'Sa Aking mga Kababata'

Peng called me a few days ago to tell me that kuya Gab has decided on what he would do for a class recitation. The teacher wanted them to show their talent, so Gab said he wanted to show his classmates origami.

That's right, he wanted to demonstrate how to fold paper.

Well, there's nothing wrong about that — our son's got talent, and he's shown genuine interest in origami ever since I bought a pack of origami paper for him and Julian. But folding paper in front of the class doesn't sound much of a talent. (So much for being encouraging parents.)

Anyway, I told Peng that we should just "suggest" other alternatives to Gab: he can sing, dance, even do a speech, or demo a Taekwondo form. But, no, he had made up his mind. We supported him all the way, of course.

Tonight, however, was the turning point. As he sat in front of the PC searching for origami patterns, we broached the idea of reciting a poem. He was adamant. He would rather not show anything in class, he said.

"Okay, how about this?" I asked. "You can recite Jose Rizal's 'Sa Aking mga Kababata'."

"Rizal wrote it when he was eight years old!" I added.

*ding* Something lit up in Gab's head. He loved the idea. (He's turning eight in a month, by the way.) A quick Google search led us to the poem, which he read and loved right away. What can I say, our son has taste.

"I like to write poems like him," he mused. Great kid.

Jose Rizal at 11 years old. (Public domain photo, Credit: joserizal.ph)

Rizal's poem, which he wrote in 1869, when he was eight years old, shows the martyr's astute sensitivity and ingrained love for the motherland at such a young age.

Kapagka ang baya'y sadyang umiibig
Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
Sanglang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagka't 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 inang tunay na nagpala.

Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin
Sa Ingles, Kastila at salitang anghel,
Sapagka't ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.

Ang salita nati'y huwad din sa iba
Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na kaya nawala'y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.

Text from Rizal: Sa Ispatlayt