POETRY

1. Lyric
“When I Was No Bigger Than A Huge”

When I was no bigger than a huge

I was what I am today:
The greatest poet that ever lived—
With grace in every atom
And infinity in every flow.

I walked like no mortal walked

And talked like no mortal talked,
In a voice that was both thunder
And silence
At the same time.

I knew no sorrow
And I knew no hate,
For I was above it all—
Above the greed
And the envy
And the death
That cursed the human race.

When I was no bigger than a huge

I was what I am today:
The greatest poet that ever lived—
With stars in every syllable
And eternity in every rhyme.

“To the Filipino Youth”

Unfold, oh timid flower!

Lift up your radiant brow,
This day, Youth of my native strand!
Your abounding talents show
Resplendently and grand,
Fair hope of my Motherland!

Soar high, oh genius great,

And with noble thoughts fill their mind;
The honor’s glorious seat,
May their virgin mind fly and find
More rapidly than the wind.
 Descend with the pleasing light
Of the arts and sciences to the plain,
Oh Youth, and break forthright
The links of the heavy chain
That your poetic genius enchain.

See that in the ardent zone

The Spaniard, where shadows stand,
Doth offer a shining crown,
With wise and merciful hand
To the son of this Indian land.

You, who heavenward rise

On wings of your rich fantasy,
Seek in the Olympian skies
The tenderest poesy,
More sweet than divine honey;

You of heavenly harmony,

On a calm unperturbed night,
Philomel’s match in melody,
That in varied symphony
Dissipate man’s sorrow’s blight;

You at the flaming forge

Where in midst of the night,
Beneath the deluge of fire,
With glowing love’s desire,
You forge the thought’s delight!

And when friend and foe alike

Your fine gold shall esteem,
And your name in disdain they speak
Thou, youth, so sublime,
Your fair sun undimmed shall gleam.

Dear Philippines, farewell, my own!

To die is to rest from the trials I groan;
Farewell, sweet stranger, my friend who brightened my way;
Farewell, loved ones, to die is to go to rest!

2. Poems
a. Elegy
 “Elegy”

Tonight, I pray with folded hands

And watch the ghosts gather outside
With stars bleeding above their heads.
Tonight, I touch my throat and wonder
If your kisses ever spoke of love
Or just tickled the skin.

The night is quiet, but loud.

I hear the whispers of your laughter
Traveling down the corridors of time,
And I am lost in the echoes
Of our love’s forgotten symphony.

In this moment, I mourn

The death of our dreams,
The fading of our memories,
And the silence of your absence.

Tonight, I am alone,
Wrapped in the darkness of my grief,
Longing for the warmth of your touch,
But finding only the cold embrace
Of empty space.

b. Ode
“Ode to the Philippine Sun”

O radiant Sun, whose golden beams

Illuminate our land with warmth and light,
Thy fiery gaze awakens dreams
And banishes the shadows of the night.

With each new dawn, thy gentle kiss

Awakens life in field and flower,
And fills our hearts with boundless bliss
As we bask in thy radiant power.

O Sun, thou art the source of life,

The giver of all that we hold dear,
Thy splendor banishes all strife
 And fills our souls with hope and cheer.

Though storms may rage and darkness fall,

Thy steadfast light shall guide our way,
And lead us through the darkest pall
To greet the dawn of a brighter day.

So let us raise our voices high

In praise of thee, O radiant Sun,
For thou art the light that fills the sky,
And our eternal source of joy and fun.

c. Sonnet
“To My Muse”

Beloved muse, whose gentle whispers guide

My trembling hand across the page of time,
Thy presence fills my soul with boundless pride
And lends to me the power of sublime.

With thee beside me, I fear no defeat,

No darkness dares to cloud my hopeful eyes,
For in thy light, my spirit finds retreat
And soars beyond the reach of earthly ties.

Thou art the source of all my inspiration,

The spark that ignites the fire within,
And in thy embrace, I find salvation
From the tumult of the world’s ceaseless din.

So let me sing thy praises, muse divine,

And weave for thee a sonnet’s tender line.

“To the Philippine Youth”

Unfold, oh timid flower!

Lift up your radiant brow,
This day, Youth of my native strand!
Your abounding talents show
Resplendently and grand,
Fair hope of my Motherland!
Soar high, oh genius great,
And with noble thoughts fill their mind;
The honor’s glorious seat,
May their virgin mind fly and find
More rapidly than the wind.

Descend with the pleasing light

Of the arts and sciences to the plain,
Oh Youth, and break forthright
The links of the heavy chain
That your poetic genius enchain.

See that in the ardent zone

The Spaniard, where shadows stand,
Doth offer a shining crown,
With wise and merciful hand
To the son of this Indian land.

You, who heavenward rise

On wings of your rich fantasy,
Seek in the Olympian skies
The tenderest poesy,
More sweet than divine honey;

You of heavenly harmony,

On a calm unperturbed night,
Philomel’s match in melody,
That in varied symphony
Dissipate man’s sorrow’s blight;

You at the flaming forge

Where in midst of the night,
Beneath the deluge of fire,
With glowing love’s desire,
You forge the thought’s delight!

And when friend and foe alike

Your fine gold shall esteem,
And your name in disdain they speak
Thou, youth, so sublime,
Your fair sun undimmed shall gleam.

Dear Philippines, farewell, my own!

To die is to rest from the trials I groan;
 Farewell, sweet stranger, my friend who brightened my way;
Farewell, loved ones, to die is to go to rest!

d. Haiku
“Sunrise Symphony”

Sunrise paints the sky,

Birds sing in harmonious joy,
Nature’s morning hymn.

3. Dramatic
“Ode to Bulacan”

O green and beautiful Bulacan,

O many-bosomed,
O many-souled province,
Of pure and gentle rivers,
Of every flowering tree,
Of simple men and simple women,
Of folk-songs full of sorrow,
Of prayers full of hope,
And love that lies beside the beloved
Beneath the coconut trees,
And in the dark in a little nipa hut
A bamboo bed.

4. Dialogue
a. Monologue
“Summer Solstice”
“Doña Lupeng felt herself blanching, half with anger, half with disgust, half with
fear. (There was nothing enigmatic about the third half of her emotions; for she was
angry, disgusted, and frightened not at the bamboo, but at her husband.) ‘You and your
eternal superstitions!’ she exploded. ‘It’s just as I said, you’ve been talking too much to
Amada. And if you must know, I had intended to wear a terno this evening. But now, no!
I won’t! I’ll wear a saya and camisa, in open defiance of your stupid old custom!’”

b. Soliloquy
“Summer Solstice”
“Doña Lupeng: I have seen enough of life to know that a woman is more than a
mere object of desire, more than a vessel for the pleasure of men. I refuse to be
confined to the roles society has assigned to me. I am more than a wife, a mother, a
caretaker. I am a woman with dreams, with desires, with a voice that demands to be
heard. And if society cannot accept that, then society is the one that must change, not
I.”
NON-FICTION

1. Biography
BIOGRAPHY OF JOSE RIZAL
JOSE RIZAL, the national hero of the Philippines and pride of the Malayan race, was born
on June 19, 1861, in the town of Calamba,Laguna. He was the seventh child in a family of 11
children (2 boys and 9 girls). Both his parents were educated and belonged to distinguished
families. His father, Francisco Mercado Rizal, an industrious farmer whom Rizal called “a model
of fathers,” came from Biñan, Laguna; while his mother, Teodora Alonzo y Quintos, a highly
cultured and accomplished woman whom Rizal called “loving and prudent mother,” was born in
Meisic, Sta. Cruz, Manila. At the age of 3, he learned the alphabet from his mother; at 5, while
learning to read and write, he already showed inclinations to be an artist. He astounded his
family and relatives by his pencil drawings and sketches and by his moldings of clay. At the age 8,
he wrote a Tagalog poem, “Sa Aking Mga Kabata,” the theme of which revolves on the love of
one’s language. In 1877, at the age of 16, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with an
average of “excellent” from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. In the same year, he enrolled in
Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas, while at the same time took courses
leading to the degree of surveyor and expert assessor at the Ateneo. He finished the latter
course on March 21, 1877 and passed the Surveyor’s examination on May 21, 1878; but because
of his age, 17, he was not granted license to practice the profession until December 30, 1881. In
1878, he enrolled in medicine at the University of Santo Tomas but had to stop in his studies
when he felt that the Filipino students were being discriminated upon by their Dominican tutors.
On May 3, 1882, he sailed for Spain where he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de
Madrid. On June 21, 1884, at the age of 23, he was conferred the degree of Licentiate in
Medicine and on June 19,1885, at the age of 24, he finished his course in Philosophy and Letters
with a grade of “excellent.” He was an expert swordsman and a good shot. In the hope of
securing political and social reforms for his country and at the same time educate his
countrymen, Rizal, the greatest apostle of Filipino nationalism, published, while in Europe,
several works with highly nationalistic and revolutionary tendencies. In March 1887, his daring
book, NOLI ME TANGERE, a satirical novel exposing the arrogance and despotism of the Spanish
clergy, was published in Berlin; in 1890 he reprinted in Paris, Morga’s SUCCESSOS DE LAS ISLAS
FILIPINAS with his annotations to prove that the Filipinos had a civilization worthy to be proud of
even long before the Spaniards set foot on Philippine soil; on September 18, 1891, EL
FILIBUSTERISMO, his second novel and a sequel to the NOLI and more revolutionary and tragic
than the latter, was printed in Ghent. When the Philippine Revolution started on August 26,
1896, his enemies lost no time in pressing him down. They were able to enlist witnesses that
linked him with the revolt and these were never allowed to be confronted by him. Thus, from
November 3, 1986, to the date of his execution, he was again committed to Fort Santiago. In his
prison cell, he wrote an untitled poem, now known as “Ultimo Adios” which is considered a
masterpiece and a living document expressing not only the hero’s great love of country but also
that of all Filipinos. After a mock trial, he was convicted of rebellion, sedition and of forming
illegal association. In the cold morning of December 30, 1896, Rizal, a man whose 35 years of life
had been packed with varied activities which proved that the Filipino has capacity to equal if not
excel even those who treat him as a slave, was shot at Bagumbayan Field.
2. Autobiography
3. Narratives
4. Periodicals
a. Magazines
b. Newspapers
c. Journals
d. References
FICTION

1. Fantasy
2. Folklore
a. Fairytales
THE GOOD PRINCE BANTUGAN

An old king ruled over the kingdom of Bumbaran. His kingdom was prosperous,
his people were good and he should have been very happy But the king was not
contented His heart was full of envy toward his younger brother, Prince Bantugan. Every
time someone praised Prince Bantugan, the king frowned and looked angry. “Prince
Bantugan is so handsome,” he often heard the women say, and he would look in a mirror
and see with sorrow that he was not good looking.
“Prince Bantugan is so good.” Other people said, and the king grew more angry because
he knew that he was not as good as his brother either. “Prince Bantugan is so brave,”
everybody said. The king grew tired of people saying so many good things about his
brother while they said nothing nice about himself. The young ladies smiled at Prince
Bantugan. They allowed him to hold their hands, and they gave him their love. But they
did not like the older brother, the king. One day enemies attacked the kingdom of
Bumbaran and Prince Bantugan led his men to defend the country. While he was gone,
the evil king plotted against the good prince. He issued a proclamation that no one
should speak to Prince Bantugan. He added that whoever dared to speak to Bantugan
would be killed. Soon Prince Bantugan returned victorious from battle. To his
astonishment no one met him, no one praised him, and no one even wanted to speak to
him. This saddened the good prince. He knew that his brother hated him, so he decided
to leave Bumbaran. He preferred to live in other countries and to travel to far lands and
forget about his unkind brother. In his travels he heard about the beautiful land of the
Kingdom-Between-Two-Seas. It was ruled by a good, kind king and his sister, the
beautiful and kind Princess Datimbang Prince Bantugan decided to go there. He traveled
through forests and across rivers and mountains and at last reached the Kingdom-
Between-Seas. Prince Bantugan was very weary from his travels. As he stood outside the
gates of the great palace, he suddenly felt very weak His legs could not carry his body
and the prince fell to the ground and died. When the king of the Kingdom-Between-Two
Seas heard of the stranger who had died at his palace gate, he and his sister, Princess
Datimbang, went to see the body. Even in death Prince Bantugan was very handsome.
The heart of Princess Datimbang went out to him in love and sorrow.” What a handsome
young man, “She said weeping softly. “I wish I could have spoken to him before he died. I
am sure he was as good as he was handsome.” “How unfortunate that he should die
here, “the king said. “Does anyone know who this young man is and where he came
from? By his clothes and appearance, he must be a king or a prince.” No one knew who
the strange young man was. The king ordered his body to be brought into the palace.
The king was afraid that the relatives or subjects of the dead man might wage war upon
his kingdom. He therefore treated the body of the young man as he would a royal
person. He had it dressed in magnificent clothes and placed it in a large hole in the
palace. Princess Datimbang placed flowers upon the bed on which the body lay She also
decorated it with colored jewelry Around the bed was an abundance of fragrant flowers
in jars and vases. The king then ordered the great brass going to be sounded. He made a
proclamation that all his people and the
People of the neighboring kingdoms must come to look at the prince or king so that he
would know who he was and where he came from People from far and near came to see
the body, but no one knew who the man was. The beautiful Princess Datimbang
watched nearby. She had fallen deeply in love with the handsome stranger. In another
part of the kingdom, some parrots were talking about the young man and how he died
in the Kingdom- Between-Two-Seas. Suddenly they noticed that the parrot from the
kingdom of Bumbaran was silent and sad. “Why are you sad, my brother?” one of the
parrots asked.” I lost my master the Prince Bantugan.” The parrot from Bumbaran
answered. “He lett Bumbaran never to retum. I have looked for hun everywhere but
have found him.” “I lost my master, the Prince Bantugan,” the parrot from Bumbaran
answered. “He left Bumbaran never to retum. I have looked for him everywhere but
have not found him” “Ah, your master is lost, indeed, “another parrot said. “He is dead.
But you can see his body in the palace where he is lying in royal state.” Without another
word, Prince Bantugan’s parrot flew to the palace. He saw his master’s body and
shrieked in grief. Princess Datimbang heard him and asked him what the matter was.
“My master is dead! The parrot cried in grief. “My master, Prince Bantugan of Bumbaran,
is dead-he who was so good to his people. He defended them in war, he gave them wise
advice when they were in trouble, and cured the people when they were sick.” When
the king heard what the parrot had said he determined to put the body on a vinta and
take it himself, with all honors, to the kingdom of Bumbaran. Princess Datimbang went
with him. Before the royal party left the Kingdom- Between-Two Seas, the princess asked
the parrot to go ahead of them and notify the King of Bumbaran of their coming. The
parrot flew ahead to the kingdom of Bumbaran. When he told the king about the death
of Prince Bantugan, the ladies shricked and tore their hair and fainted. Everyone grieved
for the Good Prince Bantugan Even the king his brother, was stricken with remorse and
pain. He was full of repentance. He blamed himself for the death of his brother. He did
know what to do. Prince Madali was a brother of Prince Bantugan and loved him dearly.
He volunteered to go to the region of the dead and bring Bantugan's soulback to his
body. The king decided to go with him. It was a very dangerous joumey, but the two
were not afraid They rode on their magic shields and rode up to the sky. For five days
they flew. They reached the place of lightning, thunder, and endless rain. Five more days
they travelled. They reached the land of buming heat. Their magic shields almost melted
under them. So great was the distance that they went on for five more days. At last they
reached the highest portals of the sky. The keeper of the gate asked them," Why are you
here? What do you want?" "We have come to ask the angel of Death when we shall die
and when the end of the world will come, the young men were answered/"Go to the
next door, "the gatekeeper told them." You will find the angel who guards the soul of the
dead there. "Why are you here?" asked the guard."You have no business here." You are
not dead." shall die. "Prince Madali answered. "We have come to ask the Angel of Death
when we "Come in but only for a minute," the guardian said opening the door." Then
 you must return to carth right away." The two entered and found themselves in a
beautiful garden full of fragrant flowers and delicious fruits. On a large

table were bottles of different colors which contained the souls of the dead.. The two
tricked the Angel of Death to go out for a minute. As soon as the angel was out of the
room, Prince Madali whispered softly. "Bantugan, my brother where are you?" From a
large blue bottle near them, the voice of Prince Bantugan answered, "I am here." Prince
Madali seized the bottle and away the young men flew back to earth. When they
reached the place, the king and the princess of the Kingdom-Between-Two Seas were
just landing with the body of Prince Bantugan. Prince Madali transferred the soulof
Prince Bantugan from the bottle to his body. The body stirred Then Prince Bantugan sat
up and stretched out as if just awakening from a deep sleep. The people shouted with
joy. For many days they celebrated the retum on their beloved prince. Later Prince
Bantugan married the beautiful Princess Datimbang.

b. Fables
A Monkey and a Turtle

A monkey and a turtle found a banana tree on a river. They fished it out and because
each wanted the tree for himself, they cut it in half. Now the monkey, being the stronger
one, took the part with leaves despite the turtle’s protests, and carefully planted it in his
backyard. The turtle did the same for his part. But because the part the monkey got had
no roots, it died, while the turtle’s lived and sprouted leaves. One day, the monkey
visited the turtle and they talked about their banana plants. “Alas! My banana tree is
dead!” wailed the monkey tearfully. “And yours?” “Alive, and bearing fruit! But because I
can’t climb up…” “Don’t worry!” interrupted the monkey. “I’ll climb up for you.” The
turtle became very happy and accompanied the monkey to the place where the banana
tree was. The monkey climbed the tree at once and started eating, filling both cheeks.
“Give me some, too,” begged the turtle. “Krrr! Not even the peels!” answered the
monkey. So, to get even with the monkey, the turtle nailed thorns and susông-paitan (a
kind of snail with a small and pointed shell as its house) on the trunk of the banana tree,
and went to hide under a coconut shell. “Ow! Ow!” said the monkey as he came down
from the tree, and with much pain, went to sit on the coconut shell to tend his wounds.
But while he was pulling out the thorns and snails, his restless tail went inside a hole in
the coconut shell. The turtle, who saw a good opportunity, bit it. The monkey jumped
and saw stars from the pain. “So it’s you!” exclaimed the monkey coarsely as he lifted
the coconut shell. “Now I will make you pay for everything you did!” You shall die! But
how? Ah! Do you want me to crush you in this mortar or throw you into the river?”
“Crush me in the mortar but please don’t throw me in the river: I don’t want to drown!”
“Aha! So, you’re afraid of drowning? I guess I’ll have to drown you then!” And into the
river he threw the turtle who swam away happily. As the saying goes: The monkey may
be smart yet he can still be fooled.
c. Myths

BATHALA: The Story of Creation

In the beginning of time there were three powerful gods who lived in the
universe. Bathala was the caretaker of the earth, Ulilang Kaluluwa (lit. Orphaned Spirit),
a huge serpent who lived in the clouds, and Galang Kaluluwa (lit. Wandering spirit), the
winged god who loves to travel. These three gods did not know each other. Bathala
often dreamt of creating mortals but the empty earth stops him from doing so. Ulilang
Kaluluwa who was equally lonely as Bathala, liked to visit places and the earth was his
favorite. One day the two gods met. Ulilang Kaluluwa, seeing another god rivalling him,
was not pleased. He challenged Bathala to a fight to decide who would be the ruler of
the universe. After three days and three nights, Ulilang Kaluluwa was slain by Bathala.
Instead of giving him a proper burial, Bathala burned thesnake’s remains. A few years
later the third god, Galang Kaluluwa, wandered into Bathala’s home. He welcomed the
winged god with much kindness and even invited him to live in his kingdom. They
became true friends and were very happy for many years. Galang Kaluluwa became very
ill. Before he died he instructed Bathala to bury him on the spot where Ulilang
Kaluluwa’s body was burned. Bathala did exactly as he was told. Out of the grave of the
two dead gods grew a tall tree with a big round nut, which is the coconut tree. Bathala
took the nut and husked it. He noticed that the inner skin was hard. The nut itself
reminded him of Galang Kaluluwa’s head. It had two eyes, a nose, and a round mouth.
Its leaves looked so much like the wings of his dear winged friend. But the trunk was
hard and ugly, like the body of his enemy, the snake Ulilang Kaluluwa. Bathala realized
that he was ready to create the creatures he wanted with him on earth. He created the
vegetation, animals, and the first man and woman. Bathala built a house for them out of
the trunk and leaves of the coconut’ trees. For food, they drank the coconut juice and
ate its delicious white meat. Its leaves, they discovered, were great for making mats,
hats, and brooms. Its fiber could be used for rope and many other things.

d. Legends
The Legend of Maria Makiling

Once upon a time, a diwata lived in a mountain of Laguna. She was called Maria
Makiling. She has light olive skin, long shining black hair and twinkling eyes. She was
breathtakingly beautiful. Maria was always about helping other people. One time, the
children of a farmer got sick. When he went to Maria to seek help, he was given a bilao
full of ginger. The farmer sadly went home carrying the bilao of ginger. When he reached
his hut, he was greatly surprised: the ginger had turned to gold! Because of Maria’s
kindness, the townsfolk had grown to love her. Maria was a great beauty. She was
sought for and wooed by many suitors. Three of them were very much determined to
have her. One is Captain Lara, a Spanish soldier who always brought her gifts from
Europe. The other is Joselito, a Spanish mestizo who was studying in Manila. Every time
Joselito visits Maria, he had many stories to tell her about foreign countries and the
things that he had read in books. He dreamed of going to Spain. He didn’t like to live in
 the Philippines. Of the three, it was Juan who is the most industrious. He is a common
farmer. But he is so hard working, and his fruits and vegetable grew fat and juicy. He also
had many pet animals and birds. But if truth be told, it was Juan who Maria secretly
admired. As time passed, her suitors became more and more impatient and demanded
that Maria tell them who she loves. So the diwata was forced to promise: “By the night
of the full moon, I will tell you my answer.” When the night of the full moon arrived, all
of her suitors climbed up the mountain to know her decision. All was startled when
Maria told them that it was Juan whom she loved. The suitors went away feeling
dejected. On the other hand, Joselito and Captain Lara were very much angry with Juan.
They thought of a plan against him. One day, all was surprised when a huge fire
devoured the cuartel of the Spanish. Because of the fire, Captain Lara ordered many
Filipinos to be captured. Secretly, Joselito helped him. Juan was among those who they
imprisoned and tortured. Many prisoners did not last long from the tortures the Spanish
had inflicted upon them. One night, Captain Lara and Joselito secretly spoke with the
prisoners. The next day, Juan was blamed for the burning of the Spanish cuartel. “I did
not do it!” cried Juan. But the prisoners pointed at him because Captain Lara and
Joselito frightened them. The soldiers brought Juanto the plaza. In front of hundreds of
people, Juan was shot as the enemy of the Spaniards. He was killed even though he
didn’t commit any wrongdoing. But before he died, he managed to shout out loud
Maria’s name. It was heard by the diwata so she quickly went down her mountain. But
Juan was already dead when Maria arrived. Tears falling down her face, she embraced
tightly his lifeless body. Afterwards, she faced the crowd. “Why did you not take care of
him?” she shouted. Meanwhile, Captain Lara and Joselito fled to Manila because they
were afraid of Maria. When she learned of this, she cursed the two. She also cursed
those men who cannot accept failure in love. Soon, the curse took effect. Joselito
suddenly became ill. There was no cure for his illness. Captain Lara, on the other hand,
was called back to Laguna when the Filipinos revolted against the abuse that the
Spaniards had inflicted upon them. The revolution quickly spread to many parts of the
Philippines. The revolutionary Filipinos killed Captain Lara. From then on, Maria never let
herself be seen by the people. Every time somebody got lost on the mountain, they
remember the curse of the diwata. They remember the great love of Maria Makiling.

3. Historical
4. Mystery
5. Realistic Fiction
6. Romance
7. Science Fiction
8. Thriller