December 2017 in "Pages"

Dateline: 30 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"El Combate Urbiztondo, Terror De Jolo" by Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Semi-random selection, in observance of Rizal Day: random number between one and 286, page 40 of The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal, translated by National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin (Far Eastern University, 1976) contains stanzas five to nine of the poem in its original Spanish.

Translation appears on opposite page, or page 41; fifth stanza reads in English:

And the Lion of Castille

shakes its mane in the air

and readies its sharp claws

to sow grief everywhere.

Dateline: 25 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"Pahalik" by Jose Blanco

Non-random selection. Pages 52 and 53 or a chapter spread design in Pagdiriwang 2: Stories of Filipino Rites and Rituals with text written by Monina Mercado (Philippine Appliance Corporation, publisher, 1975).

Dateline: 20 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"Angeles and Pampango Vigor" (credited to Romy Corporal)

Non-random selection. Pages 60 and 61 or a chapter spread design in the Seven Golden Cities of the Sun by National Artist for Literature, the late Nick Joaquin, part of the series Philacor Young People's Library (Philippine Appliance Corporation, publisher, 1981)

Dateline: 17 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"The Nativity" by Geertgen tot Sint Jans

Non-random selection. Page 65 of How to Read Bible Stories and Myths in Art: Decoding the Old Masters from Giotto to Goya (Patrick De Rynck, author) features light as symbol, with the infant Jesus as source of light that illuminated an otherwise very dark composition. From the collection of the National Gallery in London.

Dateline: 14 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"The Nativity or Adoration of the Shepherds" by Hugo van der Goes

Non-random selection. Page 64 of How to Read Bible Stories and Myths in Art: Decoding the Old Masters from Giotto to Goya (Patrick De Rynck, author) features the work of one of the most innovative of the Netherlandish masters from the collection in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemaldegalerie, Germany.

Dateline: 11 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"The Nativity" (Anonymous)

Non-random selection. Page 63 of How to Read Bible Stories and Myths in Art: Decoding the Old Masters from Giotto to Goya (Patrick De Rynck, author) features the Nativity panel of possibly an altarpiece currently in the collection of Museum Mayer van den Bergh in Antwerp, Belgium.

Dateline: 08 December 2017, Pasay, PHL

"Adonais" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Random number between one and 281. Page 3 of Best Loved Hymns, Poems and Readings (compiled by Martin H. Manser) features Shelley's poem in 1821 after learning of the death of fellow poet John Keats. Noted here: "Many have commented upon the melancholy prescience of the final stanza in which Shelley describes how his own spirit is 'driven far from the shore': the following year, he was himself drowned in a sudden storm while sailing in the bay of Levici."

Dateline: 03 December 2017, Davao City, PHL

Pasko, Mabuhay!

Cover of the December 2017 issue of Mabuhay, Philippine Airlines inflight magazine. I am in Davao attending what most likely be my last seminar for the year. This 16-foot Christmas lantern is located inside Fort Santiago... and I'm already planning a visit this coming weekend.