BINANGKAL,

PENELOPE
By: Corazon Almerino
 Cora Almerino is a Cebuano
Visayan writer. Her poems
were included in Sinug-ang:
A Cebuano trio published by
Women in Literary Arts in
1999.

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 The poem is about a woman named Penelope who is
anxiously awaiting the arrival of her husband. One
individual (the author) gave pieces of advice for
Penelope to stop waiting for him and instead go have
some "binangkal,“ a sort of doughnut made from
deep-fried dense dough balls covered with sesame
seeds.

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 The poem is written in the 3rd person’s POV.
 The speaker is the author herself, Corazon Almerino a famous
Cebuano/Sugbuanon writer.
 It is written in free verse with 7 stanzas and 24 lines and is
originally written in Cebuano language.
 The author creatively used vulgar words, and funny terms
which made the piece appealing to readers.
 The poem discloses the idea of longing and patiently waiting to
realization and independency.
 Although the poem talks about infidelity, the tone is humorous,
making it appeal light and subtle.
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 The visayan delicacy helps to
relieve the anger of Penelope as
she patiently wait for her
husband – who is probably
cheating on her.

 “Binangkal” which is repeated

throughout the poem means
“broken”.

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 Perhaps like a binangkal that
cracks when fried in a boiling
oil, Penelope, like any other
women also breaks a part of
their hearts while waiting
anxiously for their loved ones.

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 Overall, the poem, “Binangkal,Penelope” , depicts the life of
women is visayas wherein women are tied to their traditional
roles as a mother, wife, and housekeeper. However, it is still a
stressful job especially when her husband commits infidelity.
But at the end of the day , all they can do to relieve that stress
and anger is to crochet, do chores, and perhaps throw a
binangkal at their unfaithful lover.