[Interpretation] Apo on the Wall by Bj Patino
- There's this man's photo on the wall
- of my father's office at home, you
- know, where father brings his work,
- where he doesn't look strange
- still wearing his green uniform
- and colored breast plates, where,
- to prove that he works hard, he
- also brought a photo of his boss
- whom he calls Apo, so Apo could,
- you know, hang around on the wall
- behind him and look over his shoulders
- to make sure he's snappy and all.
- Father snapped at me once, caught me
- sneaking around his office at home
- looking at the stuff on his wall - handguns,
- plaques, sword, medals, a rifle-
- told me that was no place for a boy,
- only men, when he didn't really
- have to tell me because you know,
- that photo of Apo on the wall was already
- looking at me while I moved around,
- his eyes following me like he was
- that scary Jesus in the hallway, saying
- I know, I know what you're doing.
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These are all personal interpretations. The reader may or may not agree with the following answers.
GUIDE QUESTIONS:
1. How would you describe the persona and the persona's father? How would you describe their relationship?
The persona is a boy, innocent, scared, yet, is curious.
The persona's father is strong, strict, obedient (to his commander).
As we look throught the monologue of the child, we can feel that his realtionship with his father is distant. It is surrounded by fear of being snapped at or scolded upon. We can also sense in line 17 that the father does not show much loving affection to his son, but just a disturbance to his office.
2. Who is Apo in the poem? Cite evidence to support your answer.
Apo is Ferdinand E. Marcos. Apo in Ilocano language means, "sir" or "master". It is also an endearment term for the elderly.
Marcos was born in Ilocos Norte. Ilocanos take pride in calling Ferdinand Marcos "Apo". He is a superhero, an Ilocano pride.
In the poem, we can claim that the "Apo" that was mentioned is Ferdinand Marcos. A line states "so Apo could, you know, hang around the wall". It has been an SOP that in government offices the portrait of the President shall be hanged on the wall.
In addition, this poem portrays a situation during Martial Law.
3. Why is Apo compared to "scary" Jesus in the hallway? What do they seem to have in common?
In Christian Religion, Jesus has been described as omnipresent. He knows just about everything and anything whether it is an overt or covert action.
The child sees Apo as a figure like Jesus that whatever he does, it will be seen by Apo. This can be seen in the line "Apo on the wall was already looking at me while I moved around".
Yet, unlike Jesus, the child adds the adjective "scary", to show his fear with Apo.
4. What does the last line mean? How does this regulate the persona's behavior?
"I know, I know what you're doing"
This intensifies the portrayal of fear of the child to Apo, that even in a photo, he feels the presence of Apo and anything he does may become something for him to be sent in trouble.
5. How does this poem provide the reader of what martial law was like?
Martial law is depicted as something horrific that even in an innocent eyes of a child, fears strikes his every move. That even a lifeless picture can send chills down a child's spine.
How much more to those who knows exactly what's happening outside the premises of their homes.
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