Fadwa Tuqan's "Song of Becoming" reminds me of my childhood friend. I remember the days when we were riding our bicycles roaming around our small barrio to play with other children. The child, whom I once enjoyed the company but can't have even a single dimple on her face today. Memories I recall, innocence we had, but is hard to redecorate now. Maybe because of the thought of what we are becoming right now. The stage wherein we became an adult, being molded and have known issues pressing the present situation we have.
Just like Tuqan's poem, as the title barely implies, becoming which means to become. It is shaping something, the environment, experiences and other factors shaping that something into what it is today. It centers on the life of two young men; from the times of their childhood until adulthood, then to what they are now and the rest of their life's notes. The boys enjoying their childhood until they become the ..."trees plunging deep roots into the earth, stretching high towards the sun." It tells us the boys have grown up into someone who can now decide and stand firm on their own. They have shaped by the environmental factors and experiences thay had. They may enjoy the times of the past but there is also a moment in life wherein they will become the past itself and become a story handed down for generations among a people.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Guests on the Sea
Mahmoud Darwish, is a recognized Palestinian poet, whose prose gave voice to the Palestinian experience of exile, occupation and infighting in his poem Guests on the Sea. The poem conveys the sentiments of a Palestinian who are in crusade for a land that they could call their own. Darwish himself has experienced being a visitor, a guest to say so, just likje any other Palestinian. The poem cannot be easily understood if the reader itself do not have any background about the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. The phrase "glue of memory" elicits a feeling of being not a part of something, being a nation and not a country. The vastness of the sea implies the unbounded and the extent feeling of the Palestinians of wanting a land, a land on their own and not in control with others.
Moreover, the line .." Is there another rock over which to offer a new sacrifice for your mercy?” , is a biblical allusion which means that they will do everything, whatever it may gave or take it from them --- even death. While the repetition of the line "sea, do not give us the song we do not deserve", stresses out an admonition of wishing for something they cannot own. It also picture outs the ambiguity of a Palestinian mind wanted to reach for their goal and shift their doubts to a a certain approach because it would be a longer trip for them in the sea, full of hope!
Moreover, the line .." Is there another rock over which to offer a new sacrifice for your mercy?” , is a biblical allusion which means that they will do everything, whatever it may gave or take it from them --- even death. While the repetition of the line "sea, do not give us the song we do not deserve", stresses out an admonition of wishing for something they cannot own. It also picture outs the ambiguity of a Palestinian mind wanted to reach for their goal and shift their doubts to a a certain approach because it would be a longer trip for them in the sea, full of hope!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The Journey
When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty
The quotation above best describes "The Journey" by Maxine Kumin. In the poem the narrator is the mother talking to her thirteen year old girl about the other world she will be going through. Mothers have historically fulfilled the primary role in raising children. Being one is an outstanding and an extraordinary role a person specifically a woman could have. Having a child inside her womb is not and easy job. Keeping and caring for it in nine long months is quite amazing. This may also explains why a mother wanted to have extra care to her child. She wanted to double secure her child, she could not afford to see her child suffer. She wanted her to grow and to raise her child/children the way she did it to them. The mother and child has this invisible threads that connect them which is a partly different bond compared to the father. The mother gives the unequivocal love for her child.
Motherly acts is apparent in the poem, the mother equips her child towards her journey to a completely different world. Inculcate to her the realities that would cloud her as she continue to venture through life. The use of symbolisms added also to the poem's creative presentation. The mentioning of how the gods behave and the swan which means how men can be alluring and mischievous is one I liked most.
The poem also is so into my interest because I can relate to it. It reminded me of my mom's so-called "litany" when she tells me what is right and wrong, what is supposed to do and not to. I now understand why this is so. Every mother wanted whatever is good for her child. It is like a fulfillment on her part seeing her child/children grew the way she wanted and planned. Remember the famous line; "Mother knows best."
~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty
The quotation above best describes "The Journey" by Maxine Kumin. In the poem the narrator is the mother talking to her thirteen year old girl about the other world she will be going through. Mothers have historically fulfilled the primary role in raising children. Being one is an outstanding and an extraordinary role a person specifically a woman could have. Having a child inside her womb is not and easy job. Keeping and caring for it in nine long months is quite amazing. This may also explains why a mother wanted to have extra care to her child. She wanted to double secure her child, she could not afford to see her child suffer. She wanted her to grow and to raise her child/children the way she did it to them. The mother and child has this invisible threads that connect them which is a partly different bond compared to the father. The mother gives the unequivocal love for her child.
Motherly acts is apparent in the poem, the mother equips her child towards her journey to a completely different world. Inculcate to her the realities that would cloud her as she continue to venture through life. The use of symbolisms added also to the poem's creative presentation. The mentioning of how the gods behave and the swan which means how men can be alluring and mischievous is one I liked most.
The poem also is so into my interest because I can relate to it. It reminded me of my mom's so-called "litany" when she tells me what is right and wrong, what is supposed to do and not to. I now understand why this is so. Every mother wanted whatever is good for her child. It is like a fulfillment on her part seeing her child/children grew the way she wanted and planned. Remember the famous line; "Mother knows best."
The LAMB and The TYGER
When I first read the two poems separately, I thought "The Lamb" would all be about godliness and all the spiritual reflections. "The Tyger" as of a violently cruel nature and all the furious stuffs about it. Disengaging myself with the assumption I had, I think the lamb in the poem speaks of an unstained lamb, unblemished, undefiled and chaste lamb. And the tyger as an experienced, sophisticated one.
The Lamb from the Songs of Innocence and the Tyger from the Songs of Experience seemed to contrast each other. But considering the fact that the two poems were created with the same poet seems to untangle my bewilderment on what the two really meant. Do they really contrast or do they co-exist?
For me, they co-exist. It like that life gives meaning to death. More so, to be emptied in order to be full. The two poems lived together without conflict despite its differences. It is that innocence gives meaning to what is experienced and in return experienced gives meaning to innocence. The one exist to give purpose of the other. It is like having balance to everything. Have you ever imagine yourself always happy?, no problem, but do you feel contented with that? It's like looking for something to spice everything up. It is from purity comes the maturity of an individual. Life would be so boring if everything happens smoothly and always satisfies us. If this is so, would we still appreciate the beauty of life's challenges and trials, would we still know God if we do not have any problem?
The one may not be as pleasing as the other but they supplement each other. They gave each other the drift and their purpose. The two co-exist not to refute the other but to create equanimity, harmony and peace.
The Lamb from the Songs of Innocence and the Tyger from the Songs of Experience seemed to contrast each other. But considering the fact that the two poems were created with the same poet seems to untangle my bewilderment on what the two really meant. Do they really contrast or do they co-exist?
For me, they co-exist. It like that life gives meaning to death. More so, to be emptied in order to be full. The two poems lived together without conflict despite its differences. It is that innocence gives meaning to what is experienced and in return experienced gives meaning to innocence. The one exist to give purpose of the other. It is like having balance to everything. Have you ever imagine yourself always happy?, no problem, but do you feel contented with that? It's like looking for something to spice everything up. It is from purity comes the maturity of an individual. Life would be so boring if everything happens smoothly and always satisfies us. If this is so, would we still appreciate the beauty of life's challenges and trials, would we still know God if we do not have any problem?
The one may not be as pleasing as the other but they supplement each other. They gave each other the drift and their purpose. The two co-exist not to refute the other but to create equanimity, harmony and peace.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Better Half
Stay always at home. Watch over our children. Teach them ABC's and 123's every afternoon. Help them in their home works. Cook delicious foods that will entice me and everyone after a hard days work. Use sanitary facilities in preparing foods. Clean our surroundings or else we'll have bacterias and viruses everywhere. Do the laundry everyday. If you do it daily it would not be a hard work for you on a weekend. We do not also need to pay for our laundry. Iron them also so that it will be more comfortable to wear. Maintain our home environment. You can also do lawn activities. We have our backyard. You can manage to plant some vegetables there. Or you can do gardening, orchids? I love it too. But you do not have to do it the whole day. Find also time to recreate. Do not tire yourself, just as long as you're good and the house is alright too. Watch TV programs and talk shows to entertain you. Just be sure that the house won't be taken for granted. When you go to market make sure the house is secure and locked, we have to double secure everything because robbers are now everywhere. Teach our young to help you do the chores so that when they will grow old with enough initiative they will be the ones doing everything for us. Make sure also that appliances those that are using electricity is not wasted. Look after our bills so that we can budget it right. Follow-up also our child's school fees so that I could prepare for it also. No pressure dear, I will always be here for you. Just do not get tired shedding light to our family. We'll still have time for each other. Just do your job and I will do mine with love. Let us now prepare ourselves for the Sunday mass and after it we will go to a restaurant. It will be your day-off sweetie.
The Fury of the Overshoes
"Childhood isn't all that fun and sweet."
The poem "The Fury of the Overshoes" of Anne's Sexton speaks of an innocent child wanting grow old in an instant. His innocence is much showed how he wanted to have everything in an eye's wink-- he indeed do not yet know about most of the things. Anger and frustrations would then be the child's emotion on the poem as is best suggested by the poem's title. The impediments of being unable to become the person he fated to be. It is a usual perplexity of and individual to conceptualize oneself -- to establish one's self. This self conceptualization is not as easy as ABC and 123. It do not happen just by taking giant steps but one step at a time. You need not hurry things because you might slip and fall. You have to take it slowly but surely. And along with this journey comes tests who will push you up and down but still you have to embrace it. Afterall,the world wasn't handed to us on a silver platter, we had to learn.
The poem "The Fury of the Overshoes" of Anne's Sexton speaks of an innocent child wanting grow old in an instant. His innocence is much showed how he wanted to have everything in an eye's wink-- he indeed do not yet know about most of the things. Anger and frustrations would then be the child's emotion on the poem as is best suggested by the poem's title. The impediments of being unable to become the person he fated to be. It is a usual perplexity of and individual to conceptualize oneself -- to establish one's self. This self conceptualization is not as easy as ABC and 123. It do not happen just by taking giant steps but one step at a time. You need not hurry things because you might slip and fall. You have to take it slowly but surely. And along with this journey comes tests who will push you up and down but still you have to embrace it. Afterall,the world wasn't handed to us on a silver platter, we had to learn.
A Review : "Hanging Fire"
Upon reading and rereading the poem I have come into the conclusion of a girl -- an African-American, who is anxious, frustrated and confused on how her life will be. Having known her age (14 yrs. young) she in the role confusion stage of development. She has a fear of death, she always has this negative views of dying. She maybe had this thoughts in her mind because of the color she has. "my skin has betrayed me". She is afraid of being neglected and discriminated. Fears overcome her being.
As I have understood from the title "Hanging Fire", as it was said in class, it is an early weapon and in other researches I did a hang fire is associated with the word delayed, a hanging fire is a firearm which does not immediately takes of because it as if it stops in a second or two before it ignites. I think this best fits the girl's dilemma, she may have certainties in her life but was overpowered by doubts. Instead of doing something she just wait for something to happen. "There is nothing I want to do and too much that has to be done". This also gives us the idea of why she does not open the door where her momma was even if it is closed not locked.
Life can be so doubtful as it is but someone must do something to make his / her life worth it. Destiny is what we make it. It is just we should take one step at a time and expect the undeniable truth that as we take our steps there will always be uncertainties along it.
As I have understood from the title "Hanging Fire", as it was said in class, it is an early weapon and in other researches I did a hang fire is associated with the word delayed, a hanging fire is a firearm which does not immediately takes of because it as if it stops in a second or two before it ignites. I think this best fits the girl's dilemma, she may have certainties in her life but was overpowered by doubts. Instead of doing something she just wait for something to happen. "There is nothing I want to do and too much that has to be done". This also gives us the idea of why she does not open the door where her momma was even if it is closed not locked.
Life can be so doubtful as it is but someone must do something to make his / her life worth it. Destiny is what we make it. It is just we should take one step at a time and expect the undeniable truth that as we take our steps there will always be uncertainties along it.
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