Moonlight on Manila Bay
Fernando M. Maramag
A light serene, ethereal glory rests (show lightness of feeling as if someone having relaxation)
Its beams effulgent on each cresting wave; ( the radiating light which might be a symbol of the unending hope of success at the top of everything)
The silver touches of the moonlight lave
The deep bare bosom that the breeze molests;
While lingering whispers deepen as the wavy crests
Roll with weird rhythm, now gay, now gently grave;
And floods of lambent light appear the sea to pave-
All cast a spell that heeds not time’s behests.
Not always such the scene: the din of fight
Has swelled the murmur of the peaceful air;
Here East and West have oft displayed their might;
Dark battle clouds have dimmed this scene so fair;
Here bold Olympia, one historic night,
Presaging freedom, claimed a people’s care.
Words to Ponder!!!!!!
Serene- Not agitated; without losing self-possession
Ethereal- Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air
Effulgent- Radiating or as if radiating light
Cresting- Lie at the top of
Lave- Wash or flow against
Molest- Harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to
Lambent- Softly bright or radiant
Behests- An authoritative command or request
Pave-Cover with a material such as stone or concrete to make suitable for vehicle traffic
Swelled- Feeling self-importance
Presaging- Indicate by signs
Interpretation:
On my own analysis of the poem I think it talks all about peacefulness until it turned to the dark phase which is I think about battle or might be about war. On the first line down to the third stanza it talks about hope and some sorts of positive ambiance.
“a light serene ethereal glory, rests/its beams effulgent on each cresting wave/ the silver touches of the moonlight lave” most words being used here symbolises light like the ethereal, effulgent and cresting and I think for me light is a representation of hope and inspiration. Not to think it literally the
Manila Bay is a representation of the betrayal of the American and Spain who pretend to have a war to deceive the Philippines and make us believe that they were really against from each other but actually after the “mock battle of Manila Bay” May 1, 1898 the treaty of Paris has been signed which allowed the America to empowered over the Philippines.
So I think it talks more about some historical background. On the line 5 to 8 it seems that the tone of the poem which at first seemed to be so silent and so solemn change into something peculiar silence like in the grave and based on some lines it stated that “the floods of lambent light appear the sea to pave “ it seems that the hope was slowly disappearing as if there is a spell or cursed being put up into the place. But then it ended and the peaceful air came which means something had ended and here it might be pointing about colonization which is common to that time.
Then when I reached at the last four stanzas I clearly see the idea that it was about the east which is the Philippines and the West represents the western country which were described to display their might or their different capability of who is stronger among the two of them. The dark clouds was the time of the chaos in the country but then the so called “here bold Olympia, one historic night, presaging freedom, claimed a people’s care.” So The Philippines which is a metaphor of the bold Olympia that stands strong after the battle and that was the sign that freedom will be given to the people and its country.
So now I can conclude that the author intended to write about the Philippines encounter with the problem against the foreign colonizer. Since it was written during 1912 I think it was inspired by the Mock on Manila bay because I observe most of the writer during this time their most topic was about patriotism, and something about Philippine history.
CAGAYANO PEASANT SONGS
In the shady woods I know
Where the bashful jungle fowls are keeping their helpless young. They are blow
The trees by which the rill is weeping.
Beneath the rapids frown
Where the white ripples madly run,
There is where I have known
Fair itubi is courted by luran.
And if to me ‘twere only known
Where the heron’s egg are laid
In the deep still river’s bed
They were treasures rare to own.
Words to Ponder!!!!!!
Bashful - Self-consciously timid
Fowl-A domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl
Rill- A small stream
Ripples -A small wave on the surface of a liquid
Interpretation:
Actually I don’t really get the idea or the real message of this poem because I know there are something more hidden and deeper thoughts on this. But if I will interpret it literally it was about the fowls which is a domesticated bird whose young ones are hopeless maybe because they were tired and they stay below the trees near the stream and there is the itube courting luran maybe playing in the smooth motion of the water. (basta nalibog jud ko ay wala ko kasabot ani nga poem werela kayo kay naay peasant ang title pero about birds2x ang naa heron og fowls. Hahay napulaw nalang sad ko dah… wa ghapon ko ka G!!!!!!!!!!)T_T
The dreamers Heritage
Though dreamer of Melancholy songs,
What heritage is thine?
The epic line in all things fair,
Its harmony is mine.
The Eden joy and lingering pain,
They pass into my soul
For joy and pain have melodies
That through my being roll.
And less are science and philosophy
Than an immortal line
Whose notes sublime in mortal man
May reach the man divine.
And heir am I to a sweet desire
To charm from out all things
Truth essence that to the spirit yields Themes for its murmurings:
Ah! Not a rose with cankered leaves but claims from me a sigh;
And not a maid with a lyric grace
But wakes a lyric cry.
What is it to gaze at a virgins face
And read the love that’s there?
A lily seen in the dusk of dawn is not more pure, more fair.
each feeling finds echo
In ev’ry beauty that I see;
The music of their form, their poetry-
A heritage for me.
Words to Ponder!!!
Thine- Yours; belonging to you
Eden- Any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
Heir- A person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another
Cankered- Become infected with a canker, came down
Wakes- The consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event)
Gaze-Look at with fixed eyes
Dusk- The time of day immediately following sunset
Interpretation:
1. What is being expressed in the poem ?
The poem expresses a feeling of great gratitude about the heritage he acquired from the people who brought poetry in our life. It seems that the poem expresses the soul of the author who is passionate about what is poetry in his life.
2. What is the intent of the author?
So far, the poem for me obviously intended to speak about an overwhelming emotion he found in the beauty of poetry. As we know Fernando Maramag is a famous writer specially during his time.For him poetry is his music, his harmony that Everytime he write he feel a certain joy that passes into his soul.
Among the poems I read I really like this one its so simple but I can relate to it because I love poetry.
Fernando M. Maramag
A light serene, ethereal glory rests (show lightness of feeling as if someone having relaxation)
Its beams effulgent on each cresting wave; ( the radiating light which might be a symbol of the unending hope of success at the top of everything)
The silver touches of the moonlight lave
The deep bare bosom that the breeze molests;
While lingering whispers deepen as the wavy crests
Roll with weird rhythm, now gay, now gently grave;
And floods of lambent light appear the sea to pave-
All cast a spell that heeds not time’s behests.
Not always such the scene: the din of fight
Has swelled the murmur of the peaceful air;
Here East and West have oft displayed their might;
Dark battle clouds have dimmed this scene so fair;
Here bold Olympia, one historic night,
Presaging freedom, claimed a people’s care.
Words to Ponder!!!!!!
Serene- Not agitated; without losing self-possession
Ethereal- Characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air
Effulgent- Radiating or as if radiating light
Cresting- Lie at the top of
Lave- Wash or flow against
Molest- Harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to
Lambent- Softly bright or radiant
Behests- An authoritative command or request
Pave-Cover with a material such as stone or concrete to make suitable for vehicle traffic
Swelled- Feeling self-importance
Presaging- Indicate by signs
Interpretation:
On my own analysis of the poem I think it talks all about peacefulness until it turned to the dark phase which is I think about battle or might be about war. On the first line down to the third stanza it talks about hope and some sorts of positive ambiance.
“a light serene ethereal glory, rests/its beams effulgent on each cresting wave/ the silver touches of the moonlight lave” most words being used here symbolises light like the ethereal, effulgent and cresting and I think for me light is a representation of hope and inspiration. Not to think it literally the
Manila Bay is a representation of the betrayal of the American and Spain who pretend to have a war to deceive the Philippines and make us believe that they were really against from each other but actually after the “mock battle of Manila Bay” May 1, 1898 the treaty of Paris has been signed which allowed the America to empowered over the Philippines.
So I think it talks more about some historical background. On the line 5 to 8 it seems that the tone of the poem which at first seemed to be so silent and so solemn change into something peculiar silence like in the grave and based on some lines it stated that “the floods of lambent light appear the sea to pave “ it seems that the hope was slowly disappearing as if there is a spell or cursed being put up into the place. But then it ended and the peaceful air came which means something had ended and here it might be pointing about colonization which is common to that time.
Then when I reached at the last four stanzas I clearly see the idea that it was about the east which is the Philippines and the West represents the western country which were described to display their might or their different capability of who is stronger among the two of them. The dark clouds was the time of the chaos in the country but then the so called “here bold Olympia, one historic night, presaging freedom, claimed a people’s care.” So The Philippines which is a metaphor of the bold Olympia that stands strong after the battle and that was the sign that freedom will be given to the people and its country.
So now I can conclude that the author intended to write about the Philippines encounter with the problem against the foreign colonizer. Since it was written during 1912 I think it was inspired by the Mock on Manila bay because I observe most of the writer during this time their most topic was about patriotism, and something about Philippine history.
CAGAYANO PEASANT SONGS
In the shady woods I know
Where the bashful jungle fowls are keeping their helpless young. They are blow
The trees by which the rill is weeping.
Beneath the rapids frown
Where the white ripples madly run,
There is where I have known
Fair itubi is courted by luran.
And if to me ‘twere only known
Where the heron’s egg are laid
In the deep still river’s bed
They were treasures rare to own.
Words to Ponder!!!!!!
Bashful - Self-consciously timid
Fowl-A domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl
Rill- A small stream
Ripples -A small wave on the surface of a liquid
Interpretation:
Actually I don’t really get the idea or the real message of this poem because I know there are something more hidden and deeper thoughts on this. But if I will interpret it literally it was about the fowls which is a domesticated bird whose young ones are hopeless maybe because they were tired and they stay below the trees near the stream and there is the itube courting luran maybe playing in the smooth motion of the water. (basta nalibog jud ko ay wala ko kasabot ani nga poem werela kayo kay naay peasant ang title pero about birds2x ang naa heron og fowls. Hahay napulaw nalang sad ko dah… wa ghapon ko ka G!!!!!!!!!!)T_T
The dreamers Heritage
Though dreamer of Melancholy songs,
What heritage is thine?
The epic line in all things fair,
Its harmony is mine.
The Eden joy and lingering pain,
They pass into my soul
For joy and pain have melodies
That through my being roll.
And less are science and philosophy
Than an immortal line
Whose notes sublime in mortal man
May reach the man divine.
And heir am I to a sweet desire
To charm from out all things
Truth essence that to the spirit yields Themes for its murmurings:
Ah! Not a rose with cankered leaves but claims from me a sigh;
And not a maid with a lyric grace
But wakes a lyric cry.
What is it to gaze at a virgins face
And read the love that’s there?
A lily seen in the dusk of dawn is not more pure, more fair.
each feeling finds echo
In ev’ry beauty that I see;
The music of their form, their poetry-
A heritage for me.
Words to Ponder!!!
Thine- Yours; belonging to you
Eden- Any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
Heir- A person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another
Cankered- Become infected with a canker, came down
Wakes- The consequences of an event (especially a catastrophic event)
Gaze-Look at with fixed eyes
Dusk- The time of day immediately following sunset
Interpretation:
1. What is being expressed in the poem ?
The poem expresses a feeling of great gratitude about the heritage he acquired from the people who brought poetry in our life. It seems that the poem expresses the soul of the author who is passionate about what is poetry in his life.
2. What is the intent of the author?
So far, the poem for me obviously intended to speak about an overwhelming emotion he found in the beauty of poetry. As we know Fernando Maramag is a famous writer specially during his time.For him poetry is his music, his harmony that Everytime he write he feel a certain joy that passes into his soul.
Among the poems I read I really like this one its so simple but I can relate to it because I love poetry.
