Fernando Maramag – Biography & Some of His Notable Works

April 25, 2022 by Jeel Monde in Categories Educational Articles

Here’s the life story of Fernando Maramag and some of his works and achievements.

FERNANDO MARAMAG – This is the life story of the famous Filipino poet, journalist, and teacher
Fernando Maramag. Born on January 21, 1893, in Ilagan, Isabela is Fernando Maramag – a
Filipino poet, journalist, editor, essayist, and teacher. Maramag’s parents are Rafael Maramag
and Victoria Mamuri. His mother was a Spanish mestiza. At the age of 15, he went to Philippine
Normal School (now Philippine Normal University) and later on transferred to the University of the
Philippines. He graduated from the latter institution. And in the same institution, he wrote for the
school paper and was the editor-in-chief.

In UP, he had Jose Hilario and Pilar Hidalgo Lim as his classmates. At the age of 21, he became
the principal of Instituto de Manila and an English professor at UP and at San Juan de Letran. He
got married to Constancia Ablaza and together, they’ve had six children.

Some of his achievements include being an editor of The Manila Tribune, Rising Philippines, The
Philippines Herald, and the National Weekly. He was also the chief of the publications division of
the Department of Justice. He was also the technical assistant to Manuel L. Quezon and later on
became President of the Philippine Senate.

He passed away on October 23, 1936.

Here’s one of his famous poems called “The Rural Maid”:

1.
Thy glance, sweet maid, when first we met,
Had left a heart that aches for thee,
I feel the pain of fond regret—
Thy heart, perchance, is not for me.

2.
We parted: though we met no more,
My dreams are dreams of thee, fair maid;
I think of thee, my thoughts implore
The hours my lips on thine are laid.

3.
Forgive these words that love impart,
And pleading, bare the poet’s breast;
And if a rose with thorns thou art,
Yet on my breast that rose may rest.

4.
I know not what to name thy charms,
Thou art half human, half divine;
And if I could hold thee in my arms,
I know both heaven and earth were mine.

As a poet and essayist, here are some of his famous works:

• English translation of “Cagayanon Labor Song”

• English translation of “A Translation of an Orphan’s Song”
• English translation of “Cagayano Peasant Song”
• “To a Youth” (poem)
• “The Aetheist” (poem)
• “Moonlight on Manila Bay” (poem)
• “My Queen Tagala” (poem)
• “A Christ Without a Cross” (poem)
• “Jose Rizal” (poem)
• “The Presentation” (poem)