*My English version of Ted Ito's "Maghintay Ka Lamang"
IF TODAY YOU LOSE
FOR TIME RUNS OUT,
THE WORLD WON’T STOP FOR YOU.
YOU FEEL ALONE
IN AN EMPTY ROOM
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR HOME.
NO, DON'T LET THOSE
TO HOLD YOU BACK
NEXT DAY, ALL THESE WILL PASS.
WHEN TOMORROW COMES
AND YOUR DAY BEGINS
YOU WON’T BE SAD AGAIN.
HOPELESSNESS IS NOT THE END
FOR YOU TO BOW YOUR HEAD.
HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH
WHEN YOU ARE PUSHED BACK
BE STRONG AND FIGHT YOUR LAST.
ALL YOU NEED TO HOLD
TO WIN YOUR FIGHT
LIES QUIETLY IN YOUR HAND.
DAYBREAK SOON WILL COME
SO WILL MORNING SHINE
COME TO KISS THE NEW DAY’S SUN.
WHEN TOMORROW COMES
YOU WILL SEE THE TRUTH
THAT THE WORLD IS NOT ALL PAIN,
THAT ALL YOUR DREAMS WILL SOON COME TRUE;
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT A LIFETIME.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Noli Me Tangere - The 4th Reading
This year, the Filipino nation celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of Jose Rizal, "The First Filipino" as described by Leon Ma. Guerrero.
Born om June 19, 1861, Rizal made himself immortal writing two of the best novels this brown nation has ever produced - Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The first time I read Noli was in High School, second was in College, third was two years ago and fourth, a week ago.
The first and second occasions left no impact with much thanks to my former teachers; the third was an awakening; the last time, a sense of wonder. Had Rizal not died in 1896 and lived till he was 40 when life as they say begins, he could have been a Nobel nominee.
However, had he been nominated, surely, the Spanish government would have done to Rizal what the Portuguese government had done to Jose Saramago, the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature Winner. Portugal's conservative government would not allow Saramago's work to compete for the European Literary Prize, arguing that it offended the Catholic community. (José Saramago: Autobiography. 1998. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 2011-02-04)
The above tells us that the world hasn't really changed. The Jose's of the world still fight using their pens. Some quarters still use God to advance personal interests masquerading as humanity's salvation.
The Story of Elias will put to shame the current teleseryes and telenovelas, be it locally made or Korean made. Ibarra, as a tragic hero can be placed side by side Oedipus and Medea.
While it is true that Noli is way too didactic and that both Ibarra and Elias are used shamelessly as mouthpieces of Rizal, one can't disregard the fact that a piece of literature gets conceived precisely for that.
That is Noli.
As of last night, I have read the first 14 chapters of El Filibusterismo.
Born om June 19, 1861, Rizal made himself immortal writing two of the best novels this brown nation has ever produced - Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
The first time I read Noli was in High School, second was in College, third was two years ago and fourth, a week ago.
The first and second occasions left no impact with much thanks to my former teachers; the third was an awakening; the last time, a sense of wonder. Had Rizal not died in 1896 and lived till he was 40 when life as they say begins, he could have been a Nobel nominee.
However, had he been nominated, surely, the Spanish government would have done to Rizal what the Portuguese government had done to Jose Saramago, the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature Winner. Portugal's conservative government would not allow Saramago's work to compete for the European Literary Prize, arguing that it offended the Catholic community. (José Saramago: Autobiography. 1998. Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 2011-02-04)
The above tells us that the world hasn't really changed. The Jose's of the world still fight using their pens. Some quarters still use God to advance personal interests masquerading as humanity's salvation.
The Story of Elias will put to shame the current teleseryes and telenovelas, be it locally made or Korean made. Ibarra, as a tragic hero can be placed side by side Oedipus and Medea.
While it is true that Noli is way too didactic and that both Ibarra and Elias are used shamelessly as mouthpieces of Rizal, one can't disregard the fact that a piece of literature gets conceived precisely for that.
That is Noli.
As of last night, I have read the first 14 chapters of El Filibusterismo.
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