Rizal wrote this poem in 1876, when he was 15 years
old.
When I recall
the days
That saw my
childhood of yore
Beside the
verdant shore
Of a murmuring
lagoon;
When I remember
the sighs
Of the breeze
that on my brow
Sweet and
caressing did blow
With coolness
full of delight;
When I look at
the lily white
Fills up with
air violent
And the stormy
element
On the sand doth
meekly sleep;
When sweet
'toxicating scent
From the flowers
I inhale
Which at the
dawn they exhale
When at us it
begins to peep;
In
these first two stanzas, Rizal uses a literary device intended to prolong
suspense. Every fifth line begins with the word “When,” which indicates that
there is a resulting effect following the clause that tails it. These series of
“when” lines look back to his childhood and the colorful encounter with nature
which was associated with those years.
I sadly recall
your face,
Oh precious
infancy,
That a mother
lovingly
Did succeed to
embellish.
I remember a
simple town;
My cradle, joy
and boon,
Beside the cool
lagoon
The seat of all
my wish.
Whose
face does he recall? It is the face of infancy, his infancy, his innocence. He
remembers it with sadness because he misses it and longs for it – the simple
life in a simple town – misses his mother, who lavished him with love and
untainted joy.
Oh, yes! With
uncertain pace
I trod your
forest lands,
And on your
river banks
A pleasant fun I
found;
At your rustic
temple I prayed
With a little
boy's simple faith
And your aura's
flawless breath
Filled my heart
with joy profound.
Here
we see a more candid side of the young Rizal, unstudied as he walks through
forest lands and river banks, praying with a pure, untainted faith in the old
churches of his hometown. That he does not leave out prayer indicates his
strong Catholic upbringing.
Saw I God in the
grandeur
Of your woods
which for centuries stand;
Never did I
understand
In your bosom
what sorrows were;
While I gazed on
your azure sky
Neither love nor
tenderness
Failed me,
'cause my happiness
In the heart of
nature rests there.
He
remembers nothing but pure joy during those moments of his childhood; during
those days he knew nothing of grief and pain, as evidenced in the lines, “Never
did I understand in your bosom what sorrows were.” The last three lines can be translated in
plainer English as, “Neither love nor tenderness failed me, because my
happiness rests there in the heart of nature.”
Tender
childhood, beautiful town,
Rich fountain of
happiness,
Of harmonious
melodies,
That drive away
my sorrow!
Return thee to
my heart,
Bring back my
gentle hours
As do the birds
when the flow'rs
Would again
begin to blow!
This
stanza is the highest emotional point of the entire poem. This is also the
first time the listener hears him in a tone of exclamation. It is here that
Rizal expresses his longing for those years to come back and stay with him.
But, alas,
adieu! E'er watch
For your peace,
joy and repose,
Genius of good
who kindly dispose
Of his blessings
with amour;
It's for thee my
fervent pray'rs,
It's for thee my
constant desire
Knowledge ever
to acquire
And may God keep
your candour!
In
this conclusion, Rizal bids his town and his childhood memories farewell, and
prays that his town remains as vibrant and full of hope and happiness as he
remembers it.
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