Apo on the Wall

by : BJ Patino

1. There's this man's photo on the wall

2. Of my father's office at home, you

3. Know, where father brings his work,

4. Where he doesn't look strange

5. Still wearing his green uniform

6. And colored breast plates, where,

7. To prove that he works hard, he

8. Also brought a photo of his boss

9. Whom he calls Apo, so Apo could

10. You know, hang around on the wall

11. Behind him and look over his shoulders

12. To make sure he's snappy and all.

13. Father snapped at me once, caught me

14. Sneaking around his office at home

15. Looking at the stuff on his wall- handguns,

16. Plaques, a sword, medals a rifle-

17. Told me that was no place for a boy

18. Only men, when he didn't really

19. Have to tell me because, you know,

20. That photo of Apo on the wall was

already

21. Looking at me around,

22. His eyes following me like he was

23. That scary Jesus in the hallway, saying

24. I know what you're doing.

ABOUT THE POEM

BJ Patino's poem titled "Apo on the Wall" captures a child growing up under the shadow of Ferdinand Marcos' Martial Law in the Philippines. The poem shows the child's perspective; having a limited understanding of the situation and the curiosity about what is going on had led to the child's exclusion from this space. The feeling of being watched by Apo's eyes and the father's warning that this is "no place for a boy" reflect the anxieties and limitations imposed by a society under the martial law.

What did you like this poem?

What I appreciate about the poem is the use of symbolisms in an effective way to convey a powerful message, like the collection of weapons in the office which the child is not familiar with and the father's uniform which illustrates the atmosphere during Martial Law. Also, the poem allows the reader to draw their conclusions by using the name "Apo" instead of directly mentioning the name of Ferdinand Marcos. Lastly, the poem's straightforwardness and the use of simple words contribute to its effectiveness.

What message you got from it?

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The message of the poem is to be reminded by our past and to learn from it. In this poem, where even the presence of authority can linger at their home shows the impact of this oppressive regime. We can draw from this the importance of protecting our freedom and to maintain it by reflecting on our past.

how it affects your appreciation of the

and

past

present

past

It serves as a map to trace what are the mistakes in the past and to use it as a guide in present. Through this we can use it as a warning and to make sure that the mistakes that happened in the past will stay on past.

present

It serves as an encouragement to examine the reality that we have in the present. It also guided me in forming questions about our current state such as: How much freedom that we actually had now? Did we really learned from our past? And are we now free from someone just like "Apo"?