NOLI ME TANGERE

First, since it's difficult to figure out, from the blurry photographs available online, what exactly is being depicted in the Noli's rather busy cover design, here's a brief description: "It was the fashion in those days for authors to be pictured on the front covers of their books (modern book jackets have, in such cases, relegated the author's photograph to the back cover) and there was nothing immodest about it, but Rizal had second thoughts, hesitated and designed another cover. "It was perhaps over elaborate: the title cuts diagonally across the front, covering a handwritten dedication, apparently to his parents, from which the following phrase can be made out: 'In writing...thinking...always...it was you who implanted in me...the first ideas...this manuscript...proof of love.' In the upper corner of the cover is the silhouette of a girl's head (the unfortunate Maria Clara?); at the bottom, two hairy calves protrude from a habit, the feet encased in sandals (Father Damaso, if one is to judge from the opening scene of the Noli). Scattered about are other symbols: a constabulary helmet, a whip, a length of chain, thorny bamboo branches, flowers, and a graveyard cross. It is all very romantic and, in its own way, appropriate." (Guerrero, 133) Elaborate and romantic indeed but also faintly sadomasochistic. Intentionally or not, the cover also plays a trick on the eye of its beholder -- stare at the cover long enough and you'll see a fantastic creature, a chimera really, with the head of a Spanish- India mestiza and the legs of a Spanish friar. The text itself is the torso that the title -- "Touch Me Not" -- bars us, literally and figuratively, from seeing in full. Could this be a grotesque portrait of Rizal's patria adorada? One could argue that the cover is evocative of Philippine colonial society in general -- the feminine "elevated" but also placed in shadow; the religious orders "running" everything "behind" the scenes; and death, cruelty, and bondage amid the lush tropical vegetation. But one could also argue (unoriginally) that the Noli's cover offers a pictorial summary of the main text. Each element of the cover then refers to specific passages in the novel. Which passages? Here are some suggestions. All the passages below are from the mass market paperback edition of the Noli translated by Lacson-Locsin and published by Bookmark in 1996. The silhouette of a girl's head: "'Padre Cura! Padre Cura!' [Padre Salvi] the Spaniards cried to him; but he did not mind them. He ran in the direction of the Capitan Tiago's house. There he breathed a sigh of relief. He saw through the transparent gallery an adorable silhouette full of grace and the lovely contours of Maria Clara and that of her aunt bearing glasses and cups." (366) two hairy calves protruding from a habit, the feet encased in sandals: "However, Padre Damaso is not mysterious like those monks; he is jolly and if the sound of his voice is brusque like that of a man who has never bitten his tongue and who believes everything he utters is sacrosanct and cannot be improved upon, his gay and frank laughter erases this disagreeble impression, even to the extent that one feels bound to forgive him his sockless feet and a pair of hairy legs which would fetch the fortune of a Mendiata in the Quiapo fair." (7) a constabulary helmet: "The Alferez [Dona Consolacion's husband] picked up his helmet, straightened himslef a bit and marched off with loud giant strides. After a few minutes he returned, not making the least sound. He had removed his boots. The servants, accustomed to these spectacles [violent arguments between the Alferez and Dona Consolacion], were usually bored, but the removal of the boots called their attention. They winked at each other." (355) a whip [1]: "[Dona Consolacion] took a few turns in the room twisting the whip in her calloused hands and, stopping all of a sudden in front of Sisa, told her in Spanish, 'Dance!' "...[Dona Consolacion] raised the whip -- that terrible whip familiar to thieves and soldiers, made in Ulango and perfected by the Alferez with twisted wires... And she started to whip lightly the naked feet of the mad woman, whose face contracted with pain,obliging her to defend herself with her hands." (352) a whip [2]: Elias -- "[S]ince he was poor and could not pay for able lawyers, he was condemned to be scourged in public and taken through the streets of Manila. Not long long ago this was in use, this infamous punishment the people call "caballo y vaca," a thousand times worse than death itself. My grandfather, abandoned by all except his young wife, was tied to a horse, followed by a cruel multitude, and flogged on every street corner, before other men, his brothers, and in the neighborhood if the numerous temples of a God of peace." (441-2) a length of chain: "Then you see the streets being tamped down by a chain gang of prisoners with shaved heads, clad in short-sleeved shirts and drawers reaching to the knees, with numbers and letters in blue; chains around their legs, half-wrapped in

dirty rags to reduce the abrasion, or perhaps the coldness of the iron; joined in pairs, sunburnt, prostrate from heat and fatigue, given lashes, and beaten with a club by another prisoner who perhaps found comfort in ill-treating others." (65) thorny bamboo branches: "Bamboo clumps of luxuriant foliage grew alongside the highway. In other times she would stop in their shade. Here she [Sisa] and her lover would rest; with a tender exchange of words he would relieve her of her basket of fruits and vegetables -- ay! that was like dream. The lover became husband; the husband was made into a barangay head and then misfortune started knocking at her door. "As the sun's heat was becoming intense, the soldiers asked her if she wanted rest. "'No, thank you!' she replied with a shudder. "When they approached the town she was seized with terror; she looked in anguish around her; vast ricefields, a small irrigation canal, thin trees -- there was not a precipice or a boulder in sight against which she could smash herself." (166-7) flowers and a graveyard cross: "Ibarra descended, followed by an old man-servant. He dismissed the carriage with the gesture and headed towards the cemetery, silent and grave. "'My sickness and my preoccupations have not allowed me to return,'the old man was saying timidly. 'Capitan Tiago said he would have atomb built, but I planted flowers and had a cross made. "...[Ibarra] proceeded towards the gravedigger who was regarding them with curiosity, and greeted them, removing his salakot. "'Can you tell is which is the grave that had the cross?' asked the servant. "'A big cross?' [Asked the gravedigger.] "'Yes, a big one,' happily confirmed the servant, looking meaningfully at Ibarra, whose features had brightened. "'A cross with designs on it, tied with rattan?' the gravedigger asked again. "'That's it, that's it! Like this, like this,' the servant traced on the earth the shape of a Byzantine cross. "'and over the grave were flowers planted?' "'Adelfas, sampagas, and pensamientos, that's it!' added the servant filled with joy. He offered him a cigar. "'Tell us which is the grave and where the cross is.' "The gravedigger rubbed his ears and replied yawning: 'Well, the cross -- I have already burned it.' "'Burned it? Why did you burn it?' "'Because the chief parish priest so ordered.'" (92-4 CROSS- sufferings POMELO BLOSSOMS AND LAUREL LEAVES- honor and fidelity SILHOUETTE OF A FILIPINA- maria Clara BURNING TORCH- rage and passion SUNFLOWERS- enlightenment BAMBOO STALKS THAT WERE CUT DOWN BUT GREW BACK- resilience A MAN IN A CASSOCK WITH HAIRY FEET- priests using religion in a dirty way CHAINS- slavery WHIPS- cruelties HELMET OF THE GUARDIA CIVIL- arrogance of those in authority

SUPER BASS This one is for the boys with the booming system Top down, AC with the cooler system When he come up in the club, he be blazin up Got stacks on deck like he savin up And he ill, he real, he might gotta deal He pop bottles and he got the right kind of bill He cold, he dope, he might sell coke He always in the air, but he never fly coach He a muthafuckin trip, trip, sailor of the ship, ship When he make it drip, drip kiss him on the lip, lip Thats the kind of dude I was lookin for And yes youll get slapped if youre lookin hoe I said, excuse me youre a hell of a guy I mean my, my, my, my youre like pelican fly I mean, youre so shy and Im loving your tie Youre like slicker than the guy with the thing on his eye, oh Yes I did, yes I did, somebody please tell him who the eff I is I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up, back coupes up, and chuck the deuce up [Chorus - Ester Dean & Nicki Minaj:] Boy you got my heartbeat runnin away Beating like a drum and its coming your way Cant you hear that boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass

Yeah thats that super bass Got that super bass boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass Yeah thats that super bass Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, he got that super bass Boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, he got that super bass [Verse 2:] This one is for the boys in the polos Entrepeneur niggas in the moguls He could ball with the crew, he could solo But I think I like him better when he dolo And I think I like him better with the fitted cap on He aint even gotta try to put the mac on He just gotta give me that look, when he give me that look Then the panties comin off, off, uh Excuse me, youre a hell of a guy you know I really got a thing for American guys I mean, sigh, sickenin eyes I can tell that youre in touch with your feminine side Yes I did, yes I did, somebody please tell him who the eff I is I am Nicki Minaj, I mack them dudes up, back coupes up, and chuck the deuce up [Hook:] See I need you in my life for me to stay No, no, no, no, no I know youll stay No, no, no, no, no dont go

away Boy you got my heartbeat runnin away Dont you hear that heartbeat comin your way Oh it be like, boom, badoom, boom, boom, badoom, boom, bass Cant you hear that boom, badoom, boom, boom, I Still Believe In Loving You: Just when I thought our love was here to stay Just when I thought you'll never ever go away You said it's time for you to go But I'm not sure I really know Why you are leaving And when we finally say our last goodbye I'll never make it hard for you You won't even see me cry And though there's tears inside of me I'm gonna let your heart go free Before you leave There's just one thing That I want you to know Chorus: I still believe in loving you Inspite of all the hurts that I'm going through Even if again and again you'd break my heart One thing would never change I still believe in loving you If you would tell me that you'll be alright I'll never let you see me blue But I'll keep our love alive And though I'm feeling incomplete

I guess that this is what you need Before you leave There's just one thing That I want you to know Forever's Not Enough: If I would have to live my life again I'd stay in love with you the way I've been Your love is something no one ever can replace I can't imagine life with someone else I promise, I will share my life with you Forever may not be enough it's true My heart is filled with so much love I feel for you No words can say how much I love you so CHORUS: And if forever's not enough for me to love you I'd spent another lifetime baby, If you ask me to There's nothing I won't do Forever's not enough to love you so They say tomorrow seems so far away, And now we see that everything can change My love for you gets stronger as tomorrow comes I know this love will stand In the test of time For you, there's nothing I

can't do And never will I ever go Forever's not enough to love you so But if forever is one day I promise you I'll stay to show you That my love for you will never end... Don't Cry Out Loud: Baby cried the day the circus came to town 'Cause she didn't want parades just passing by her So she painted on a smile & took up with some clown While she dance without a net upon the wire I know a lot about her, cause you see Baby its an awful love like me [Chorus:] Don't cry out loud Just keep it inside, learn how to hide your feelings Fly high & proud And if you should fall, remember you almost had it all Baby saw that when they pulled that big top down They left behind her dreams among the letter And a different kind of love she thought she found There was nothing left but saw dust and some glitter But baby, can't be broken, cause you see She had the finest teacher that was me

I told her ... oh, oooh, oooh ...ohh... yeah... Don't cry out loud Just keep it inside, learn how to hide your feelings Fly high & proud And if you should fall, remember you almost made it Don't cry out loud Just keep it inside, learn how to hide your feelings Fly high & proud And if you should fall, remember you almost had it al You are my all in alll You are my strength when I am weak You are the treasure that I seek You are my all in all Seeking You as a precious jewel Lord, to give up I'd be a fool You are my all in all Jesus, Lamb of God Worthy is Your name Jesus, Lamb of God Worthy is Your name Taking my sin, my cross, my shame Rising up again I bless Your name You are my all in all When I fall down You pick me up When I am dry You fill my cup You are my all in all