KIRKUS REVIEW of I WALK WITH HEREOS

These are autobiographical reminiscences from a rich life of a man who considers that his
greatest honor was the Freedom Award. He can also list a long line of achievements and titles,
among them the Presidency of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador to the U.S.
from the Philippines, etc. From his boyhood on, he has been dedicated to giving his beloved
country its place in the comity of nations. He was a child when he won his first assignment in
journalism, and he rose to its highest peak and never hesitated to use its power and prestige for
what he saw as the right. Always- a heritage from his grandparents and his parents- the
freedom of the Philippines was his ultimate goal. He had successive chances to serve in a
political capacity at home; almost invariably he saw his duty in the wider range of world
diplomacy, and thanks to his efforts won the fight in Congress for fair trade and a measure of
support the Philippines would not have had otherwise. In the early bitter days of defeat, he was
the last man off Bataan. For 3(apple) years he did not know the fate of his wife and sons,
shielded by guerrillas in the jungles. He has written a book that is more an autobiography of his
psychological growth than a record of events; more a study of the slow progress of his country
to sovereignty than a historical record. These other things he has recorded in earlier books.
There is much here to prick the conscience of this country, as he reviews the paucity and
reluctance of aid to a people who had fought and sacrificed everything at the side of the
Americans compared with the outflow of aid to enemies who had destroyed our sons. In spite of
this- and largely through the U.N., he feels the cause of freedom has been forwarded, the
recognition of the equality of man, regardless of race and color advanced, the world stronger in
support of the right. He is not hesitant in claiming that one small man from one small country
has accomplished his share to these ends.

My Brother's Peculiar Chicken (Alejandro R. Roses)

SUMMARY:

The story was about the weird chicken which Kiko and his borther found. They coudn't tell
whether it is a hen or a rooster. They keep on arguing to each other because Kiko insist that the
chicken is a rooster for they saw it on the field fighting another chicken. But his brother is not
convinced for the chicken has no comb or wattles, both disagree to one another.

They began to ask their mother and father, even the people on their village like Tasio and Mr.
Cruz. But all of them couldn't tell whether it's a hen or a rooster. And they also thought that it
was a "binabae".

So instead, they decide to bring it into the cockpit and make it fight to a rooster. But during the
fight there is a turn of events, things gone different for what they have expected. A lovesick
expression came into the rooster's eye, instead of fighting, the rooster began to do some love
dance but the peculiar chicken suddenly stub its spur into the rooster and the fight is over. The
brothers couldn't believe what they had saw.

Kiko thinks he convinced his brother that the chicken is a rooster, but he chicken act something
strange. It began to quiver, and egg came out and drop into his brothers hand.

My brother Kiko once had a very peculiar chicken. It was peculiar because no one could tell
whether it was a rooster or a hen. My brother claimed it, a rooster. I claimed it, a hen. We
almost got whipped because we argued too much.

The whole question began early one morning. Kiko and I were driving the chickens from the
cornfield. Suddenly we heard the rapid flapping of wings. We turned in the direction of the sound
and saw two chickens fighting in the far end of the field.

“Look at that rooster fight! If I had a rooster like that, I could get rich in the cockpits.”

“Let’s go and catch it,” I suggested.

“No, you stay here. I will go and catch it,” Kiko said.

My brother slowly approached the battling chickens. When he got near them, he dived and
caught one of them. I ran over where he was and took a good look at the chicken.

“Why, it is a hen,” I said.

“What is the matter with you?” Is the heat making you sick?” my brother asked.

“No. Look at its face. It has no comb or wattles.”

“No comb and wattles! Who cares about its comb or wattles? Didn’t you see it in fight?”

“Sure, I saw it in fight. But I still say it is a hen.”

The argument went on the whole morning until on our way home. When we arrived at our house
Kiko tied the chicken to a peg. The chicken flapped its wings and then crowed.

“There! Did you hear that?” my brother exclaimed triumphantly. “I suppose you are going to tell
me now that hens crow and that carabaos fly.”
“I don’t care if it crows or not,” I said. “That chicken is a hen.”

We went into the house, and the discussion continued during lunch.

“It is a rooster” “It is a hen”

“Now, now,” Mother interrupted, “how many times must Father tell you, boys, not to argue
during lunch? What is the argument about this time?”

We told Mother, and she went out look at the chicken.

“That chicken,” she said, “is a binabae. It is a rooster that looks like a hen.”
That should have ended the argument. But Father also went out to see the chicken, and he
said, “It is not a rooster.”
“What makes you say that that is a hen? Have you ever seen a hen with feathers like that?”
Mother asked.

“Listen. I have handled fighting cocks since I was a boy, and you cannot tell me that that thing is
a rooster.”

Before Kiko and I realized what had happened, Father and Mother were arguing about the
chicken by themselves. Soon Mother was crying.

“I know who can settle this question,” my brother said. “The teniente del Barrio, chief of the
village.”

So we took the chicken to the chief.

“Is this a male or a female chicken?” Kiko asked.

“It does not look like any rooster or any hen I have ever seen. No, that could not be a chicken. I
have never seen like that. It must be a bird of some other kind.” Teniente said.

“Oh, what’s the use!” Kiko said, and we walked away.

“Let’s go to town and see Mr. Cruz who had studied poultry raising in the University of the
Philippines. He would know.” My brother said.

But like the teniente del Barrio, Mr Cruz was not able to recognize it.

We walked back to the barrio. Kiko was silent most of the way. Then he said:

“I know how I can prove to you that this is a rooster.” “Would you agree that this is a rooster if I
make it fight in the cockpit and it wins?”
“If this hen of yours can beat a gamecock, I will believe anything,” I said.

So that Sunday we took the chicken to the cockpit. Kiko picked a red rooster opponent.

I opposed to match the chichen against the red rooster because it’s a killer, it has killed more
chikens than the fox.

But my brother did not listen. The match was made and the birds were readied for the killing.
Sharp steel gaffs were tied to their left legs.

Everyone wanted to bet on the red gamecock.

I expected our chicken to die of fright. Instead, a strange thing happened. A lovesick expression
came into the red rooster’s eyes. Then it did a love dance. That was all our chicken needed. It
rushed at the red rooster and in one lunge, it buried its spurs into its opponent’s chest. The fight
was over.

“Tiope! Tiope! Fixed fight!” the crowd shouted.

Then a riot broke out. My brother and I had to leave through the back way. I had the chicken
under my arm. We ran toward the coconut groves and kept running till we lost the mob. As soon
as we were safe, my brother said:

“Do you believe it is a rooster now?”

“Yes,” I answered.

I was glad the whole argument was over.

Just then the chicken began to quiver. It stood up in my arms and cackled with laughter.
Something warm and round dropped into my hand. It was an egg.

“Mutyang Dilim”

Nahahati ang “Mutyang Dilim” sa 11 kabanata o artikulo, hindi kasama ang panimula. Ang lahat
ng mga artikulo ay isang paglapit at pagbabasa sa mga tula kasama na rin ang ilang mga
pananaw at saliksik ni Almario tungkol sa panitikan at nasyonalismo.

Ang unang gawa na binasa ni Almario ay ang “Caguilaguilalas na Buhay ni Juan Soldado,”
isang awiting pasalaysay na sinulat ni Pascual H. Poblete. Binigyang pansin ng pagbasa ang
katangiang kababalaghan at kagila-gilalas ng tula. Kababalaghan ito dahil sa paggamit ng mga
kakaibang “katotohanan,” ang pagbaba ni Jesus at San Pedro sa lupa at ang engkwentro ni
Juan kay Kamatayan. Kagila-gilalas dahil sa mahiwagang supot, maikukumpara sa mga kagila-
gilalas na mga anting-anting at agimat ng mga pamahiin at epiko.

Kung ihahanay ang tulang ito sa depinisyon ng panitikang kagila-gilalas ni Tzvetan Todorov,
may paglihis ang “Caguilaguilalas na Buhay ni Juan Soldado” dahil walang pagkamangha’t
pagkagulat sa tono ng tagapagsalaysay. Dalawa ang haka ni Almario kung bakit. Una, kung
may taimtim na paniniwalang Kristiyano ang tagapagsalaysay, walang dapat ipagtaka sa mga
naganap na kababalaghan. Pangalawa, isang parikala ang tula ni Poblete sa lumalaganap at
patuloy na tinatangkilik na uri ng panitikang kagila-gilalas.

Pinag-usapan naman ni Almario ang erotika desexada sa sumunod na artikulo. Binasa niya ang
“Habang Nasa Antipolo Ka” ni Lope K. Santos. Pinag-usapan ni Almario ang simulain at
tradisyon ng erotika desexada sa panulaang Filipino at pakay ni Santos sa tula. Nagsimula ang
erotika desexada sa umiral na estetika at moralidad noong panahon ng Kastila. Kailangang
umiwas sa “tawag ng laman” kaya kinakailangang maglikaw ng mga mabulaklak na salita at
matatamis na hambingan sa kalikasan. Sa pakay ni Santos, ang tula ay isang panggagagad sa
mga tulang sumusunod sa erotika desexada, ginagawa ni Santos ang panunulang erotika
desexada para ipakita na “arte” na lamang ang panunula sa kanyang mga kapanahunan. Ngunit
hindi lumabas at magtangkang baguhin ang panuntunan sa erotisismo si Santos. Tinataguyod
pa rin ni Santos ang “wasto, matipid, marangal, at masiglang” katangian ng erotika desexada.

Sunod ay ang artikulong Ang Bait ng Panggagagad sa “Ang Matanda” ni Benigno Ramos.
Ginagaya ng tula ang lumang kuwento ng naghahanap na matutuluyang Maria at Jose ng
bibliya at ginamit ito sa isang kasalukuyang sitwasyon. Ang tula ay kontra-establisiyamento,
laban sa Simbahan na namana ng mga Balagtasistang kagaya ni Ramos mula sa mga
Propagandista at Himagsikan. Ngunit ginagimit ni Ramos ang ilang mga katangiang Modernista
upang palabasin ang kanyang pananaw. Isang halimbawa ang tula ng magkaibang pananaw at
pagsusulat sa pagitan ng mga Balagtasista at Modernista.

Ang Antaeus syndrome at ang paulit-ulit na pagbabalik ang tinalakay sa pagbabasa ng tulang
“Ang Pagbabalik” ni Jose Corazon de Jesus. Ang Antaeus syndrome ng tula ay makikita sa
tema ng pag-alis at pagbalik. Isang pagtingin sa masakit at masaklap na karanasan ng pag-alis
sa pamilya’t tahanan para makipagsapalaran sa ibang lugar.
Binigyang pansin ng pagbasa ang katangian sa anyo ng tula. Puno ng paulit-ulit sa salita at
diwa ang tula habang mapaglaro rin ito sa imahen. Mayroon ding mga ginawang pagtiwalag si
de Jesus, pagkarating sa taludturan. Sa mga katangiang ito, mukhang masinsinan ang pagsulat
sa tula ni de Jesus. Taliwas ang mga katangian ng tula mula sa kilalang pagiging “transparent”
sa mga popular na tula ni de Jesus.

Marxismo at Pormalismo ang ginamit ni Almario sa kanyang muling pagbabasa ng “Three

O’Clock in the Morning” ni Cirio H. Panganiban. Sa Pormalismong pagbabasa, inuulit lamang ni
Almario ang ilang mga sinabi niya mula sa una niyang pagbabasa ng parehong tula sa “Ang
Makata sa Panahon ng Makina,” ang madulang takbo ng dula. Dagdag na napansin ni Almario
ang parikala sa mga imahen ng tula. Sa pagsusuring Marxista, binigyang pansin ang
dekadenteng buhay na dulot ng modernisasyon at Amerikanisasyon. May pagkamoralista ang
tula laban sa dekadenteng pamumuhay ngunit iniwasan ni Panganiban ang ordinaryong
didaktikong balangkas na karaniwan sa panahon niya. At kung tatanungin kung para kaninio
ang akda, naniniwala si Almario na ito ay natutok sa mga burges.

Binigyang pansin naman ang “kaakuhan” at panunula ni Alejandro G. Abadilla sa Ang

Kaakuhan ng Makata at “Masusupling Ako sa Iyong Kawalan” ni Alejandro G. Abadilla. Sa
pagsasaliksik ni Almario, makikita na ang tulang “Masusupling Ako sa Iyong Kawalan” ay isang
sagot sa kritisismo ni del Mundo sa “Ako ang Daigdig.” Isa rin halos paglalahad ng mga
paniniwala at komentaryo ang iba pang mga tula ni Abadilla, ang kaakuhang paghihimagsik
laban sa mapaniil na ikaw. At dahil sa kanyang ipinakilalang pagbabago, ang “Ako ang Daigdig”
ni Abadilla ang naging sagisag ng Modernismo.

Ngunit binigyang pansin din ni Almario ang iniambag na pagbabago ni Abadilla sa taludturan,
hindi lamang sa pagpapakilala sa malayang taludturan ngunit pati na rin sa pagpapalawak ng
sukat ng mga taludtod mula sa kakaunting panukalang sukat ng mga Balagtasista. Binibigyang
galang ni Almario ang mga nagawa ni Abadilla sa panulaang Filipino.

Eksperimental na paghihiram ng mga banyaga ang tema at pokus ng pagbabasa ng

“Valediction sa Hillcrest” ni Rolando S. Tinio. Ginunita ni Almario ang kolonyal na karanasan
natin. Inaamin naman ni Almario na ang pagtatagpo ng katutubo at banyaga ay hindi kalimitang
mapait o kaya ay masaklap. Ang pagtatagpo ay nagdudulot ng pagbabago na maaaring maging
kapaki-pakinabang, patas man o di-makatwiran ang sitwasyon ng pagtatagpo.

Binibigyang pansin ni Almario pagdadalawang-loob sa kasaysayan ng Filipinas, ang hatak ng

benepisyo ng wika ng mananakop laban ng sa katutubong wika. Binibigyang dramatisasyon ng
tulang “Valediction sa Hillcrest” ang pagdadalawang-loob sa kasaysayan ng Filipinas. Ngunit
iginigiit ni Almario na nasa sinakop ang kakayahan na tanggapin kung ano man ang ibinibigay
ng banyaga.

Pinag-usapan naman ang tradisyonal sa “Doon Po sa Amin” ni Teo T. Antonio. Hinalungkat ni

Almario ang tradisyon na pinagmumulan ni Antonio. Ang tradisyonal na pagkamulat ni Antonio
at ang tradisyon ng mga tulang “doon-po-sa-amin” ang binigyang pansin ni Almario. Tinalakay
muli ang magkaibang operasyon ng tradisyunal at makabago sa paggagad.

Eksistensiyalistang paglapit ang ginamit ni Almario sa kanyang pagsusuri sa “Paghabol ng

Dyip” ni Elynia S. Mabanglo. Ginawa rin itong halimbawa ng mithiing paloob ng mga Modernista
sa kanilang pagtula, nagpapaliwanag at kalimitang naglalarawan. May eksistensiyal na
katangian ang tula dahil sa deshumanisasyon at pagkakaroon ng Kawalan para sa persona ng
tula. Pinapansin rin ni Almario ang feministang pagkiling sa tula ni Mabanglo ngunit hindi na
niya ito lubusang pinag-usapan.

Ipinagtanggol ni Almario ang tulang “Katipan” ni Mike L. Bigornia mula sa “sexist” na paghahatol
ni Mabanglo. Iginigiit ni Almario na hindi isang basta-bastang “sexist” na pagbabalangkas ang
ginagawa ni Bigornia sa tula. Ipinakita niya na isa itong pagtutunggalian, isang sagutan ng
senswal at moral, ng temporal at eternal, at ng materyal at espiritwal. Pinapaigting ng mga
tunggaliang ito ang moral na suliranin at kasawian ng pag-ibig ng persona. Sumasang-ayon
naman si Almario na pagtatalik nga inilalarawan sa tula, ngunit masyado namang mapangahas
ang paghuhusga ni Mabanglo.

Erudisyon sa katutubong kaalaman ang paksa sa huling artikolo. Ang mga tulang “Apokripa kay
Maykapal” ni Vim Nadera at “Marcos” ni Roberto T. Añonuevo ang sinuri ni Almario. Sa mga
tula, ginagamit ng mga makata ang kanilang kaalaman sa mga mitolohiya, alamat, at epiko
upang makabuo ng bagong gamit sa luma sa kasalukuyang karanasan at panahunan.

Hinahamon ng mga tula ang kaalaman ng mga Filipino, iskolar man o pangkaraniwang
mambabasa, tungkol sa mga luma’t katutubong mitolohiya’t epiko. Pinatitingkad ng mga tulang
ito ang “mis-education” ani Renato Constantino ng mga Filipino dahil sa kolonyal na proyekto ng
mga mananakop. Nagiging kulang rin ang kaalaman ng mga Filipino dahil sa impluwensiya ng
kolonyalismong Espanyol at ang liberal at demokratikong kaisipan mula sa Propaganda’t
Himagsikan kaya naisasantabi ng mga Filipino ang katutubong nakaraan.

Summary of Barlaan at Josaphat

Ang kasaysayan ng barlaan at josaphat ay umiikot sa nabigong pagsisikap ng isang hari na

mailayo sa kristyano ang anak na prinsipe. naituro ni tomas Apostol ang aral ng diyos sa indya,
na pinaghaharian noon ni abenir. Dahil sa hulang magiging kristyano ang kanyang magiging
anak na lalaki, sinikap na ibukod ng tirahan at kapaligiran ang prinsipeng Josaphat sapul noong
isilang ito. sa paglaki ni Josaphat. Narinig nya ang tungkol sa kamaharlikaan ng bagong
relihiyon. Natutuhan niyang pag-isipan ang buhay ng kamatayn nang matanaw niya ang isang
taong kahabag-habag.
Nabalitaan ng matandang paring si Barlaan, na nasa Senaar, ang tungkol sa mabuting
kalooban ni Josaphat. Nagpanggap siyang isang tagapagtinda kya nakatagpo niya si Josaphat,
na nahikayat niyang magpabinyag. Lahat ng ito'y lingid sa kaalaman ni haring Abenir hanggang
sa makaalis na sa palasyo si Barlaan.
Nang matuklasan ni haring Abenir ang nangyari sa ank, iniutos niyang dakpin si barlaan, ngunit
di ito matagpuan. May pinapagpanggap na Barlaan ang hari at siyang dinakip. Sa gayon, sa
pag- aakalang malagim ang kararatnan ng kaibigang pari, nagtapat si Josaphat sa hari. Ngunit
ang ganito'y nagging daan para pagsikapan ni Josaphat na hikayatin ang ama. Napagkillala ni
Abenir na kailangang paghimok ang gamitin sa anak at hindi pagbabanta. Sa gayon, hinamon ni
Abenir ang anak saka ang mga kapanalig nito sa isang pagtatalo, at kung mananalo si Josaphat
at Barlaan Magpapabinyag ang hari at ang mga kampon nito. Nanalo sina Josaphat.
May tauhan ang hari na nahikayat nang una ni Josaphat kya nagalit ang hari. Pinalitan niya ng
mga Mapanuksong babae ang mga tagasilbi sa palasyo. Nagdamdam si Josaphat sa ama dahil
sa tangkang pagbubulid nito sa kanya sa kasamaan.
Iminungkahi ng ministro ni Abenir na hayaang mamuno sa isang hiwalay na kaharian si
Josaphat. Pumayag si Abenir. Subalit maraming tao ang lumipat sa kaharian ni Josaphat,kya
naisip ni Abenir na marapat lang na pabinyag siya. Iniwan niya ang kaharian kay Josaphat at
namuhay siya nang tahimik hanggang sa mamatay. Ibig din naming manahimik ni Josaphat kya
iniwan niya ang kaharian sa isang tapat na tauhan, si Barachias, at hinanap niya si Barlaan
hanggang sa matagpuan niya ito.
Minsan tinawag ni Barlaan si Josaphat at sinabing malapit na siyang mamatay. Pinasundo niya
kay Josaphat ang mga monghe sa di-kalayuang monesteryo. Nagmisa si Barlaan bago
mamatay.
Nanaginip minsan si Josaphat at nakita niya ang dalawang korona: isa para sa kanya at isa
para sa ama. Sinabi niyang hindi marapat ang kanyang ama. Lumitaw sa pangitain si barlaan at
sinisi siya nito. Nagsisi si Josaphat. Namuhay siya bilang ermitanyo. Nang mamatay siya,
inilibing siya sa puntod ni Barlaan.
Nang mapag-alaman ni Barachias na namatay na si Josaphat, pinahanap niya ang libingan nito.
Nang hukayin nila ang puntod, natagpuan nilang buo ang mga mabango pang bangkay ng
dalawa, na napabantog mula noon, kya naman marami pa ang nagpabinyag.

English 379
September 2, 2010
Jose Garcia Villa (Doveglion) – Many Voices
Posted by tlee under Uncategorized
No Comments
First, a poem must be magical,
Then musical as a seagull.
It must be a brightness moving
And hold secret a bird’s flowering
It must be slender as a bell,
And it must hold fire as well.
It must have the wisdom of bows
And it must kneel like a rose.
It must be able to hear
The luminance of dove and deer.
It must be able to hide
What it seeks, like a bride.
And over all I would like to hover
God, smiling from the poem’s cover.

– Jose Garcia Villa, First, A Poem Must Be Magical

“Perhaps what [Villa] suggests is that throughout his poetry, he can only speak through a highly
constrained set of discourses, discourses not of his own making.”

– Timothy Yu, “‘The Hand of a Chinese Master’: José Garcia Villa and Modernist Orientalism”

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DIVIDE BY TWOBy
Francisco Arcellana

God knows that I hate the sight of violence, But is it really violence I cannot stand? Isn't it rather
truth?
"They have set down a line of adobe blocks, three blocks wide and two blocks deep,across the
lawn between their cottage and ours," Belle said."Yes, I know" I said. I walked to the window
and stood there, looking over at their cottage. The piano music from the cottage came strong
and clear. "I was here thismorning when he brought those blocks home" I peeled my shirt; it was
soggy withsweat…" He carried the blocks in the baggage compartment of their car. It took him
allthree trips. He had three boys with him to help." I shook my shirt in the cooling air andwalked
to my room. "And I know where he got those blocks too. There is a constructiongoing on right
now at the engineering school. They have a pile of adobe blocks there ashigh as the Cheops.
You can't miss it. You see it from the bus line every time." In myroom, the strains of piano music
didn't reach sustainedly.Belle followed me into my room. "They have marked off boundaries"
she said "Theyhave defined limits".I folded my shirt about the back of my armchair. "So they
have", I said. "So they have".My undershirt was wet too, I yanked it off."It is as if they have put
up a fence," Belle said."Fences make good neighbors," I said. I whipped the apple-green towel
off the T-bar andrubbed myself briskly."It might as well be the great wall of China," Belle
said."Well not really," I said. "It is not as bad as that." I returned the towel to the crossbar.
Ilooked around for a dry undershirt but did not find any. I went to the bedroom where myclothes-
closet was. Belle followed me. There was no light in the closet. The bulb hadn't been changed
since it went bad shortly after we moved into the cottage. I fumbled in thedark feeling with my
fingers. In the darkness in the closet the strains of the piano camesteadily, strong and
clear."She is no Turk but she keeps playing the Turkish March," Belle said.

I knew where my undershirts would be and it didn't take me long to find them with myhands. I
pulled one out and was putting it on while I walked back to the
sala
between the book-closet and the bathroom, one arm through one armhole, half out of the
sando
shirtthe neck of which I held open with my hands. I looked at Belle. "Come again, Belle?"
Iasked.Belle said again the denunciatory words.I got my head through the other armhole, got
into my shirt. I walked on to the
sala
.Ididn't know how tired I was until I fell back on the lounging chair.Belle picked up the footstool,
brought it near my chair and sat down. "The least thingthey could have done is to tell us first
about it".I felt very tired and shut my eyes and didn't say anything."Don't you think they owed it
to us?" Belle asked. "Out of regards for our feelingsshouldn't they have asked us how we feel
about a fence?"The piano music threaded through the words like a leitmotif. "How is that again,
Belle?"I asked."They have no regard for us", Belle said. "They don't care what we think. They
don'tthink we feel. As far as they are concerned we are not human".The piano came jubilantly
threading through the words."Is that right, Belle?" I asked."Don't you think they should have at
least gone to us and said: Look here, you! We are putting up this boundary, see? You keep to
your side of these markers and we will keepto ours, understand?" Belle said."Do you really think
that?" I asked."Yes I do", Belle said distinctly. "Don't you?""I don't know", I said. "I haven't
thought about it"."Well then", Belle said, "think about it. You can start thinking about it now".I
wondered why the words came ringing clear to me. Then I felt and sensed that the pianohad
been closed. Suddenly the night was silent. Suddenly the night was still.