To The Filipino Youth
To The Filipino Youth
To The Filipino Youth
The first line, "unfold, oh timid flower," implies that the youth is silent, maybe
daunted, and consequently has not yet gone into full bloom for whatever reason there is
that may have silenced them. In the beginning stanza, Rizal encourages the youth, by
telling them to hold their heads high for they possess talents and skills and abilities that
would make their country proud. While the second verse can be rearranged in
contemporary Contrary to the second verse, which talked about ascending and soaring
to the heights, this third stanza now talks about descent, and a downward motion of the
great genius to fill the earthly strokes of art and science with their magnificent ideas.
While in the fifth and sixth stanzas, Rizal calls the youth to seek the beauty of poetry
and music, which he himself values greatly as essentials in every manner of life. He
claims that poetry is "more sweet than divine honey," and that music can "dissipate
man's sorrow's blight." On other hand, Dr. Jose Rizal is speaking to the youth in seventh
stanza, Rizal says that by the very impulse of their mind, they are capable of bringing to
life even something as lifeless and unmoving as a hard rock. He continues to say that
the youth is able, to immortalize their thoughts and their words through the help of great
genius. Whereas on eighth stanza, Dr. Jose Rizal here addresses the youth, comparing
their abilities to a magic brush that can capture even the most majestic views and the
most glorious charms on a blank canvas. The last stanza is urging the youth to run, for
a glorious crown awaits them. The "sphere" here pertains to the world, showing that
Rizal believed the Filipino youth is as brilliant as those in any other nation, and is able to
contend with even the strongest powers if they only set their mind to making most of
what they already have.
Further, undoubtedly, just like the other poems of our national hero Dr. Jose
Rizal, the poem “To the Filipino Youth” is a masterpiece worth reading and
comprehending for. If I were to base my judgments, I can personally describe it as a
“real poem” that is, something that beautifully incorporated the essential elements of
poetry. While I was examining its every line, I was really captured and amazed with the
manner of writing, the message it tries to stress and insist, and of course with the
sincerity and genuineness of the poem. Lastly, based on what I felt when I was reading
the poem and the emotions that were expressed on each of the poem’s line, as to the
sincerity of the poem, I considered “To the Filipino Youth” as indeed a work from the
heart with no pretension, no boastfulness and no haughtiness. Readers can really feel
the eagerness that Dr. Jose Rizal wanted everyone to have consisted.