Literary Analysis No.

Name: ______________________________________________________________________ Score: __________

Mayon
Kristian Sendon Cordero
Camarines Sur

Ayon sa alamat, lason ng pana ni Pagtuga,

ang lumikha sa bulkan – libingan ito
ng dalagang namatay sa isang digmaan.

Ngayon, ano ang tutubo sa paanan ng Mayon

gayong nagiging malawak na itong sementeryo
ng abo, ng tao. Manganganak na kaya ito?
Tinitigan ko ang nakangangang bulkan – binalot
ng ulap at ng sariling usok ang tuktok, gatas sa labi.
Baka sakali, magpakita, nang may silbi ang kamera.

Sa ilang retrato na ibinebenta ng mga bata sa Cagsawa

lusaw na tae ang nagliliyab na lava, dumadaloy pababa.
Matandang nag-nganganga ayon naman sa isang makata.

Sa isang lumang postcard na nakita ko sa Antigo Merkado—

Kapag sa malayo, isa siyang magandang sikyung nakatanod,
Handa sa pagkapkap, naghihintay sa iyong pagpasok.

Respond critically to the following questions to process the selection.

1. According to the poem, what led to the creation of the volcano?
A. The arrow used by Pagtuga
B. A war which led to Magayon’s death
C. The poison of the arrow of Pagtuga
D. The legend of Daragang Magayon
2. In the second stanza, the area around Mayon’s foot is described as
A. graveyard
B. a farm
C. a disaster zone
D. a myth
3. What is the persona in the poem waiting for in the third stanza?
A. For the volcano to erupt
B. For the volcano to show its peak
C. For the volcano to blow more smoke
D. For the volcano to be covered in clouds
4. Cite at least three images found in the poem and their meaning.

Images Figurative Meaning

 Literary Analysis No. 2

Name: _____________________________________________________________________ Score: __________

Third World Geography

Cirilo F. Bautista
Manila

A country without miracles

Sits heavy on the map,
thinking of banana trees rotting
in the sunlight.
The man who watches over it
has commandeered all hopes,
placed them in a sack,
and tied its loose end.
He goes around carrying it
on his back.
When asked what is inside,
he says, “Just a handful of feathers,
Just a handful of feathers.”
That’s how light the burden
of government is in peace time –
any tyrant can turn it into a metaphor.
You kneel on the parched earth
and pray for rice. Only the wind
hears your useless words.
The country without miracles
tries to get up from the page,
but the bold ink and sharp colors
hold it down.

Direction: Respond critically to the following questions to process the selection.

1. What is the figure of speech used in the lines “A country without miracles sits heavy on the map, thinking of
banana trees rotting in the sunlight”?
A. Metaphor
B. Personification
C. Simile
D. Hyperbole
2. What has happened to hope in the poem, as described by the lines “The man who watches over it has
commandeered all hopes, placed them in a sack, and tied its loose end. He goes around carrying it on his
back.”
A. It has been killed.
B. It has been conquered.
C. It has been stolen.
D. It has been silenced.
3. What are the “feathers” discussed in the poem supposed to be a metaphor of?
A. The burden of government
B. The dashed hopes of people
C. The feathers of dead birds
D. The poverty in the country
4. “You kneel on parched earth and pray for rice.” This implies that the people in the poem are:
A. angry
B. depressed
C. hungry
D. thirsty
5. The persona speaking in the poem is:
A. A character in the poem
B. An unbiased observer
C. The author
D. The man who watches over the country
6. What could the act of “getting up” refer to in the final lines of the poem?
Mt. Kanlaon is named after the ancient Visayan deity, Kan-Laon, which means “One Who is the Ruler of Time” or
the “Exalted One.” Legend has it that the mountain is where Laon made his presence to the people. The volcano is
also a pilgrimage site for Negrense hermits, sorcerers, babaylans, and alike. It is believed to be a place where they
reflect and meditate to connect with Kan-Laon.

There are many folklores about Kan-Laon. Here is one of them:

The Legend of Mt. Kanlaon

One day, a group of enthusiastic farmers reached the top of the mountain and were greeted by Kan-Laon. Humbled
by his presence, one of the tobacco famers asked for the deity's permission to use a part of the land to plant their
crops. Kan-Laon, in a happy and good mood, gave his consent with the condition that they will not plant near his
house. He drew a line around the mountain top to show the perimeter to the farmers. They complied and went on to
farm the land.

Days came and everything was in order. Kan-Laon needed to leave his home to meditate. Before setting off, he
reminded the farmers again about the line, warned them not to cross the border, and then disappeared.

Several years passed, the farmers were still following Kan-Laon’s rule. Their crops continued to grow and thrive
until there were no longer unprohibited areas. Not knowing when Kan-Laon will be coming back from his
meditation, a brave tobacco farmer dared to plant his crop beyond the border. The rest of the farmers were dismayed
and was mad at him for not following Kan-Laon’s rule. A few days went by and nothing happened to the farmer
who went beyond the line. With this news, the farmer exclaimed to the others that Kan-Laon might have looked for
other places and has no plans of coming back. Other farmers then joined him in planting tobacco beyond the border.
They continued to plant tobacco for years until Kan-Laon returned unexpectedly.

Kan-Laon was disappointed to see that his home is now a tobacco plantation. He was so angry that with just a silent
gesture of his finger, the tobacco crops all dried up and were bundled together right beside him.

The scared farmers knelt and begged for forgiveness. Kan-Laon accepted their apology. Then, the farmers asked for
another chance to plant their crops on the mountain. He agreed with the condition that the farmers can only plant
again once he finish smoking the tobacco bundles. In the blink of an eye, a crater appeared at the area where he drew
the line. Kan-Laon went inside the crater with the bundles of tobacco, never to be seen again.