First Inspiration by Jose RizalWhy falls so rich a spray of fragrance from the bowers of the balmy flowers upon this festive day?

Why from woods and vales do we hear sweet measures ringing that seem to be the singing of a choir of nightingales?

Why in the grass below do birds start at the wind's noises, unleashing their honeyed voices as they hop from bough to bough?

Why should the spring that glows its crystalline murmur be tuning to the zephyr's mellow crooning as among the flowers it flows?

Why seems to me more endearing, more fair than on other days, the dawn's enchanting face among red clouds appearing? 

The reason, dear mother, is they feast your day of bloom: the rose with its perfume, the bird with its harmonies.

And the spring that rings with laughter upon this joyful day with its murmur seems to say: "Live happily ever after!"

And from that spring in the grove now turn to hear the first note

that from my lute I emote to the impulse of my love.

The word "inspiration" has two levels of meaning: the conventional one we use every day and the root meaning rarely used in modern language but always present as a connotation of the other: (1) Stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity, and (2) The act of breathing in; the inhalation of air into the lungs.

This poem speaks to (2) in the first stanza: the breathing in of sweet aromas on what is declared to be a "festive day." The second stanza moves to the sweet, musical sound of birds singing in the woods and vales on such a day. The third stanza, of course, begins to merge the two images in a subtle way: the birds "start" to sing (or are startled into singing) by the sound of the wind blowing. The wind would supply them breath for singing, but it also seems to "inspire" their singing, as in (1) above; that is, it stimulates them to a high level of activity. In the fourth stanza, the spring of water tunes its murmur likewise to the sound of the breezes (zephyrs) as it flows along among the flowers.

Hence, in this first half of the poem we have music of birds and brook "inspired" by the wind; that is, the very air we breathe. And also we breathe the fragrance of the flowers (among which the brook flows), for it is borne on the wind. The imagery of these first four stanzas is, thus, neatly tied together, giving us a sense of the festivity of a beautiful spring day in nature. The poem could be complete at this point; it would be a sweet little nature poem, a song.

But the poem moves in a different direction now. Why does this day seem so much brighter, more beautiful than others? Why is morning brighter today? The next two stanzas answer this question. The poem, it turns out, is addressed to the speaker's mother, and it is her day of "blooming" (birthday, probably). The perfume of the flowers, the songs of the birds, and the sound of the bubbling brook all celebrate her day, they "feast" in her honor. They wish her all the best: "Live happily ever after."

Now the poem becomes more fragile, more understated. For one's "dear mother" is also one's inspiration--there at one's first breath in life, there to move one toward creative acts or ideas. But to say that in so many words would be trite and sentimental. So in the last stanza the speaker acts out the feeling. Joining the music of the brook (and of the birds and the winds), the speaker will play upon a lute. The mother is asked to turn from Nature to Human art, from the birds and the brook to the sound of the lute expressing emotion wordlessly. And what is the "inspiration" that moves the lutist to play? Why, "the impulse of my love." The speaker's love for the mother. The mother's love reflected in her child.

This is the first sound of music, which is inspired by the mother/child love; but, indeed, the whole poem--the music of its verses--has already been inspired also in the same way.

I think you should be warned, however, that is not THE interpretation of Rizal's poem (indeed, it is an interpretation of a translation, which may or may not accurately reflect the original--especially with its carefully, but somewhat laboriously rhymed stanzas, ABBA). Therefore, this is MY interpretation. There will be as many as there are readers, and one's written interpretation never adequately conveys one's experience of the poem--which will always be beyond words. It is, furthermore, merely AN interpretation. There will be as many others as there are readers. I am curious: what is YOUR interpretation. That's what's important to you. I hope mine may have been helpful to you, but it cannot be definitive.

To the Philippine Youth by Jose Rizal

Hold high the brow serene,O youth, where now you stand;Let the bright sheenOf your grace be seen,Fair hope of my fatherland!  Come now, thou genius grand,And bring down inspiration;With thy mighty hand, Swifter than the wind's violation,Raise the eager mind to higher station.  Come down with pleasing lightOf art and science to the fight,O youth, and there untieThe chains that heavy lie,Your spirit free to blight.See how in flaming zoneAmid the shadows thrown,The Spaniard'a holy handA crown's resplendent bandProffers to this Indian land.  Thou, who now wouldst riseOn wings of rich emprise,Seeking from Olympian skies Songs of sweetest strain,Softer than ambrosial rain;Thou, whose voice divineRivals Philomel's refrain

And with varied lineThrough the night benignFrees mortality from pain;  Thou, who by sharp strifeWakest thy mind to life ;And the memory brightOf thy genius' lightMakest immortal in its strength ;  And thou, in accents clearOf Phoebus, to Apelles dear ;Or by the brush's magic artTakest from nature's store a part,To fig it on the simple canvas' length ;  Go forth, and then the sacred fireOf thy genius to the laurel may aspire ;To spread around the fame,And in victory acclaim, Through wider spheres the human name.  Day, O happy day,Fair Filipinas, for thy land!So bless the Power to-dayThat places in thy wayThis favor and this fortune grand !

This poem can be considered as Rizal's first testimony of his nationalism. In this literary pice, he clearly referred to the Philippines as his motherland, Mi Patria, Rizal stressend in the poem relates to the role of the youth in nation building. From the poem, he called the youth, "The fair hope of the motherland (La Bella Esperanza de la Patria Mia). Rizal challenge the youth through this poem to do three things: to cultivate their talents in the arts; to develop their knowledge of the sciences; and to look forward and break their chain of bondage>

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_interpretation_of_the_poem_To_the_Philippine_Youth_by_Jose_Rizal#ixzz27GvZYslW

The Intimate Alliance BetweenReligion and Education

 NOTE: This poem was written by Rizal was almost at the age of fifteen and a student at the Ateneo not long before he graduated.  It may be noted that the Jesuits held to a strong relationship between education and faith, the ratio studiorum. -- rly

    As the climbing ivy over lofty elmCreeps tortuously, together the adornmentOf the verdant plain, embellishingEach other and together growing,But should the kindly elm refuse its aidThe ivy would impotent and friendless wither;So is Education to ReligionBy spiritual alliance firmly bound.Through Religion, Education gains renown, andWoe to the impious mind that blindly spurningThe sapient teachings of Religion, thisUnpolluted fountainhead forsakes.    As the sprout, growing from the pompous vine,Proudly offers us its honeyed clustersWhile the generous and fresh’ning watersOf celestial virtue give new lifeTo Education true, sheddingOn it warmth and light; because of themThe vine smells sweet and gives delicious fruit.    Without Religion, Human EducationIs like unto a vessel struck by windsWhich, sore beset, is of its helm deprivedBy the roaring blows and buffets of the dreadTempestuous Boreas [The north wind -- rly], who fiercely wieldsHis power until he proudly sends her downInto the deep abysses of the angered sea.    As heaven’s dew the meadow feeds and strengthensSo that blooming flowers all the earth

Embroider in the days of spring; so alsoIf Religion holy nourishesEducation with its doctrines, sheShall walk in joy and generosityToward the Good, and everywhere bestrewThe fragrant and luxuriant fruits of Virtue.

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters"By helping to raise man above the level of bestial vegetation, faith contributes in reality to the securing and safeguarding of his existence. Take away from present-day mankind its education-based, religious-dogmatic principles - or, practically speaking, ethical-moral principles - by abolishing this religious education, but without replacing it by an equivalent, and the result will be a grave shock to the foundations of their existence. We may therefore state that not only does man live in order to serve higher ideals, but that, conversely, these higher ideals also provide the premise for his existence."

Bet you're nodding your head in approval, The guy who wrote the above quote was the supreme leader of the European axis during the second world war, if you need another hint it's taken from a book he wrote, the books title translated into English is 'my war'. Are you still nodding your head in approval?

SA KABATAANG PILIPINOItaas ang iyong noong aliwalas

ngayon, Kabataan ng aking pangarap!ang aking talino na tanging liwanagay pagitawin mo, Pag-asa ng Bukas!

Ikaw ay lumitaw, O Katalinuhanmagitang na diwang puno sa isipan

mga puso nami'y sa iyo'y naghihintayat dalhin mo roon sa kaitaasan.

Bumaba kang taglay ang kagiliw-giliwna mga silahis ng agham at siningmga Kabataan, hayo na't lagutin

ang gapos ng iyong diwa at damdamin.

Masdan ang putong na lubhang makinangsa gitna ng dilim ay matitigan

maalam na kamay, may dakilang alaysa nagdurusa mong bayang minamahal.

Ikaw na may bagwis ng pakpak na nais

kagyat na lumipad sa tuktok ng langitpaghanapin mo ang malambing na tinigdoon sa Olimpo'y pawang nagsisikap.

Ikaw na ang himig ay lalong mairogTulad ni Pilomel na sa luha'y gamot

at mabisang lunas sa dusa't himuntokng puso at diwang sakbibi ng lungkot

Ikaw, na ang diwa'y makapangyarihanmatigas na bato'y mabibigyang-buhay

mapagbabago mo alaalang taglaysa iyo'y nagiging walang kamatayan.

Ikaw, na may diwang inibig ni Apelessa wika inamo ni Pebong kay rikitsa isang kaputol na lonang maliit

ginuhit ang ganda at kulay ng langit.

Humayo ka ngayon, papagningasin moang alab ng iyong isip at talino

maganda mong ngala'y ikalat sa mundoat ipagsigawan ang dangal ng tao.

Araw na dakila ng ligaya't galakmagsaya ka ngayon, mutyang Pilipinaspurihin ang bayang sa iyo'y lumingapat siyang nag-akay sa mabuting palad.