#jose lacaba

Mars shall glow tonight, Artemis is out of sight. Rust in the twilight sky Colors a bloodshot eye, Or shall I say that dust Sunders the sleep of the just?

Hold fast to the gift of fire! I am rage! I am wrath! I am ire! The vulture sits on my rock, Licks at the chains that mock Emancipation’s breath, Reeks of death, death, death.

Death shall not unclench me. I am earth, wind, and sea! Kisses bestow on the brave That defy the damp of the grave And strike the chill hand of Death with the flaming sword of love. Orion stirs. The vulture Retreats from the hard, pure

Thrust of the spark that burns, Unbounds, departs, returns To pluck out of death’s fist A god who dared to resist.

Ruben Cuevas, “Prometheus Unbound*” (Published in Focus Magazine, 1973)

*The poem “Prometheus Unbound” was sneakily published by Jose Lacaba under the pseudonym Ruben Cuevas in the Marcos-ally Focus Magazine on 1973. The beginning of each line spelled MARCOS HITLER DIKTADOR TUTA, a popular chant used in protests against the Martial Law. He was later arrested and tortured upon the discovery of the hidden words.

Jose “Pete” F. Lacaba, Kaparis ng Kawayan, Kaparis ng Kalabaw

Lacaba is a known writer/journalist who documented vividly the First Quarter Storm of 1970 in a series of columns in the Philippines Free Press and the Asia-Philippines Leader. The National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin described his writing as “a hurrying of history: pressure of the very pulse of the machine.” Lacaba was also known as the author of the famous poem “Prometheus Unbound” under the pseudonym Ruben Canlas. The said poem passed Martial Law censorship and was published in Focus Philippines in 1973, finding far too late the anti-Marcos message embeded in the first letter of every line in the poem. 

"What Must be believed In" or "Ang dapat Paniwalaan" in tagalog was written by Jose F. Lacaba around 1965-1969. Using the bibliography criticism theory approach and psychoanalytic approach, you can decode deeper meanings and symbolism in the poem. Jose Lacaba is well known in writing literature including journalism and creative writing.  During the Martial Law era in 1970, Lacaba openly fought against Former President Ferdinand Marcos. He also published a poem “Prometheus Unbound” in a magazine that had allied itself with the Marcos regime.

Based on the author’s background, this poem is a symbolism that tells us their story during the Martial Law period. The Grandmother represents the dictators in our government who used to tell us lies and brainwashed us from the truth. The creepy creatures such as trolls and ogres represent the lies the government used to tell and these ugly creatures bring fear in the mind of the kid. When the grandmother died, the kid seemed to be free and enlightened from the fictional dark stories his mother planted in his mind. On the other hand, it represents their situation when Ferdinand Marcos died. After his death many Filipinos became free from the nightmare the Martial law brought them. When this period is over, many become educated, empowered and awaken from the twisted truth they have heard for many years of dictatorship. This response is based on how the reader analyzed the author’s situation and how it interpreted  the poem.

On the other perspective, the poem used a lot of symbolisms, and figures of speech. By focusing on the story itself and using sociological theory to understand the poem, I can conclude different issues such as the use and influence of power. It also conveys meaning on how having education can bring a so much difference in an individuals identity. Education and sticking on the truth is a great weapon.

(Pictures of  Jose Maria Flores Lacaba)

“Our  publication  was  called Taliba  ng  Bayan,”  he  says.  It began  as  a  monthly,  mimeographed publication before the staff eventually found a sympa thetic printing press. As a wanted  man,  Lacaba’s  movements were  limited  to  the  Taliba’s various  underground  houses—his younger colleagues, mostly members  of  the  College  Editors  Guild  of  the  Philippines, served as stringers. 

At length, one of these stringers told Lacaba that The Varsitarian, the student paper of the University of Santo Tomas, was interested  in  publishing  his work,  as  long  as  it  wasn’t  too radical. 

“I  thought  about  writing an  acrostic,  as  I  had  written some of those before, for girls,” he  laughs.  “A  lot  of  anti-government  acrostics  were  being published  at  the  time  too,  in Tagalog. So I decided to do the same.”  Still  on  the  move  from one underground house to another,  Lacaba  composed “Prometheus Unbound”.

In  April  of  1974,  Lacaba  was finally captured, and was held at Camp Crame where he was routinely  tortured.  When  his childhood pulmonary tuberculosis recurred, he was confined under  heavy  guard.  He  joined many  other writers  imprisoned by the state in camps all over the country, political captives whose biggest crime was to  assume  the  responsibility of check and balance in a subdued  society,  who  had  absolutely  no  recourse  for  release while the writ of habeas corpus was suspended. They included Bienvenido  Lumbera,  Jose  Y. Dalisay  Jr.,  Ricardo  Lee,  Lilia Quindoza,  Ed  Maranan,  Luis Teodoro, and Ninotchka Rosca, among many others. The list is long— and shameful. 

That  same  year,  Pete  was visited by his younger brother, Eman,  by  then  a  celebrated poet  himself.  “Hindi  na  ako makakadalaw,”  Eman  said  to Pete,  who  understood  at  once that  his  younger  brother  was about  to  go underground  as well.

Lacaba  was  set  free  in  1976, after  the  intercession  of  Nick Joaquin,  who  had  made  the release  a  condition  following his acceptance of the National Artist  award.  “As  Nick  told  it, he  approached  [Juan  Ponce] Enrile during the awards ceremony. While they were talking, Marcos  overheard  them,  and assured  them  of  my  release. Sure  enough,  two  days  after, I  was summoned  by  the  head of  the  constabulary,  Fidel  Ramos,” Lacaba says. Lacaba was given a conditional release; he was required to report weekly to  Camp  Crame  as  proof  that he  was  still  above  ground  and in Manila. “And if I wanted to write, it had to be apolitical.”