A Literary Exploration on

A poem

written by Edith Tiempo

Rose Katherine H. Javier

Discussant

The Author:

Edith L. Tiempo(April 22, 1919 – August 21, 2011

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya )

poet, fiction writer, teacher and literary

critic was a Filipino writer in the English language.

founded (in 1962) and directed the Silliman National

Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City together with

her late husband, writer and critic Edilberto K.

Tiempo

She has two children, Rowena and Maldon

conferred the National Artist Award for Literature in

1999

Two of her most anthologized pieces are “Lament

for the Littlest Fellow” and “Bonsai”

The PieceBonsaiEdith Tiempo

All that I love

I fold over once

And once again

And keep in a box

Or a slit in a hollow post

Or in my shoe.

All that I love?

Why, yes, but for the moment-

And for all time, both.

Something that folds and keeps

easy,

Son’s note or Dad’s one gaudy tie,

A roto picture of a queen,

A blue Indian shawl, even

A money bill.

It’s utter sublimation,

A feat, this heart’s control

Moment to moment

To scale all love down

To a cupped hand’s size

Till seashells are broken pieces

From God’s own bright teeth,

And life and love are real

Things you can run and

Breathless hand over

To the merest child.

Definition of Terms

• Bonsai- art of cultivating ornamental,

artificially dwarfed trees and shrubs.

The literal translation of bonsai is 'plant

in a tray,' but the practice of bonsai is

more than the cultivation

of dwarf trees; rather it

is a re-creation of nature

in miniature.

• Roto (Rotoscoping)-a technique where

individual frames of an actor’s filmed

performance are projected onto sheets of

paper and traced to create a series of

drawings.

• Sublimation- the channeling of impulses or

energies regarded as unacceptable,

especially sexual desires, toward activities

regarded as more socially acceptable,

often creative activities

Definition of Terms

Criticism Lenses:

• Theory 1:

Moral- Philosophical Theory

• Theory 2:

Structuralism and Formalism

• Theory 3:

Feminism

Theory 1: Moral-

Philosophical

Bonsai

Sentimentality

Loyalty

Responsibility

Self- control

Moral- Philosophical

Theme

Unified Theme:

Objects and memories preserve love. Handing

over of morals from generation to generation

will further strengthen the kind of love given.

Theme:

Loving involves

sentimentality, loyalty, self-

control and responsibility.

These morals help in making

love last.

Theme:

Love could be shared and

propagated, however, it still

entails disciplining one’s

self. Morals passed on to

generations will be good

foundation in loving.

Theory 2: Structuralism and

Formalism

Elemental

Criticism

Structure

Imagery

Style

Structuralism

Signifier

Signified

Structuralism and Formalism

ThemeTheme:

( via Formalism)

Love could be scaled

down to simple objects

and memories so that it

could be preserved by

passing it on to another.

Theme:

( via Structuralism)

One’s value serves as

foundation to a lasting love.

Handing it over to offspring

will make the legacy last.

Unified Theme:

Love, in its vastness, should be scaled to little things,

memories and values that we may keep so that when the

time comes it could be passed on to another.

Theory 3: Feminism

Bonsai

Feminism

Theme:

A woman’s love is present

socially, economically and

morally. She regards her

mementos, memories and values

important in giving love. She is

also expected to act with

acceptable behavior that she

could pass on to the younger

generation.

SYNTHESIS

FROM THE THREE THEMES COMBINED

COME FORTH THE UNIFYING GRAND

THEME:

“Love, just like a bonsai,

needs to be scaled down to

simpler forms

so it would

last longer and

would not overwhelm a person.”

- End-

Thank You

To God be the Glory!

-rkhjavier-