JAPANESE PERIOD

by salirickandres

The rich and colorful Philippine literary pieces are at par with other countries in breadth and
depth.Japanese period is our first topic for the final period. Japanese period has been called one
of the darkest days in the history and literary tradition of the Philippines. The wartime
experiences and events of the troubled times left indelible imprints to the lives of the Filipino
nation. However, there are still few and remaining bright spots in this generally dark and gloomy
days. It is our duty, as students of Philippine literature not to be selective and biased in our
treatment of the various literary pieces regardless of what period it was produced. Moreover, the
richness of our literary tradition incorporates all possible literatures and, like a solitary candle
flickering in the dead night, a certain piece might just be waiting for us to discover and
appreciate its exquisite beauty peculiar to the period in which it was written. Hence, come along
and join me discover such gems of our Philippine literature during the Japanese period.

Historical background
The stride and growth of the Philippine literature in English language and the development of
Philippine literature in general was interrupted during the Japanese period. The Japanese
censured all publications except Tribune and Philippine Review.During the Japanese period,
Philippine Literature in English was stopped and writers turned to writing in Filipino. The
Japanese authorities, with extreme hate to the Americans, did their best to turn the Filipinos’
sympathy away from them. They rewarded handsomely the Filipinos who are faithful to them.

In prose literature, the weekly Liwayway Magazine was put into strict surveillance and was
managed by a Japanese named Ishiwara. The Japanese language, Nippongo was introduced but
not well-embraced by the Filipinos despite it is being forcefully taught by the Japanese. With the
prohibition of writing literary pieces in English language, Filipino literature was given a break.
Many Filipino writers wrote plays, poems, short stories, etc. in the Tagalog and other vernacular
language. Topics and themes were often about life in the provinces to escape Japanese control
and censorship.

Philippine literature poems during Japanese period

Haiku
Haiku is a poem of free verse of Japanese origin. It has 17 syllables divided into 3 lines. The
first has 5 syllables, second has 7, and the third has 5 syllables. The famous haikus that were
penned by the early Japanese haiku masters such as Bashō, Issa, Buson and Shiki. To know more
about Haikus, click here.

Haiku normally features allegorical meaning. It is usually short but it covers a wide scope. The
favorite topics of haiku writers include nature, love, patriotism, nationalism, friendship and the
human emotions.
Haiku samples
Tagalog English

Tutubi Dragonfly

Hila mo’y tabak, -5- You pull a saber,

Ang bulaklak nanginig, -7- The flower is shivering,

Sa paglapit mo. -5- Moment you approached.

Anyaya Invitation

Ulilang damo, -5- A lonely grass,

Sa tahimik na ilog, -7- By the edge of the river,

Halika, sinta. -5- Come with me, my love.

On the above sample haikus, you notice that the 5-7-5 syllable count for the Tagalog original is
not faithfully followed by the English translation. However, when you craft your own haikus
later, you will be using English as the medium. You may refer to the instructions by reading
“Haiku and Tanka Writing” section located below.

Tanka
Tanka poem is very similar to haiku but Tanka poems have more syllables and it uses simile,
metaphor and personification. Tanks poems are written about nature, seasons, love, sadness and
other strong emotions. This form of poetry dates back almost 1200 years ago. You can read more
about tanka by clicking here.

The 31 syllables are divided into 5 lines with: first line with 5, second line with 7, third line with
5, fourth line with 7,and the fifth line with 7 as illustrated by the example below:

Winter

Beautiful mountains, -5-

Rivers with cold, cold water, -7-

White cold snow on rock, -5-

Trees over the place with frost, -7-

White sparkly snow everywhere. -7-

As cited above from a sample Tanka found on the listed website below, the Tanka is a very
expressive yet reserved form of lyric poem. It captures your imagination by using short, catchy
and meaningful utterances. Now the question is, can you write your own haiku and Tanka?

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