauhan Ang mapagmalupit
Nilang lohika't pangalan
Na nandarahas, gumagahis,
Nagpipiit sa iyong ina't
Sa lahat ng ina't babae sa daigdig.
Iluha mo, Anak,
Ang kanilang nakaraan.
Pagsisihan mo, Anak,
Ang kanilang kamalian.
III
Ang babaeng kakambal

At altar ng lupang
Nagluwal, kumandili't
Nagpalaki sa lahat
At siya ring hantungan,
Aangkin sa labi
Ng lahat sa wakas
Ay bina-bahagi,Inari, inararo,
Ginawang pundasyon
Ng lahat ng edipisyo
Subalit nasadlak
Sa mantsa ng dugo
Sa kumot ng halaga,
Ang silbi sa kasaysaya'y
Winalang-saysay at binura.
Tayo ngayo'y nabubuhay
Na may huwad na malay
Na moral, lohikal, at legal
Na napapairal ng lisyang katarungan:
Sa pedestal ng ating
Mga pagpapahalaga,
Walang gantimpala
Sa sakit ng panganganak,
Wala ring pabuya
Sa pagod ng pagmumulat
Ang babaeng matapos
Magbigay ng sarili
Sa anak ay naiiwang
Basyong walang silbi.
IV
Pagkat ikaw ay lalaki,
Matutuo kang pumatay.
Kitlin mo sa iyong sugat
Ang huwad na malay.
Sa akademya mo na lang
Ipatistis ang laman
At dugo ng huwad
Na malay mong pinaslang.
Durugin mo't ilibing
Ang mga kalansay
Pagkat lalaki kang
Magbabago ng kulay.

ANALYSIS

Humility is when you are humbled by others and you bear it for something
greater

Literary Theory
-

The poem shows a feminist criticism. There are lines which provide patriarchal
ideology. Patriarchal ideology provides sets of ideas or beliefs that emphasize
mans aptitude to do something better than of women. Despite of that, there is
also male-female equality presented in the poem.
The poem also focuses on the relationships between the genders. If the poem is
going to be interpreted, man will be the first to be given emphasis. Female
capacity might always be compared to men. Those things are proof that the
poem provides feminist criticism.

This poem is a male personas tribute to femininity and womanhood because the
writer (Michael Coroza) aims to bring into light the different responsibilities of man
to make up for the mistakes of the past generations when it comes to male-female
equality (Iluha mo anak ang kanilang nakaraan, Pagsisihan mo anak ang kanilang
kamalian), despite having privileges just for being a man (Iyo din ang luwalhating
tinatamasa nila sa mga maskuladong pahina ng istorya). This is because assumptions
from the past have always credited women to be inferior to men.
The poem shows what women are capable of doing and that men should be
considerate of the abilities women possess as well, like giving birth and taking care
of a child, and that present perceptions on equality can be changed with the right
attitude, that being a woman is not a hindrance to participating in activities where
men excel better. Instead of saying, I can do that because Im a man and you cant
because youre a woman., why not We can do this together because we are both
capable of getting the job done.? If male supremacists tried to be empathic of
women, like what the poem is trying to impart, the females wouldnt have a very
hard time trying to prove their worth to men because the male populace would know
what the women are trying to show and would respect the actions done by these
women. Men and women are, in truth, on level grounds. Pagkat Lalaki Ka
encourages men to have a paradigm shift from the Me Tarzan, You Jane notion to
the acceptance of women as mens capable counterpart.
I.A

Men should be true to themselves. They should show their true emotions
and accept the fact that being vulnerable sometimes isnt a bad thing.
In the process of accepting weakness, men will learn to become stronger.
Letting out emotions is an effective way of telling people that Viriliter
Agite, Be a Man!

I. B

As men of integrity, there will be times that your point in argument is

against you. Humility is not measured when you humble yourself.

II.A

Men, from the beginning of time have been established as the superior
being in the sexes.
Michael M. Coroza tries to explain that men has had the privilege of being
the social foundation in terms of being granted favors.

II.B

This explains that back in the past, men are always perceived as the
protagonist in society: the one who should earn for a living, the protector of
the family. It tries to establish the good reputation that men has gained over
the past generations.

The advantageous past that man had in society is always reminded to the
men of present as feminism tries to make it equal for them what they were
not able to gain centuries ago.

We should be remorseful at the fact that, let us admit it, men had it going
easier for them. That back in the past, women were the oppressed ones.
But the point being, past is past. Women should not go prancing around
telling the men of today what the men of yesterday did wrong.

II.C

II.D

III.A-B
Here, Coroza explains the side of the women. That they too had
responsibilities that are the same, if not graver, as that of men. That they
also have obligations that most of the time we took for granted, not knowing
that women still needed the dignity that they longed for and deserve.
III.C
It shows the painful process of childbirth, showing that women sacrifice
time and their being just so to continue the circle of life. That even though
we are in the midst of a world that has somehow diminished social
ignorance, women still choose to go through these tribulations for no credit.
IV.A
We should remove the notion that men are ignorant and unappreciative of
the things that women do. We should learn to involve ourselves and
sometimes put ourselves in their situation. Coroza refers here to end the
ignorance once and for all.
IV.B-C
The basis of manliness should not be determined on physical strength alone,
but rather it is a synergistic effort between a mans struggle to succeed in his
interior life, in his intellectuality and his being in general.
The men of present should not leave the strength the men of past possessed,
but should consider the efforts that women put as well.