21st CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

Year level/Strand Grade 11- HUMMS

Teacher DIVINA JOY R. ANASTACIO
Module Title MODULE 1: POETRY: THE FILIPINO POEM
Duration 1 week
Lecture Materials Format 1. PRINTED/PDF

POETRY: THE FILIPINO POEM

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the learners shall be able to:
1. Identify the geographic, linguistic, and ethnic dimensions of Philippine literary history from precolonial
to modern. EN 12Lit-IA-21
2. Appreciate the application of imagery in the text provided, paying particular attention to the regional
origins of the poem.
3. Respond critically to the poem and articulate this response through a still visual and audio exhibit.

I. PRE-ASSESSMENT
Directions: Put a check on the description that best matches the given word.
1. Image
_ A representation of the external forms of a person
_ The general expression of a person
_ The state of being able to see

2. Allusion
_ An instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience
_ An expression on designed to call something to mind without mentioning explicitly.
_ A deceptive appearance or impression

3. Figurative Language
_ Relates to the financial performance of a company
_ A non-literal use of words
_ Literal use of words

4. Meter
_ A fundamental unit of length
_ Added to names of measuring instruments
_ A rhythm of a piece of poetry, determined by the number and length of feet in a line.

5. Rhyme
_ A low growing aromatic plant of the mint family
_ A person who opposes political norms
_ Similar ending of words, especially when used at the ends of lines of poetry
II. LECTURE
A. A Long History of Poetry
Filipinos are strangers to poetry, it has been part of Filipino culture ever since pre-Hispanic times,
the awit or song existed in many forms and were used for varied purposes. Aside from songs, the
two major pre-Hispanic forms were the bugtong or riddle and salawikain or proverb.
 The bugtong was a riddle that used talinghaga or a metaphor that actually helped convey the
answer to the riddle. The sawikain or salawikain were proverbs used to express pieces of wisdom
or beliefs important to Filipino society. These forms were all done in verse or metrical writing.
The major pre-Hispanic poetic form, however, was the epiko or epic. Epics were long, episodic,
chanted poems telling stories, normally about legendary heroes and their adventures, often
contending with, and also being aided by, supernatural creatures and spirits. These were chantes
at feasts and rituals, often to inspire and entertain those who listened. Thus, these stories were
seen as important parts of the cultures and beliefs of these societies. While there are still many out
there that remain only in the memory of the storytellers and have yet to be written down.
A Brief History of Philippine Poetry The arrival of the Spanish dramatically altered what was an
already established Philippine literary tradition. The method of writing called baybayin for the
Tagalog was suppressed along with many of the epics and poems already existing. Friars called
them blasphemous for having supernatural creatures in them. Thus, the Spanish clergy set out to
replace the old oral heroes with Jesus Christ, and thus for most of the early years of Spanish rule,
poems tended to be religious in nature. The most notable poet of the Spanish era is Francisco
Baltazar, who became known as “Balagtas.” The Florante at Laura showcased his education in the
schools in Manila. While it was a poem about tyranny in far-away Albania, it was also seen as a
poem showcasing the abuses and tyranny happening in the Philippines at the time. Baltazar was
one of the frst new emerging Filipinos from the new rising middle class who were educated by the
Spanish. Later, Jose Rizal and his fellows would be among these new Filipinos; they would be called
ilustrados. Even revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio would also contribute to Philippine poetry,
most importantly the poem “Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Bayan.” Despite the efforts of the Spanish
clergy, traditional Philippine poetry never truly went away. Instead, these same traditions further
evolved. The awit, for example, was infuenced by the European romance of the time and became
romantic themselves.
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B. Regions and Regional Culture and Bikol Literature

The view of the majestic Mt. Mayon and the Cagsawa ruins in Albay, Bicol
The Philippines has a unique cultural landscape, one shaped by a myriad of languages and
traditions determined by their geographical and linguistic regions. Filipino culture is not just one
linear development, but is composed of many developments within specific ethnic traditions that
comprise the colorful tapestry we call the Filipino nation.
As discussed by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, the reason for a very Manila-centric view
of Philippine culture and cultural development has to do with the fact that Manila remains the
center of power in the Philippines. While Manila is definitely still the “ceneter” of the country, it
cannot be denied that the larger territory of the country lies outside this center, in the periphery’s
effect on the “center” is inevitable as these various regions do interact, therefore exerting some
form of influence over Manila as well.
Lumbera further stated that “as it turns out, literary, musical, visual, and theater arts away from
the primate city (Manila) form a considerable part of the culture of the Filipino. Now it has become
all too clear that the question of a national identity for the Filipino cannot be discussed, much less
resolved, only within the narrow confines of the Center. And so the need to “decenter”. Our
exploration into Philippine literature, therefore will be a de-centered one, exploring regional
 writing to see in Manila, but also how it contributes to Philippine culture through its unique voice
and style.
To the advantage and detriment of Bikolanos, a good number of them are multilingual and are
normally proficient not only in Bikol, their regional language, but also in English and Filipino.
Prominent writers such as screenwriter Ricky Lee and poet Marne Kilates are both natives of Bikol,
yet are not known as Biukolano writers. It is also said that there are very few Pre-Hispanic Bikol
works that have been collected and published. What has been left behind, however, are some
forms which still exist today.

C. About Mayon Volcano

About Mayon Volcano is renowned around the world for its nearly perfect shape. It is also one of
the most active volcanoes in the world and it erupts regularly. Provinces near Mount Mayon are
already very accustomed to evacuating periodically because of the eruptions. Despite the
constant threat of danger, however, the volcano remains one of the most popular tourist
destinations in the Philippines.
Like many locations in the Philippines, Mount Mayon has a fascinating legend that tells that
tells the story of its creation. “The legend of Daragang Magayon” is a romantic and exciting story
that tells how the volcano came to be.
Read the Poem
Mayon
by Kristian Sendon Cordero
Camarines Sur
Ayon sa alamat, lason ng pana ni Pagtuga,
ang lumikha sa bulkan—libingan ito
ng dalagang namatay sa isang digmaan.

Ngayon, ano ang tutubo sa paanan ng Mayon

gayong nagiging malawak na itong sementeryo
ng abo, ng tao. Manganganak na kayâ ito?
Tinitigan ko ang nakangangang bulkan—binabalot
ng ulap at ng sariling usok ang tuktok, gatas sa labi.
Baka sakali, magpakita, nang may silbi ang kamera.

Sa ilang retrato na ibinebenta ng mga bata sa Cagsawa

lusaw na tae ang nagliliyab na lava, dumadaloy pababa.
Matandang nagnganganga ayon naman sa isang makata.

Sa isang lumang postcard na nakita ko sa Antigo Merkado—

Kapag sa malayo, isa siyang magandang sikyung nakatanod
, Handa sa pagkapkap, naghihintay sa iyong pagpasok.
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D. About the Poem

A native Bicol, Cordero writes with a certain level of familiarity with the Mayon Volcano.
His poem is a very rich one, carrying a very distinctive view of the volcano. The poem presents
the volcano first vial allusion, referring to myth, particularly to Partuga’s arrow that killed
Magayon. The death of Magayon and her lover Panginoron in the poem becomes more than
just an end but also beginning.
The poem proceeds by using an image of death to imply possibility and life. Images play
a very significant role in this poem, as the volcano is described in many different ways. Images
are not only visual; they can present their sensory impressions to the reader, but go beyond
that, expanding from being merely descriptive to becoming figurative. The images vary widely,
from having the lips of a young child in the third stanza to having the lava of the volcano look
like excrement or having the same image look like betel nut juice (nganga) in the same stanza.
 What becomes clear, by the last stanza, is that all the images tie together. There is the
impression of beauty and danger, as the final image, that of a beautiful security guard waiting
for the frisk the viewer of the volcano, becoming both warning and invitation at the same time.
E. About the Poet
A Volacanic Poet
Kristian Sendon Cordero was once described by the poet Marne Kilates as the “enfant terrible”
of Bikol writing. The term enfant terrible (associated with the French poet Arthur Rimabud) usually
erferes to a person who is controversial, often by being innovative and questioning of the
establishment, both of which Cordero has done. Aside from making it to the mainstream and
venturing into independent publishing, he has also innovated by intelligently participating in critical
discourse in his region. He has multiple Palanca awards in poetry, such as the National Commission
on Culture and the Arts Writer’s Prize for Bikol poetry in 2007, the 6 th Madrigal Gonzales First Book
Award, the Maningning Miclat Poetry Prize in Filipino in 2009, the Premio Tomas Areloja Literary
Prize, and the Homelife Poetry Contest.
Cordero is a weel- antologized poet and has published collections of his own such as Canticos:
Apat na Boses (UST Publishing House, 2013) and Labi (Ateneo de Manila Press, 2013). He is also a
filmmaker; his film Angustia was released in 2013. He has edited a number of collections such as
The Naga We Know, a collection of essays coedited with Paz Verdadez Santos, and Sagurong, which
he coedited with Santos as well.
F. Bikol Literature- A Tradition in Transition
Cordero’s writing, both in terms of his poetics and his articles, points to a turn in the
development of Bikol literature. While its strong writing tradition was stymied under Spanish rule,
it returned with a critical attitude as can be seen in Bikol writer Mariano Perfecto’s An Pagguiao
kan mga Pastores can pagcamondag ni Jesus duman sa Portal sa Belen. This play present the
awakening of the shepherds during the birth of Jesus and juxtaposes the irony of Catholic
faithfulness of the Filipino and the faithfulness of the Filipino and the Faithlessness of the
Spaniards.
Bikol writing is also featured the corrido and the comedia, the former being a metered romance
and the latter being plays performed to local audiences. Typical of the Bikol writer, the critical
attitude manifested itself in the writing of protest comedias. Even during the highly productive
Commonwealth period when Bikol Writing flourished, poems such as the rawitdawit continued to
showcase a Bicolano critical attitude, and Cordero takes a step forward by fixing a critical eye on
Bicol Literature via translation, saying that the influence of the Catholic Church – given that there
was a prevalence of works translated into the Bicol language during Spanish era-nonetheless also
points to a continuing tradition of literary production in the region. While the translations have
become a key part of the literature of Bicol, he also contends that this is the reason for its
continued survival, even in the light of what has been seen as a “thin” literary production.
G. Regional Perspective and Practices

III. ACTIVITY
Directions: Answer the following questions in a 1 whole sheet of paper
1. Have you seen Mount Mayon up close? If yes, how did you react when you saw it for the first
time? If no, how would your reaction be?
2. Can other events have the same effect on us as a volcanic eruption? Can you name some?
3. What other volcanoes in the Philippines do you know? Research and take note of their histories.

IV. ASSESSMENT
Directions: Choose only the letter of the correct answer. Write your answer in the space provided.
_1. According to the poem, what led to the creation of the volcano?
A. The arrow used by Pagtuga
B. A war that led to Magayon’s death
C. The poison of the arrow of Pagtuga
D. The legend of Daragang Magayon
_2. In the second stanza, the area around Mayon’s foot is described as___.
A. A graveyard
B. A faith
C. A disaster zone
D. A myth
_3. What is the persona in the poem waiting for in the third stanza?
A. For the volcano to erupt
B. For the volcano to show its peak
C. For the volcano to blow more smoke
D. For the volcano to be covered in clouds.
_4. The fourth stanza is viewed differently by how many persons?
A. One
B. Two
C. Three
D. Four
_5. On which stanza showcases the death of Magayon and the birth of the volcano?
A. First
B. Second
C. Third
D. Fourth