MY FIRST INSPIRATION (MI PRIMERA INSPIRACION, The third stanza, of course, begins to merge the

1874) two images in a subtle way: the birds "start" to

sing (or are startled into singing) by the sound of
the wind blowing.
 When: Rizal wrote this poem during his third
The wind would supply them breath for singing,
academic year in Ateneo de Municipal in 1874,
but it also seems to "inspire" their singing, as in
before he turned 14-years-old.
above; that is, it stimulates them to a high level of
 What: 1st poem Rizal wrote when he was in Ateneo
activity.
de Municipal
 Why: The poem was written by Rizal in honor of his
4
mother’s birthday and her release from prison Why should the spring that glows
after almost 2 years. its crystalline murmur be tuning
 Theme: Eternal love and appreciation for his to the zephyr's mellow crooning
mother, Dona Teodora Alonso y Realonda, and the as among the flowers it flows?
beautiful and strong bond between mother and
child
In the fourth stanza, the spring of water tunes its
1 murmur likewise to the sound of the breezes
Why falls so rich a spray
(zephyrs) as it flows along among the flowers.
of fragrance from the bowers
of the balmy flowers
upon this festive day? Hence, in this first half of the poem we have music
of birds and brook "inspired" by the wind; that is,
the very air we breathe. We also breathe in the
This poem speaks to inspiration in the first stanza
fragrance of the flowers (among which the brook
as, “the act of breathing in; the inhalation of air
flows), for it is borne on the wind. The imagery of
into the lungs”, the breathing in of sweet aromas
these first four stanzas is, thus, neatly tied
on what is declared to be a "festive day."
together, giving us a sense of the festivity of a
beautiful spring day in nature. The poem could be
2
Why from woods and vales complete at this point; it would be a sweet little
do we hear sweet measures ringing nature poem, a song.
that seem to be the singing
of a choir of nightingales?
But the poem moves in a different direction now.

5
Why seems to me more endearing,
The second stanza moves to the sweet, musical
fairer than on other days,
sound of birds singing in the woods and vales on
the dawn's enchanting face
such a day.
among red clouds appearing? 
3
Why in the grass below 6
The reason, dear mother, is
do birds start at the wind's noises,
they feast your day of bloom:
unleashing their honeyed voices
the rose with its perfume,
as they hop from bough to bough?
the bird with its harmonies.

7
And the spring that rings with laughter
upon this joyful day
with its murmur seems to say:
"Live happily ever after!"
SA AKING MGA KABABABATA (TO MY FELLOW
The poem, it turns out, is addressed to the
CHILDREN, 1869)
speaker's mother, and it is her day of "blooming"
(birthday).  When: Rizal wrote the poem when he was 8-years-
old in 1869
The perfume of the flowers, the songs of the birds,  Theme: This poem had a strong sense of
and the sound of the bubbling brook all celebrate nationalism expressing love for our own language.
her day, they "feast" in her honor. They wish her  Rizal emphasized the significance and the usage of
all the best: "Live happily ever after." our mother tongue.
 Mother tongue was the language he learned since
8 birth (Filipino). It gave us a sense of identity.
And from that spring in the grove
 Language could not only be our way to
now turn to hear the first note
communicate but it also served as the reflection of
that from my lute I emote
our culture.
to the impulse of my love.
 Rizal also highlighted on this poem that all
languages were equal in terms of its significance
and usage.
Now the poem becomes more fragile, more
 Filipino language like other languages had its own
understated. For one's "dear mother" is also one's
alphabet and words.
inspiration--there at one's first breath in life, there
 The values and attitude that are still valid and
to move one toward creative acts or ideas.
usable today is we should be prouder of our
nationality and identity, and by enriching our
So, in the last stanza the speaker acts out the
language we could show our sense of pride as
feeling. Joining the music of the brook (and of the
Filipinos.
birds and the winds), the speaker will play upon a
lute. The mother is asked to turn from Nature to
Human Art, from the birds and the brook to the Kapagka ang baya'y sadyang umiibig
sound of the lute expressing emotion wordlessly.
Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
And what is the "inspiration" that moves the lutist
to play? “The impulse of my love." Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.
The speaker's love for the mother. The mother's
love reflected in her child.
Pagkat ang salita'y isang kahatulan
Sa bayan, sa nayo't mga kaharian,
At ang isang tao'y katulad, kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda,
Kaya ang marapat pagyamaning kusa
Na tulad sa isang tunay na nagpala.
 THE INTIMATE ALLIANCE BETWEEN RELIGION AND
Ang wikang tagalog tulad din sa latin, GOOD EDUCATION (ALIANZA INTIMA ENTRE LA
RELIGION Y LA BUENA EDUCACION, 1876)
Sa ingles, kastila at salitang anghel
 When: Rizal wrote this poem before entering his
Sapagka't ang poong maalam tumingin
fifth academic year in Ateneo de Municipal in
Ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin. April, 1876

 Why: The poem was written by Rizal to show the

Ang salita nati'y huwad din sa iba important relationship between religion and
education
Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
 Theme: The importance of the relation of Religion
Na kaya nawala'y dinatnan ng sigwa
and Education for the future of the youth
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una

Rizal shared his thought about the importance of

education to enlighten the nation which was useful to
gain societal freedom for every nation. It may also
provide us the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude
to expand the horizon of our thoughts. However, this
would not be enough to be properly educated. Rizal
thought that there was really an intimate alliance
between religion and good education. A man who was
properly educated needed to apply what he learned on
spiritual view rather than simply on material
achievements. The result of good education always
fulfilled a growing uprightness and valuable virtue
within the bounce of spiritual and moral dimensions.
There should also be growing dignified fulfillment and
application to the teachings of religion.

Without religion, human education may result to chaos

and disorder in any civilized nation because people
may no longer value freedom, respect, dignity and
other good virtues that maintain societal order. It may
result to a natural disaster just as the angered sea,
which characterized the fierce winds that may, wrecked
the vessel in the deep abysses. Rizal knew that religion
had a profound effect to education, the educated must
internalized the virtue of incorruptible life based on
the ethical and moral standard of the society.

THROUGH EDUCATION OUR MOTHER RECEIVES LIGHT
(POR LA EDUCACION RECIBE LUSTRE LA PATRIA, 1876)
 When: Rizal wrote this poem during in Ateneo de
Municipal in 1876, at the age of 15-years-old.
 Why: The poem was written by Rizal in honor of his
mother’s birthday and her release from prison
after almost 2 years.
 Theme: Empowerment and enlightenment through
education
This poem proved that Rizal valued education so much
that may give the power of the country to survive from
any forces (barbaric actions, deceits, hostility, vices and
etc.) in the struggles of societal freedom. Through
education, it creates the virtue of power to human
race. This gives security and peace to the motherland
as the Filipinos would learn the sciences and arts as the
basis to calm down the life of the society. Where
education reigns pacify the barbaric action of the
nations. It may neutralize or ceased to exist on crimes
and hostility including vices and deceits because of the
enlightenment of mankind.
The existence of education provides the tranquility to a
more dignified action just the existence on the natural
flow of life. Education shall give a perfect virtue of man
that may overthrow the power of evils and may step on
heavenly path for its good action. Likewise, education
provides goodness to humanity it sheds light for those
who created destruction even from the hands of
fiercest criminal. Furthermore, education may always
survive even from the worst storm, hatred of men, and
raging waves as a consequence the motherland
becomes invincible to evil forces shall be tired and fall
asleep in their raging emotions.
This poem of Rizal had never thought that was
applied to him heroic struggles in his later years of life.
The struggle of human freedom was won because
education provided the key role for thousands of men
honored him. His education provided him the noble
virtue that someday his country was free from the
bondage of foreign oppressor.
In contemporary time, education proves to be key role
to produce of noble man that shades light for his
family and country
TO THE FILIPINO YOUTH (A ‘LA JUVENTUD FILIPINA,
1879)
 University of Sto. Thomas, year 1879, Liceo
Artisitico-Literario (Artistic-Literary Lyceum) of
Manila, held a literary contest. It offered prize for
the best poem by a native or mestizo. Rizal
submitted his poem entitled A ’La Juventud Filipina
(To the Filipino Youth).
• The judges were composed of Spaniards,
totally impressed by Rizal’s poem,they
granted the first prize to him.
• In this poem, Rizal beseeched Filipino youth
to rise from lethargy.
• This winning poem is a classic in Philippine
literature for 2 resons:
 It was the first great poem in Spanish written by a
Filipino and was recognized by Spanish authorities.
 For the first time, it expressed the nationalistic
concept that Filipinos, not foreigners, were the ”fair
hope of the Motherland”.
 Theme: The youth as the hope of the future;
courage and heroism through education
Unfold, oh timid flower!
1
Raise your unruffled brow
On this day, Filipino youth!
Resplendent shines
Your courage rich,
Fair hope of my Motherland!
2
Fly, grand genius,
And infuse them with noble sentiment;
That vigorously rushes,
More rapid then the wind
Its virgin mind to the glorious goal
The first line, "unfold, oh timid flower," implies
that the youth is silent, maybe daunted, and
consequently has not yet gone into full bloom for
whatever reason there is that may have silenced
them. 1In the beginning stanza, Rizal encourages
the youth, by telling them to hold their heads high
for they possess talents, skills, and abilities that
would make their country proud.
2
Here in the second verse, Rizal calls to genius to fill
young minds with noble thoughts and hopes that
as they release their thinking from the chains that
bind, they may be able to soar swiftly high where
the joy of honor is.
4
In the fourth stanza Rizal challenges the youth,
that in their pursuit of knowledge and wisdom they
may humble the hand of Spain, whose proud chin
did not look kindly upon the people whom they
labelled as "Indio’s" and whom they treated with
contempt. He dreams that in their journey to
intellectual greatness they may humble even the
proudest nations that look down on them and
rightfully deserve "a crown that shines, even where
shadows stand."
5
You who ascend
On wings of your rich fantasy,
Seek from Olympus in the clouds

3
Tenderest poetry,
Descend to the arena
Sweeter than nectar and ambrosia
With the pleasant light of arts and sciences
And unbind, Youth,
6
You of the celestial accent,
The heavy chain
Melodious rival of the nightingale,
That fetters your poetic genius
Who with varied melodies,
Dissipate the mortal’s bitter pain
3
Contrary to the second verse, which talked about
ascending and soaring to the heights, this third
stanza now talks about descent, and a downward 5 & 6
In these two stanzas, Rizal calls the youth to
motion of the great genius to fill the earthly seek the beauty of poetry and music, which he
strokes of art and science with their magnificent himself values greatly as essentials in every
ideas. Again, Rizal calls them to break the chains manner of life. He claims that poetry is "sweeter
that bind their intellect. "Poetic genius" here does than nectar and ambrosia”; and that music can
not necessarily pertain to the talent of writing “dissipate the mortal’s bitter pain”.
poetry. Instead, the term "poetic" is simply an
adjective to describe genius, meaning that it is
deep and mystifying and heavy with meaning.

4
See that in the bright zone,
With pious and learned hand,
Offers the son of this native land,
Resplendent crown.
7
In the night serene;
10
You who animate the hand rock Day, oh happy day,
With the impulse of your mind, Philippines genteel, for your soil!
And with prepotent hand makes eternal Bless the Almighty,
The pure memory of the refulgent genius Who with loving desire
Sends you fortune and consolation
7
Speaking to the youth, Rizal says that by the very
impulse of their mind, they are capable of bringing 9 & 10
The last two stanzas are a charge, urging the
to life or animating even something as lifeless and
youth to run, for a glorious crown awaits them.
unmoving as a hard rock. He continues to say that
The "sphere" here pertains to the world, showing
the youth is able, to immortalize their thoughts and
that Rizal believed the Filipino youth is as brilliant
their words through the help of great genius (as he
as those in any other nation, and is able to contend
has done himself).
with even the strongest powers if they only set
This stanza can be arranged in a more their mind to making most of what they already
contemporary English structure as follows: "You have.
can animate the hard rock at the impulse of your
mind; and transform, with the great power of your
mind, the pure memory of great genius into
immortality."

8
And you, who with magic brushes
Are wont to transfer to simple canvas
The varied enchantment of Phoebus, beloved of
Apollo divine,
And the mantle of Nature;

8
Rizal here addresses the youth, comparing their
abilities to a magic brush that can capture even the
most majestic views and the most glorious charms
on a blank canvas.

9
Run! For the sacred flame
Of the genius awaits to be crowned with laurels,
Spreading fame
With trumpet proclaiming
O’er the wide sphere the mortal’s name.