The Goodness in a Bad Way
“Art
of Killing a Mockingbird”,
this
poem of Emmanuel Dumlao is one of the humorous works in poetry I have ever
read. By its very title, a reader could figure out in a glance its main theme.
But this Filipino writer is unpredictable, I say. Aside from the
straight-forward title he chose, he even added a question that a reader might
ask while gasping the point of this poem which is, “What kind of mockingbird
does he wants to kill here?” His answer
is your child, if you have one, through his first stanza—‘assure your child is
safe’. Considering you have a child, no doubt you will care for her. You would
cherish every moment and nurture her with values so as he/she grows up, he will
have that right attitude towards her/him. Certainly, as a parent, you will
supply her/him with thoughts that would benefit him/her and convenient for the
sake of your child. You will tell her/him ‘he she is free from fright’ as long
as he/she is ‘within the bounds of your sight’. You will fuel her/his mind
words that can give or lift up her/his confidence but ‘deserves no other ears
than yours’; that in order to be ‘free, safe and sweet’, it’s better not to
speak rather than to talk and share what he/she thinks. You will do whatever it
takes to believe in you that ‘silence’ is normal as breathing the air. For this
reason, you will ‘show your candor’ and that is, to ‘cut his/her tongue. With
this, I couldn’t disagree to state that this poem is indeed much crueler than a
reader could have been expecting to conclude as the poem ends.
The
tragic way of the author describing how to kill a mockingbird, referring to a
child is very simple. We can see right through the words Emmanuel Dumlao has
used its own unique way of killing by silently learning how to control a child,
letting him/her move as you would want him/her to. Dumlao has set before his
mind that being the child’s parent, you would have his/her trust without much
difficulty because of that bind you have—parent to child relationship that
attaches you to each other. In my opinion, what he is trying to say is that the
relationship right after your birth with someone is the easiest path to know
the art of killing a mockingbird. It’s in our nature as humans created by God
to possess that specific weakness when we build a relationship, that’s when
trust is gain; what’s more to your child, and you, being the parent?
The Essence of Losing Someone
Emmanuel Dumlao’s “Art of Mourning” is more of a story about our own families—the most
important people we ever regard in this world. Actually, it’s not just a mere
story but more of a reality. No fakeness or lying involve but only facts with
feelings especially right there when we encounter losing one of our family
members.
Right after stating the first line in this poem, it is
noticeable that the author made us not to think any more what’s got to happen
next but presented us a deathbed of a loved one by saying ‘he can’t sit and
chat with us anymore’ because he is now gone. He will worry no more, will not
experience sleepless nights for his eyes are fully close and would never have a
single not a slight chance of blinking. Finally, his shoulders are resting. For
once, our family is gathered ‘by his absence’. Losing him is like losing
something you value so much—you put every single centavo just to buy that but
you ended up not in your possession, but in other’s hands. Just like him but in
good sake—he ended up in God’s safest hands. You grieve not only because he is
now dead but that realization dwelling in your heart and mind that you should
have said that you love and care for him, you should have done the things that
showcase how important he is in your life and you should have given what he
wanted while you can. Now, you can see ‘candies, biscuits, coffee, and
cigarettes’ that could have bring him joy by buying otherwise when he was
alive. But it seems like out of respect on your visitors and relatives, you buy
these because he is not with you anymore. You have a million opportunities yet
you have not used even one chance; if only, if only you have one more chance
but it will not happen.
Nevertheless, you feel grateful that ‘it’s not a disgrace
to cry in public’. You and your family left with you are secured just to know
that at least from now on, he is ‘resting in peace’. He is now able to breathe
at last in heaven, without pain and fear. What is left in your hearts is the
deep wound and scars that continue hurting and aching for every family of yours
due to his lost. There is no shame in mourning, therefore may we let us use
every ounce of crying, weeping and sobbing. Who can else feel this kind of
grief as high as fountain who was there almost the entire existence of our
loved one, but his family? We are not mourning for his death’s sake only but
the opportunity wasted to let him know his significance—just being there with
us and to us, and the feeling that was lost whenever we say temporary goodbyes
as we part our ways.
The
Matter of Acceptance
Without
Reservation
Reading the title first often gives a reader the idea and
its expectations he/she may create on his own thinking. But Emmanuel Dumlao
proved otherwise on his poem entitled, “Art
of Sowing Seed of Salvation”. At first read, you might have thought the
known-to-all statement what you reap, you sow based on my experience. Greater
chances that popped out into your mind are the words Jesus, faith,
Christianity, devotion, prayer, commitment to God and godly person. Well, that
is my interpretation upon analyzing this poem. Those words are all related, for
me.
The author used a specific name Salvador almost
Salvation. This is not a coincident but I believe that it is really on his
foremost intention so that the readers will be easily connected what he wanted
to point here in the first place. Reality is, our impression to salvation is
all about saving—‘to save the world such as from hunger, war and pestilence’,
so the writer says and what we know.
Before
we ever take in consideration the purpose of salvation, there must be someone
who would preach us about it. What really is its meaning, why do we need it, is
it that important in our life, what happens if I resist are the few questions
we might be wonder of.
Yet,
Salvador in spite of the sufferings and sacrifices, he has the compassion and
willingness to preach by letting the beggars know and tell them instead to
thank God for the beauty of every creation He has done allowing us to
appreciate the nature, and ignore the hunger. In spite of hardships, injustice
and unfair life may seem to them, Salvador wanted them to endure life; letting
go of anxiety, pity and hatred to this world. If they keep these emotions
inside their bodies, storing each negative attitude not only towards others but
even to their selves will only result hurt and pain. For these, ‘the hell
rejoices and eventually tempers their faith’. Rather than pointing out the
flaws and wrongdoings, he teaches the beggars the ways of God who knows what’s
best for everyone, that even before we ask him our needs, he knows them all
already than anyone else, not even the closest person you have. The God whose
plans are not to harm us but to transform and improve us on his own timing and
ways. He, who opens doors for more possibilities to look forward to in this temporary
life, who answers every prayer, who dwells inside of us and who gives
provisions and makes miracles out of His love for us.
However,
it is evident that not everyone will be saved through the first line of first
stanza ‘but beggars gather away from Salvador’s prayers’. The enemy won and
overcame them. The effort Salvador has put upon preaching about salvation is an
enter-then-out listening. Their hearts crying out for restoration and for
savior ‘heave the birthing of their own salvation’.
No comments:
Post a Comment