Survey of Significant Events during the Philippine Colonial Years as Reflected in Selected Poems

Abstract

Literature in its broadest sense is life for it has in its scope man’s expression and reaction to the events of his time. The diversity and richness of Philippine literature evolved side by side with the country’s history. A great deal of historical writing ranks as literature, particularly the genre known as creative non-fiction.  It records data or convey information because it is an allegiance to history and as an adequate response to human difficulties-individual memory, freedom and universal aesthetic ideals. Poetry with its aesthetics embroiders the feelings and emotions of the people thus; man reacts to the significant events around him. It is true that Philippine history and government would cover the important events of the past but they don’t describe nor picture in details the feelings, thought, dreams and actual life of the Filipinos. Literature is the inexhaustible riches of the past from which ideas are handed down through the centuries, influencing the way Philippines develops its society and civilization.  The study of Philippine poetry offers a glimpse of the sacrifices that people have endured for the sake of the nation. This study analyzed selected Philippine poems which reflect the significant events in the Philippines during its colonial years. It offers an alternative approach in studying an important stage of Philippine history. The deepest truths of history are found in literatures which are inscribed in language making the reading of the work an intelligent operation of expressions.