WRITINGS OF RIZAL

OVERVIEW

Poetry is a literary work where feeling and ideas are expressed with style’ and rhythm
(Lehmann et al., 2018). Dr. Jose Rizal’s genius and love for his country and countrymen
were manifested not only in his novels but also through poetry. This chapter is collection
of Dr. Jose Rizal’s known poems and poetry. Rizal’s message of love for family,
country, and countrymen is true then and now.

The poem “To My Fellow Children” is still believed to be the first poem that Rizal
wrote at the very tender age of eight. However, dispute arose to the poem’s authorship
because it is believed that concepts and the words that were used in the poem were too
mature to have been used by an eight-year-old child. Even if the authorship claim
remains open, this poem is still believed to be written by Rizal.

Rizal showed his eternal love and appreciation for his mother in “My First
Inspiration.” Meanwhile, “To the Philippine Youth” was Rizal’s award-winning poem. At
eighteen years old, he wrote this poem as his entry to the Liceo Artistico-Literario
(Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of Manila Literary Contest. His prize? A silver pen.

Dr. Jose Rizal was a member of the Circulo Hispano Filipino, a society of
Spaniards and Filipinos in Madrid. There he wrote “They Asked Me for Verses”
reflecting on his ability to stir up emotions through poems but stifled and muted by the
Spanish colonists in his own country.

Rizal once stayed in Heidelberg, Germany. While studying there, Rizal noticed a
particular flower that seemed to remind him of the flowers in his hometown, Calamba.
The poem “To the Flowers of Heidelberg” shows how much Rizal loved and missed the
Philippines.

“The song of Maria Clara” is part of the novel Noli Me Tangere. In the novel,
Maria Clara sang a song for her friends. On the other hand, Rizal wrote “The Song of
the Traveler” upon receiving the news that he would travel to Cuba as a military doctor
and be a part of the humanitarian efforts there.

“Hymn to Labor” was written upon the request of Rizal’s friends from Lipa,
Batangas. The Batangenos wanted a hymn to commemorate the event that Lipa
became a city. Rizal dedicated this poem to the industrious people of Lipa, Batangas.

“My Last Farewell” is perhaps Dr. Jose Rizal’s most celebrated poem. It is also
considered to be the most patriotic poem ever written. Rizal wrote this on December 30,
1896 – the night before his execution. However, a day before he wrote the poem, when
his mother, sisters, and nephews came by to visit, Rizal told his sister Trinidad that
there was something inside the lamp he was using. Rizal spoke in English so that the
guards would not know what they were talking about. After his death, the guards gave
Rizal’s things to his family, including the lamp. When they arrived home, they opened
the lamp and there tucked inside was a folded piece of paper. It was an unsigned,
undated, and untitled poem that Rizal wrote. Rizal’s family made copies of the poem
and sent it to his friends here in the country and abroad. Mariano Ponce published the
poem in Hong Kong and gave it a title “Mi Ultimo Pensamiento.” However, the more
popular title “Mi Ultimo Adios” was given by a Filipino priest named Father Mariano
Dacanay.

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Assess Rizal’s writings;

2. Appraise the value of understanding the past; and

3. Frame arguments based on evidence.

Instructions: Answer the following questions.

On “To My Fellow Children”

On “To the Filipino Youth”

1. What was Rizal’s message in the poem “My First Inspiration”?

On “To the Filipino Youth”

2. What was Rizal’s message to the Filipino youth?

3. In Rizal’s poem, what did the flower of Heidelberg symbolize?

On “The Song of the Traveler”

4. Discuss the poem “The Song of Maria Clara” was about”.

On “My Last Farewell”

5. Rizal was executed shortly after he wrote “My Last Farewell”

What was Rizal’s purpose in writing this poem? Did he achieve his purpose?

6. How did the poem affect you?