Pensive mood of LUIS G. DATO
A Baaeño Poet musings on Love and Life
Filipino Poet, Writer, Educator and Politician
Luis G. Dato (pseudonym ISAROG) was a Bikolano Poet, writer, educator and politician from Baao, Camarines Sur, Philippines. He is one of the first generation Filipino poets in English of the 20th century and the author of “The Spouse”, “Malolos”, “Day on the Farm”, “Among the Hills,” etc.
He is anthologized in several published books, such as the Filipino Poetry by Rodolfo Dato 1924; Philippine Prose and Poetry, Jose Garcia Villa 1949; German-English Anthology of Filipino Poets, Pablo Laslo 1934, Readings in Philippine Literature, Celedonio G. Aguilar 1994; Our Scene So Fair: Filipino Poetry in English, 1905-1955, Gémino H. Abad 2008; Brown River, White Ocean: An Anthology of Twentieth-century Philippine Literature in English 1993; Writers & Their Milieu: An Oral History of First Generation Writers in English, Edilberto Alegre, Doreen Fernandez 2012; Philippine Poetry in English, 1928–1950: A Critical Survey, Joseph Ignatius Bengzon Gonzales, 1986; to name a few.
Filipino Poet
In 1926, at the age of 20, he published his book Manila: A Collection of Verse. It was among the first English poetry books that was published just 20 years after the American occupation of the Philippines. In 1936, with the help of his older brother, Rodolfo Dato published his second collection of works, entitled, My Book of Verses, which was published in Naga City.
Son of Baao
He wrote for, and edited various Bikol newspapers. He was actively involved in local cultural groups and wrote monographs and lexical works espousing the Bikol language.
He served his town as mayor twice and pioneered seminal studies on Baao family genealogy, local history, culture and archeological heritage. His influence as literary artist, scholar and teacher remains to this day.
Prose and Poetry
“FILIPINO POETRY” BOOK REVIEW
In February 1925, after the recent publication of the first anthology of Filipino poets in English, “Filipino Poetry”, a 19-year old, University of the Philippines student, Luis G. Dato (“Bikol of Baao, Camarines Sur”) wrote…
TO A LOST ONE
by Luis G. Dato For many a day of sunlight,Her eyes surveyed the waves,And in her glances one nightDescry her cold, white grave. For many days she waitedHer eyes with weeping warm,To bare boughs undulatedIn…
A SURVEY OF FILIPINO POETRY IN ENGLISH
A SURVEY OF FILIPINO POETRY IN ENGLISH is an article, written by Luis G. Dato, which originally appeared in the Philippines Herald Mid-week Magazine in April 6, 1932 about his thoughts on classical poetry and…
ON SCHUBERT’S SERENADE
By Luis G. Dato In days of old, one moonlight night, When young was life and earth and art, A lover asked his friend to write A song to win a fair one’s heart. The…
FORGETFULNESS
by Luis G. Dato Will you forgive? Bright drops of dew? Around hurt petals balsam weave, Will you? Can I forget? A nightwing flutters by And whispers softly, “No, not yet!” Will I? –Philippine Magazine…
Day on the Farm
By Luis G. Dato I’ve found you fruits of sweetest taste and found youBunches of duhat growing by the hill,I’ve bound your arms and hair with vine and bound youWith rare wildflowers but you are…
Among the Hills
By Luis G. Dato I used to watch the sunrise glow That set aflame the eastern skies, My lips in songs did freely flow As thoughts went fleeting with my sighs. I’ve lived through storms…
The Spouse
By Luis G. Dato Rose in her hand and moist eyes young with weeping, She stands upon the threshold of her house, Fragrant with scent that wakens love from sleeping, She looks far down to…
MI ULTIMO PENSAMIENTO
By Luis G. Dato Farewell, dear isles beloved of sea and sky, Where once we envisioned the gleam of Paradise, For your dear sake seems it divine to die, And were life fresher, brighter still…
