THE EMBARKATION, a hymn to Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet (El Embarque: Himno a la
Flota de Magallanes, 1875)
One beautiful day when in East
The sun had gaily brightened,
At Barrameda with rejoicing great
Activities everywhere reigned. The Embarkation, A Hymn to Ferdinand Magellan’s Fleet (El
Embarque: Himno A La Flota De Magallanes, 1875)
‘Tis cause on the shores the caravels
Rizal wrote this poem while he was a boarding student at the
Would part with their sails a-swelling; Ateneo Municipal de Manila. It was believed to have been his first
And noble warriors with their swords poem that had the honor of being read in a public program held at
To conquer unknown world are going. that school. “Hymn to Magellan’s fleet”talked about the
departure of Ferdinand Magellan,
Farewell! They saythe first loved
to them, manones,
to colonize the
Philippines. Brave soldiers of the homeland;
And all is glee and all is joy,
All is valor in the city. With glories gird our mother Spain,
Everywhere the husky sounds of drums In the campaign in the unknown land!
Are resounding with majesty.
As they move away to the gentle breath
With big echoes thousands of salvos Of the cool wind with emotion,
Makes at the ships a roaring cannon They all bless with a pious voice
And the Spanish people proudly greet So glorious, heroic action.
The soldiers with affection. And finally, the people salute
The standard of Magellan
That he carries on the way to the seas
Where madly roars the hurricane.
and that tempestuous element
Memories of My Town meekly asleep on the sand;
when I inhale the dear
When I remember the days intoxicating essence
that saw my early childhood the flowers exude when dawn
spent on the green shores is smiling on the land;
of a murmurous lagoon;
when I remember the coolness,
delicious and refreshing,
that on my face I felt
as I heard Favonius croon;
when I behold the white lily
swell to the wind’s impulsion,
sadly, sadly I recall to learn; and I pray heaven
your visage, precious childhood, your innocence to keep
which an affectionate mother
made beautiful and bright;
I recall a simple town,
my comfort, joy and cradle,
beside a balmy lake,
the seat of my delight. Rizal loved his hometown Calamba in Laguna. He fondly
Ah, yes, my awkward foot remembered his memories of the said town. In 1876, Rizal
explored your sombre woodlands, as a 15-year old student in the Ateneo Municipal de Manila
and on the banks of your rivers
in frolic I took part.
wrote the poem “In Memory of My Town”. It was written
I prayed in your rustic temple, to express his love and appreciation for the place where he
a child, with a child’s devotion; grew up.
and your unsullied breeze
exhilarated my heart. In this nostalgic poem, Jose Rizal remembers his childhood
days in Calamba, Laguna. Rizal had the happiest and most
beautiful memories of the place, the hospitality and
friendliness as well as the industry of the people of
Calamba. Those memories were influential in molding his
character and his values.
The Creator I saw in the grandeur
of your age-old forests;
upon your bosom, sorrows
were ever unknown to me;
while at your azure skies
I gazed, neither love nor tenderness
failed me, for in nature
lay my felicity.
Tender childhood, beautiful town,
rich fountain of rejoicing
and of harmonious music
that drove away all pain:
return to this heart of mine,
return my gracious hours,
return as the birds return
when flowers spring again!
But O goodbye! May the Spirit
of Good, a loving gift-giver,
keep watch eternally over
your peace, your joy, your sleep!
For you, my fervent pryers;
for you, my constant desire
