Life and Works of Rizal

Anido Marold A. 02-19-2020

II- Ab Communication. Sir Vener Rodriguez

Poems and Its Meaning:

Un Recuerdo A Mi Pueblo

-(A Tribute To My Town) when he was 15 years old in 1876. He was then a student in Ateneo de
Municipal. Rizal, being away from his family, reminisced his memories of childhood in his hometown,
Calamba, Laguna and wrote this poem to express his love and appreciation for the place where he grew
up.

A La Educacion

-(To Education) A literary achievement during his ateneo days. Rizal compared education to the goddess
of light, wisdon, gope, peace and truth. He likewise compared education to an eternal lighthouse.

Alianza Intima Entre La Religion Y La Buena Education

-(The Intimate Alliance Between Religion and Education) Rizal wrote this poem on April 19th 1876 when
he was only fifteen years old and studying at Ateneo de Manila. The poem reflects the very strong
connection between Jesuit education and faith.

Sa Aking Mga Kabata

-Rizal wrote the poem entitled “Sa aking mga Kababata” when he was eight years old. This poem had a
strong sense of nationalism expressing Rizal’s love for our own language. He emphasized the significance
and the usage of our mother tongue. Mother tongue was the language we learned since birth (which
was Filipino). It gave us a sense of identity. Language could not only be our way to communicate but it
also served as the reflection of our culture. Rizal also highlighted on this poem that all languages were
equal in terms of its significance and usage. Filipino language like other languages had its own alphabet
and words. The values and attitude that still valid and usable today is we should be more proud of our
nationality and identity, and by enriching our language we could show our sense of pride as Filipinos.

A la Juventud Filipina
-(To the Philippine Youth) An inspiring poem that states that the Filipino youth are capable of great
heights. It urges the Filipino youth to reach their potential by harnessing their skills and talents for the
betterment of our countrymen.

Me Piden Versos

-(They Ask Me for Verses) reflects how sad it was for Rizal to be able to stir emotions through his poems
but have them stifled by the Spaniards. Jose Rizal became an acclaimed poet even after his martyrdom.

Por La Educacion Recibe Lustre La Patria

-(Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light) The poem tells us how education is important to
every human, because without education we cannot reach our goals in life. Aside from that it is also one
of the most effective way to make our country proud and no one can steal it from us.

Hymn to Talisay

-This poem written by Dr. Jose Rizal is not a typical poem since it is written by Dr. Rizal to allow his pupils
feel that they are still capable while experiencing challenges with their studies. His description of the
talisay tree most likely encourage the young ones to be like a talisay tree that grows so firm and elate.
He personally relate his experience as a young lad driven by his ambition to learn more and achieved the
highest possible level of education he wanted, made him to travel to Dapitan and there be exiled just to
be transformed by the experiences he had as a young lad. He probably knew at his young age that
everything regarding his life is about to change and that the only way he can pursue his dream is to be
more of a grown and matured man. He attest that problems and trials are simply part of one's life and
the only thing man can do is to fight the battle with all courage of heart and great determination.

Kundiman

-Jose Rizal wrote “Kundiman” in Tagalog on September 12th 1891. The theme of Rizal’s “Kundiman” is
his intense love for his Motherland.

A las Flores del Heidelberg

-(To The Flowers of Heidelberg) is simply an expression of his sadness. as he remembered his family
whom he loves so much. Forget me not Flowers.

A La Señorita CO y R
-(To Miss C.O. and R) is a poem written by the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal dedicated to Consuelo
Ortiga y Rey, the daughter of Don Pablo Ortiga who fell in love with him. But unfortunately, Rizal backed
out on this relationship because he wanted to be loyal to Leonor Rivera. This became one of his best
poems. He wrote this on 22 August 1883. The poem speaks of Rizal not being happy and definitely
confused on the relationship he has with Consuelo.

A Filipinas

-(To The Philippines) Rizal as our national hero showed unselfish love for his country by laying his own
life in martyrdom and awakening people’s patriotic fervor so that Philippines would be freed from
Spanish tyranny.

Canto De Maria Clara

-(The Song of Maria Clara) is from one of the chapters of Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere.  It is a poem
that depicts his feelings for his mother land, the Philippines.  This song is strange and sad as the last
stanza reveals the premonition which Rizal had of the coming doom.

Hymno Al Trabajo

-(Hymn to Labor) The poem Himno Al Trabajo was written by Jose Rizal at the request of his friends from
Lipa, Batangas who wanted a hymn during the elevation of the then, municipality of Lipa to a city in
January 1888 through the Becerra Law. The hymn is praise to the zeal and industry of the Lipeños.
Himno Al Trabaho states that the Lipeños will always be willing to work hard for the country. The poem
is composed of lyrical conversations of men, wives, maidens and children. The men encourage others to
farm; they believe that agriculture is the hope towards progress. The wives, who are always situated at
home, are credited for taking care of the household chores and educating their children. The children,
on the other hand, yearn for the adults to teach them on how to work productively.

A Mi Musa

-(To My Muse) is a calling to remember the symphony of words, the celebration of music, the passion
that animates the arts. as it captures and gives meaning to the fragilities of life - love, death and
everything in between and beyond it.