|
ose Corazon de Jesus was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila to Dr.
Vicente de Jesus and Susana Pangilinan. Pepito, as he was
called, studied at the Liceo de Manila where he got
the Bachiller en Artes degree. From the Academia
de Leyes, he obtained the Bachiller en Leyes degree, but
he did not take the bar examination because he was
preoccupied with writing.
His literary inclination was manifested early in life. His
first poem, Pangungulila, was written when he
was 17 years old. In 1920, he worked for Taliba and began
his famous column, Buhay Maynila. He caught
the imagination of the readers through his appealing and
incisive satire.
Much of his popularity rested on lyrical jousts he had with
Florentino Collantes. This literary genre was practically
unknown until popularized by Jose. The first of these
poetical encounters was Paruparo’t Bubuyog held at
the Instituto de Mujeres in 1925.
He excelled in the beauty of language, in charm and
luxuriance of expression, and in dramatic delivery. Later
on, he was proclaimed King of Balagtasan.
Like a whirling silent storm, or a silent spring that wells
up, he made immense contributions to Tagalog literature. His
Buhay Maynila column alone published about
4,000 poems; Ang Lagot na Bagting, written in
more serious trend, numbered about 800 poems. He also wrote
some 300 short poems and prose.
In the 15 literary contests he joined, he won either first
prize or second prize. In lyrical jousts, he received three
silver trophies and four gold medals.
His poems like Ang Puso Ko, Ang Pamana, Ang Panday, Ang
Manok Kong Bulik, Ang Pagbabalik, and Sa
Halamanan ng Dios were features in poetry reading
sessions in colleges and literary circles. They were also
pieces for declamation contests.
His heart was preserved by the government until it was buried
with his mother. His body was buried under a tree in
fulfillment of his wish expressed in two of his last poems –
Isang Punong Kahoy and Ang Akasya.
Pepito died of ulcer on May 26, 1932. He was only 36.
|
Jose
Corazon de Jesus - The Legendary Lyric Poet