Jose Rizal describes in My Retreat his exile in Dapitan.

From 1892 to 1896, he lived an

unexciting but fruitful life. Even in his exile, Rizal proved that life can still be abundant and
full of achievements. He lived as a merchant and a farmer and built three houses made from
bamboo, wood and nipa. Interestingly, his houses were of varied geometrical shapes. I
shall tell you how we lived here. I have three houses-one square, another hexagonal, and the
third octagonal. This is part of his letter to Blumentritt in December 19, 1893 about his
peaceful life in Dapitan and the following is his poem:
Trace Rizals footsteps in Dapitan.
Beside a spacious beach of fine and delicate sand
and at the foot of a mountain greener than a leaf,
I planted my humble hut beneath a pleasant orchard,
seeking in the still serenity of the woods
repose to my intellect and silence to my grief.
Its roof is fragile nipa; its floor is brittle bamboo;
its beams and posts are rough as rough-hewn wood can be;
of no worth, it is certain, is my rustic cabin;
but on the lap of the eternal mount it slumbers
and night and day is lulled by the crooning of the sea.
The overflowing brook, that from the shadowy jungle
descends between huge bolders, washes it with its spray,
donating a current of water through makeshift bamboo pipes
that in the silent night is melody and music
and crystalline nectar in the noon heat of the day.
If the sky is serene, meekly flows the spring,
strumming on its invisible zither unceasingly;
but come the time of the rains, and an impetuous torrent
spills over rocks and chasmshoarse, foaming and aboil
to hurl itself with a frenzied roaring toward the sea.
The barking of the dog, the twittering of the birds,
the hoarse voice of the kalaw are all that I hear;
there is no boastful man, no nuisance of a neighbor
to impose himself on my mind or to disturb my passage;
only the forests and the sea do I have near.
The sea, the sea is everything! Its sovereign mass
brings to me atoms of a myriad faraway lands;
its bright smile animates me in the limpid mornings;
and when at the end of day my faith has proven futile,
my heart echoes the sound of its sorrow on the sands.
At night it is a mystery! Its diaphanous element
is carpeted with thousands and thousands of lights that climb;
the wandering breeze is cool, the firmament is brilliant,
the waves narrate with many a sigh to the mild wind
histories that were lost in the dark night of time.
Tis said they tell of the first morning on the earth,
of the first kiss with which the sun inflamed her breast,
when multitudes of beings materialized from nothing

to populate the abyss and the overhanging summits

and all the places where that quickening kiss was pressed.
But when the winds rage in the darkness of the night
and the unquiet waves commence their agony,
across the air move cries that terrify the spirit,
a chorus of voices praying, a lamentation that seems
to come from those who, long ago, drowned in the sea.
Then do the mountain ranges on high reverberate;
the trees stir far and wide, by a fit of trembling seized;
the cattle moan; the dark depths of the forest resound;
their spirits say that they are on their way to the plain,
summoned by the dead to a mortuary feast.
The wild night hisses, hisses, confused and terrifying;
one sees the sea afire with flames of green and blue;
but calm is re-established with the approach of dawning
and forthwith an intrepid little fishing vessel
begins to navigate the weary waves anew.
So pass the days of my life in my obscure retreat;
cast out of the world where once I dwelt: such is my rare
good fortune; and Providence be praised for my condition:
a disregarded pebble that craves nothing but moss
to hide from all the treasure that in myself I bear.
I live with the remembrance of those that I have loved
and hear their names still spoken, who haunt my memory;
some already are dead, others have long forgotten
but what does it matter? I live remembering the past
and no one can ever take the past away from me.
It is my faithful friend that never turns against me,
that cheers my spirit when my spirits a lonesome wraith,
that in my sleepless nights keeps watch with me and prays
with me, and shares with me my exile and my cabin,
and, when all doubt, alone infuses me with faith.
Faith do I have, and I believe the day will shine
when the Idea shall defeat brute force as well;
and after the struggle and the lingering agony
a voice more eloquent and happier than my own
will then know how to utter victorys canticle.
I see the heavens shining, as flawless and refulgent
as in the days that saw my first illusions start;
I feel the same breeze kissing my autumnal brow,
the same that once enkindled my fervent enthusiasm
and turned the blood ebullient within my youthful heart.
Across the fields and rivers of my native town
perhaps has traveled the breeze that now I breathe by chance;
perhaps it will give back to me what once I gave it:
the sighs and kisses of a person idolized
and the sweet secrets of a virginal romance.

On seeing the same moon, as silvery as before,

I feel within me the ancient melancholy revive;
a thousand memories of love and vows awaken:
a patio, an azotea, a beach, a leafy bower;
silences and sighs, and blushes of delight
A butterfly athirst for radiances and colors,
dreaming of other skies and of a larger strife,
I left, scarcely a youth, my land and my affections,
and vagrant everywhere, with no qualms, with no terrors,
squandered in foreign lands the April of my life.
And afterwards, when I desired, a weary swallow,
to go back to the nest of those for whom I care,
suddenly fiercely roared a violent hurricane
and I found my wings broken, my dwelling place demolished,
faith now sold to others, and ruins everywhere.
Hurled upon a rock of the country I adore;
the future ruined; no home, no health to bring me cheer;
you come to me anew, dreams of rose and gold,
of my entire existence the solitary treasure,
convictions of a youth that was healthy and sincere.
No more are you, like once, full of fire and life,
offering a thousand crowns to immortality;
somewhat serious I find you; and yet your face beloved,
if now no longer as merry, if now no longer as vivid,
now bear the superscription of fidelity.
You offer me, O illusions, the cup of consolation;
you come to reawaken the years of youthful mirth;
hurricane, I thank you; winds of heaven, I thank you
that in good hour suspended by uncertain flight
to bring me down to the bosom of my native earth.
Beside a spacious beach of fine and delicate sand
and at the foot of a mountain greener than a leaf,
I found in my land a refuge under a pleasant orchard,
and in its shadowy forests, serene tranquility,
repose to my intellect and silence to my grief.

An abrasive is a material, often a mineral, that is used to shape or finish a workpiece through
rubbing which leads to part of the workpiece being worn away. While finishing a material often

means polishing it to gain a smooth, reflective surface, the process can also involve roughening as
in satin, matte or beaded finishes.
Abrasives are extremely commonplace and are used very extensively in a wide variety of industrial,
domestic, and technological applications. This gives rise to a large variation in the physical and
chemical composition of abrasives as well as the shape of the abrasive. Common uses for abrasives
include grinding, polishing, buffing, honing, cutting, drilling,sharpening, lapping,
and sanding (see abrasive machining). (For simplicity, "mineral" in this article will be used loosely to
refer to both minerals and mineral-like substances whether man-made or not.)
Grinding is a subset of cutting, as grinding is a true metal-cutting process. Each grain of abrasive
functions as a microscopic single-point cutting edge (although of high negative rake angle), and
shears a tiny chip that is analogous to what would conventionally be called a "cut" chip (turning,
milling, drilling, tapping, etc.). However, among people who work in the machining fields, the
term cutting is often understood to refer to the macroscopic cutting operations, and grinding is often
mentally categorized as a "separate" process. This is why the terms are usually used in
contradistinction in shop-floor practice, even though, strictly speaking, grinding is a subset of cutting.
Similar abrasive cutting processes are lapping and sanding.
Polishing and buffing are finishing processes for smoothing a workpiece's surface using an
abrasive and a work wheel or a leather strop. Technically polishing refers to processes that use an
abrasive that is glued to the work wheel, while buffing uses a loose abrasive applied to the work
wheel. Polishing is a more aggressive process while buffing is less harsh, which leads to a smoother,
brighter finish.[1] A common misconception is that a polished surface has a mirror bright finish,
however most mirror bright finishes are actually buffed. [2]
Polishing is often used to enhance the looks of an item, prevent contamination of instruments,
remove oxidation, create a reflective surface, or prevent corrosion in pipes.
[3]

In metallography and metallurgy, polishing is used to create a flat, defect-free surface for

examination of a metal's microstructure under a microscope. Silicon-based polishing pads or a

diamond solution can be used in the polishing process. Polishing stainless steel can also increase
the sanitary benefits of stainless steel.[4]
The removal of oxidization (tarnish) from metal objects is accomplished using a metal polish or
tarnish remover; this is also called polishing. To prevent further unwanted oxidization, polished metal
surfaces may be coated with wax, oil, or lacquer. This is of particular concern for copper alloy
products such as brass and bronze.[5]

Honing is an abrasive machining process that produces a precision surface on a metal workpiece
by scrubbing an abrasive stone against it along a controlled path. Honing is primarily used to
improve the geometric form of a surface, but may also improve the surface texture.
Cutting is the separation of a physical object, into two or more portions, through the application of
an acutely directed force.
Implements commonly used for cutting are the knife and saw, or in medicine and science
the scalpel and microtome. However, any sufficiently sharp object is capable of cutting if it has
a hardness sufficiently larger than the object being cut, and if it is applied with sufficient force. Even
liquids can be used to cut things when applied with sufficient force
Drilling is a cutting process that uses a drill bit to cut or enlarge a hole of circular cross-section in
solid materials. The drill bit is a rotarycutting tool, often multipoint. The bit is pressed against the
workpiece and rotated at rates from hundreds to thousands of revolutions per minute. This forces the
cutting edge against the workpiece, cutting off chips (swarf) from the hole as it is drilled.

ANG LIGPIT KONG TAHANAN

Sa tabi ng dagat na humahalik pa sa tiping buhangin,
Malapit sa paa ng bundok na pelus kung pagmamalasin,
Ang munti kong kubo'y doon itinirik, sa saganang lilim
Ng mga halamang nakikipaglaro sa ihip ng hangin.
Aking dinudulang sa katabing gubat na masalimisim
Ang katiwasayang panlunas sa hapong isip ko't damdamin.
Ang atip ng bubong ay hamak na pawid, sahig ay kawayan,
Magaspang na kahoy ang mga haligi, pingga at tahilan,
Sa kubo kong ito ay walang bahangin may kahalagahan,
Lalong mabuti pa ang doon humilig sa lunting damuhan
Na abot ng bulong at awit ng dagat sa dalampasigan.
Doon ay may batis na umaawit pa habang naglalagos
Sa mga batuhan, magmula sa gubat sa may dakong likod;
Batis ay nagsanga sa tulong ng isang magaspang na tungkod,
kung gabing tahimik ay may bulong siyang nakapag-aantok,
At kung araw naman, ang langit ay parang ibig na maabot.
Kung ang kalangita'y payapang-payapa, agos ay banayad,
Panay ang taginting ng kanyang gitarang hindi namamalas,
Pagbagsak ng ulan, ang tulin ng agos ay walang katulad,
Humahagunot pa sa nangaghambalang na batong malapad,
Sa di mapipigil na kanyang pagtakbong patungo sa dagat.
Palahaw ng aso at awit ng ibon, at sigaw ng kalaw,
Ang ingay na tanging siyang bumabasag sa katahimikan;
Doo'y di kilala ang tinig ng taong palalo't mayabang
Na susunu-sunod sa nasang guluhin ang aking isipan;
Ako'y naliligid ng katabing dagat at ng gubat lamang.
Ang dagat, ah, ito ay siya ngang lahat kung para sa akin,
Kung dumadaluhong mula sa di tanaw na mga pampangin,
Sa akin, ang kanyang ngiti kung pananalig ko'y parang nagmamaliw,
At kung dapit-hapong ang pananalig ko'y parang nagmamaliw,
Siya ay may bulong na inihahatid sa akin ng hangin.
Pagdating ng gabi, dakilang palabas ng kahiwagaan,
Malaking liwanag ng mumunting kislap na hindi mabilang
Ang doon sa langit ay nakalaganap sa kaitaasan;
Habang dinadalit niyong mga alon ang saklap ng buhay,

Dalit na malabo pagka't nilulunod ang sariling ingay.

Isinasalaysay ang ayos ng mundo nang unang sumikat
Ang araw sa langit, at sila'y laruin ng kanyang liwanag;
Nang mula sa wala'y dami ng kinapal ang biglang kumalat
Sa kailaliman, at sa kapatagan, magpahanggang gubat,
Sa lahat ng dako na abot ng halik ng mayamang sinag.
Nguni't kung sa gabi'y magising ang hanging malikot, mailap,
At ang mga alon, sa galit na dala'y susugod, lulundag,
Mayrong mga siagaw na sa aking puso'y nagbibigay-sindak
, Mga tinig waring nagsisipagdasal, o nag sisiiyak,
Nagsisipanaghoy sa kailalimang kadilima'y ganap.
At saka uugong ang marahang taghoy na mula sa bundok,
Mga punungkahoy at ang mga damo'y nagsisipangatog,
Pati mga pastol ay nababalisa't pawang mga takot,
Sapagka't, anila, ang mga kalulwa'y noon sumisipot
At nag-aanyayang sa kanilang handa sila ay dumulog.
Gabi'y bumubulong sa gitna ng sindak at pagkaligalig,
At sa dagat nama'y bughaw't lunting apoy ang pasilip-silip;
Pag ngiti ng araw'y payapa na naman ang buong paligid,
At mula sa laot, yaong mangingisda ay napagigilid,
Sugod na ang lunday at ang mga alon ay nananahimik.
Ganyan ang buhay ko sa aking payapa't ligpit na tahanan;
Sa mundong nang dati ay kilala ako, ako'y pinapanaw,
Nasapit kong palad, sa ngayon ay aking binubulay-bulay;
Isang bato akong binalot ng lumot upanding matakpan
Sa mata ng mundo ang mga damdaming sa puso ay taglay.
Dahil sa naiwang mga minamahal, ako'y nangangamba,
Mga ngalan nila'y di ko nalilimot sa laot ng sigwa;
May nangagsilayo at mayroon namang nangagsipanaw na;
Nguni't sa lumipas kong hindi mapapaknit kahit agawin pa.
Kaibigan iyang sa lahat ng oras ay aking kapiling
Sa gitna ng lumbay ay nagpapasigla sa diwa't damdamin;
Sa gabing tahimik, siya'y nagtatanod at nananalangin,
Kasama-sama ko sa pagkakatapong malungkot isipan,
Upang kung manlaming ang pananalig ko ay papag-alabin.

Yaong pananalig na ibig ko sanang makitang kumislap

Sa dakilang araw ng pangingibabaw ng Isip sa lakas;
Kung makalipas na itong kamataya't labanang marahas,
Ay may ibang tinig, na lalong masigla at puspos ng galak,
Na siyang aawit ng pananangumpay ng matwid, sa lahat.
Aking natatanaw na namumula na ang magandang langit,
Gaya noong aking bukuin sa hagap ang una kong nais;
Aking nadarama ang dati ring hangin sa noong may pawis,
Nararamdam ko ang dati ring apoy na nagpapainit
Sa tinataglay kong dugong kabataang magulo ang isip.
Ang nilalanghap kong mga simoy dito'y nagdaan marahil
Sa mga ilugan at sa mga bukid niyong bayan namin;
Sa pagbalik nila ay kanila sanang ihatid sa akin
Ang buntong-hininga ng minamahal kong malayo sa piling,
Pahatid na mula sa pinagsanglaan ng unang paggiliw.
Kung aking mamasdan sa abuhing langit ang buwang marilag.
Nararamdaman kong ang sugat ng puso'y muling nagnanaknak;
Naaalaala ang sumpaan naming kami'y magtatapat,
Ang dalampasigan, ang bukid at saka arkong may bulaklak,
Ang buntong-hininga, ang pananahimik at ang piping galak.
Isang paruparong hanap ay bulaklak at saka liwanag,
Malalayong bayan ang lagi nang laman ng kanyang pangarap;
Musmos na musmos pa, tahana'y nilisa't ako ay lumayang,
Upang maglimayon, na ang diwa'y laya at walang bagabag - Ganyan ko ginugol ang mga pili kong panahon at oras.
At nang mapilitang ako ay bumalik sa dating tahanan,
Kagaya ng isang ibong nanghina na sa kapanahunan,
May nag bagong sigwang malakas, mabangis na parang halimaw;
Ang mga pakpak ko'y nagkabali-bali't tahana'y pumanaw,
Ang aking tiwala'y ipinagkanulo't lahat na'y nagunaw.
Sa pagkakatapong malayo sa bayang pinakaiibig,
Ang hinaharap ko'y madilim na lubha't walang tatangkilik:
Pamuli na namang susungaw ang aking mga panaginip,
Tanging kayamanan ng kabuhayan kong sagana sa hapis;
Mga pananalig niyong kabataang matapat, malinis.
Dapwa't kung ikaw ma'y umaasa ngayong iyong makakamtan

Yaong gantimpalang hindi magmamaliw magpakailan man,

Hindi ka na paris ng dating magilas at buhay na buhay;
Sa hapis mong mukha'y may bakas na hindi mapagkakamalan
Yaong pananalig na dapat mahalin at ipagsanggalang.
At upang aliwin, handog mo sa aki'y mga panaginip,
Nagsaang panahon ng kabataan ko'y ipinasisilip;
Kaya nga salamat, O sigwang biyaya sa akin ng langit,
Alam mo ang oras na takdang pagpigil sa gala kong isip,
Upang ibalik mo sa pinanggalingang lupang iniibig.
Sa tabi ng dagat na humahalik pa sa tiping buhangin,
Malapit sa paa ng bundok na pelus kung pagmamalasin,
Aking nasumpungan ang isang tahanang sagana sa lilim,
Aking natuklasan sa katabing gubat na masalimsim
Ang katiwasayang panlunas sa hapong isip ko't damdamin.