JOSE GARCIA VILLA

WHEN I WAS NO BIGGER THAN A HUGE

FIRST, A POEM MUST BE MAGICAL

Blanco, Aliana | Lopez, Francesca | Nuada, Nelijah

 JOSE GARCIA VILLA
(AUGUST 5, 1908 FEBRUARY 7, 1997)

modernist poet in Philippine literature

Doveglion (derived from Dove, Eagle and Lion)

National Artist of the Philippines for literature (1973)

reversed consonance rhyme scheme - when the

last sounded consonants of the last syllable are

reversed for the corresponding rhyme (ex: light and

tell; run and near)

 JOSE GARCIA VILLA
(AUGUST 5, 1908 FEBRUARY 7, 1997)

extensive use of punctuation marks, a lineal

pace of dignity and movement Comma

Poet

interested in the relationship between the

meaning of human life and the mystery of

Creation
WHEN I WAS NO BIGGER
THAN A HUGE
BY: JOSE GARCIA VILLA
WHEN I WAS NO BIGGER THAN A HUGE
BY: JOSE GARCIA VILLA

When, I, was, no, bigger, than, a, huge,

Star, in, my, self, I, began, to, write,
My,
Theology,
Of, rose, and,
Tiger: till, I, burned, with, their
Pure, and, Rage. Then, was, I, Wrath-
Full,
And, most,
Gentle: most,
 Dark, and, yet, most, Lit: in, me, an,
Eye, there, grew: springing, Vision,
Its,
Gold, and,
Its, wars. Then,
I, knew, the, Lord, was, not, my, Creator!
Not, He, the, Unbegottenbut, I, saw,
The,
Creator,
Was, Iand,
I, began, to, Die, and, I, began, to, Grow.
 STRUCTURE

Comma Poem
Comma represents a pause
Emphasizes every word, suggests its importance
Most, if not all, adjectives and nouns begins with a capital letter
Pure, Rage, Wrathful, Gentle, Dark, Vision, Die, and Growplay a significant role
in the poem, such that they present contrasts
4 stanzas and a concluding line
2 long lines that contain the main essence of the stanza and 3 short lines that
serves as a transition
 ABOUT THE
TITLE
The title, the first and
second line connote the life of
a star, from his shining to
dimming moment
the life, death, and rebirth of
a star
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
1ST LINE: In the midst of reminiscing
When, I, was, no, bigger, than, a, huge,

2nd LINE: persona is maybe in hes middle age

Star, in, my, self, I, began, to, write, already, for it used a star- a star within
him
huge and star transition from 1st
and 2nd line indicates difference from
then and now
my self instead of myself
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4TH LINE: Theology metaphysical question
Reality of supreme and divine being

5TH TO 10TH LINES: Rose, and, Tiger, Opposites / vis--vis(face to face)

Pure, and, Rage.
Wrath-full, and, most, Gentle

11TH LINE: Dark, and, yet, most, Lit Doubt and uncertainty
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
12TH TO 15TH LINES: Vision idea hope and supreme
in, me, an,
vision
Eye, there, grew: springing, Vision,
Its, Gold answers to his doubts
Gold, and,
Its, wars.
Wars uncertainty from the answers

16th LINE:
Then,
refers to the wars that still darkens his
I, knew, the, Lord, was, not, my, Creator!
certainty

17th LINE:
Not, He, the, Unbegotten Used en dash supporting former line
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

18TH TO 20TH LINES: Strong break in the structure of

but, I, saw, thought
The, Continued with the idea
Creator,
Was,

21st LINE:
I and,
after all his search for truth about
I, began, to, Die, and, I, began, to, Grow.
Gods reality he himself find God to
be real and existential
 CONCLUSION

The wars referring to his negation about Gods supremacy

despite of having the vision for certainty, were cleared
upon him seeing the Creator himself. The conclusion that
after all his search for truth about Gods reality he himself
find God [his Creator] to be real and existential. Thus,
made him to end and clear all his doubts (I began to die)
and began with certainty (to grow).
FIRST, A POEM MUST BE
MAGICAL
BY: JOSE GARCIA VILLA
FIRST, A POEM MUST BE MAGICAL
BY: JOSE GARCIA VILLA

First, a poem must be magical,

Then musical as a seagull.
It must be a brightness moving
And hold secret a birds flowering
It must be slender as a bell,
And it must hold fire as well.
It must have the wisdom of bows
And it must kneel like a rose.
 It must be able to hear
The luminance of dove and deer.
It must be able to hide
What it seeks, like a bride.
And over all I would like to hover
God, smiling from the poems cover.
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
must have magic, and it must be
First, a poem must be magical musical
Then musical as a sea-gull.
"a diamond in the rough"

It must be a brightness moving should not be static and should be

And hold secret a bird's moving like a bird
flowering.

Lean and clean / it is not fixed

It must be slender as a bell
And it must hold fire as well. Should have spirit
 CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
It must have the wisdom of bows A good poem is like an archers bow
And it must kneel like a rose. A metaphor for humility

It must be able to hear

The luminance of dove and deer. Gentleness and purity

Must not explicitly state meaning

It must be able to hide
Must guess what the poem means;
What it seeks, like a bride.
seek the real meaning

And over all I would like to hover Must have a Godness to the poem; and
God, smiling from the poem's cover. should radiate Godness to others
 STRUCTURE

Traditional rhyme scheme of two consecutive lines

The word must is used 8 times indicating how strongly the
author want us to follow the guidelines.
An informative one
States its main point on the first line
 CONCLUSION

-Jose Villa concludes that reading poetry might be compared to

enjoying riddles, and that children enjoy solving riddles
-Children must be taught through sheer joy to sense out and feel
the meaning.
-Writers and Poets should become more concerned about
providing the readers and children with joyous language
experiences that will enable them to better understand poetry.
 QUESTIONS

1. Based from your observations, what are the themes for both of the
poems?

2. Like the author, have you ever deeply questioned about life?

3. Have you encountered a moment in your life where you are having a
hard time seeking answers to a certain problem? Did you solve it
yourself or with the help of God?
 SOURCES:
https://www.scribd.com/doc/294942633/Analysis-of-Poem-17-by-Jose-Garcia-Villa
http://aaww.org/four-poems-jose-garcia-villa/
https://jooleeyuuh.wordpress.com/2013/03/30/how-techniques-affect-meaning-an-
analysis-of-jose-garcia-villas-poems/
https://www.teachervision.com/analyze-jose-garcia-villa-poem
https://hiteach007.wordpress.com/tag/when-i-was-no-bigger-than-a-huge/
http://englishforthirdyear.blogspot.com/2016/02/an-excerpt-of-poem-written-by-
jose.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Garcia_Villa
https://www.teachervision.com/poetry/interview-jose-garcia-villa