Is It The Kingfisher?

By Marjorie Evasco

Red horse
“ In what way does this poem captures
the attention of its readers when at first
glance the meaning of the poem is too

”
hard to understand?
 Marjorie
Evasco
Born: Maribojoc, Bohol on September 21, 1953
“ award-winning Filipino poet”

Prize-winning poetry books are: Dreamweavers “book of origins”

Selected Poems 1976-1986 (1987) and Ochre Tones: (this volume is called “book of changes”)
Other books written: A Legacy of Light, 100 Years of Sun Life in the Philippines, Six Women Poets, Kung Ibig Mo, Love Poetry by
Women, A Life Shaped by Music, Andrea O. Veneracion and the Philippine Madrigal Singers and ANI, The Life and Art of
Hermogena Borja Lungay, Boholano Painter
Evasco was a founding member of two organizations espousing the cause of women writers: Writers Involved in Creating
Cultural Alternatives (WICCA) and Women in Literary Arts (WILA).
She is an associate fellow of the Philippine Literary Arts Council (PLAC).
In September 2002, she was invited for a three-month residency at the International Writing Program in the University of Iowa.
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco

This is how I desire god on this island

With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
This rock, this island, this changed air,
The distance between us and the Self
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring
God is transparent blue – the color
Which makes our souls visible.
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco

This is how I desire god on this island

With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
This rock, this island, this changed air,
The distance between us and the Self
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring
God is transparent blue – the color
Which makes our souls visible.
 Juan ramon
jimenez
Born: Dec. 24, 1881, Moguer, Spain
Died: May 29, 1958, San Juan, P.R.),
“Spanish poet awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1956”

A prolific Spanish poet, editor, and critic, Juan Ramón Jiménez won the Nobel Prize for literature in
1956. He was born in Moguer i Andalusia, an area that he depicted in Platero y Yo (Platero and I, 1914) a
collection of prose poems about a man and his donkey. Jiménez’s other books of poetry include Elejías
puras (Pure Elegies, 1908), La soledad sonora (Sonorous Solitude, 1911), Poesía (Poetry, 1923),
and Belleza (Beauty, 1923). In English translation, his works are collected in Lorca & Jimenez: Selected
Poems (1997), translated by Robert Bly, and Selected Writings of Juan Ramón Jiménez (1999), translated by
H.R. Hays.
 Theme
“The world was
created and meant
theme
to be peaceful, calm,
/THēm/
noun
noun: theme; plural noun: themes
1.1.
and beautiful.”
the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic.

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
Gentleness
Dreamy mood
calm
mood
/mo͞od/
noun
noun: mood; plural noun: moods
1.a temporary state of mind or feeling.

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 tone
/tōn/
Noun
tone Peaceful
Solemn
the general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing,
situation, etc.
"my friend and I lowered the tone with our oafish ways"

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 This is how I desire god on this island
With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,

diction
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
dic·tion
/ˈdikSH(ə)n/
I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us, noun
noun: diction
This rock, this island, this changed air, 1.1.
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
The distance between us and the Self "Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring
God is transparent blue – the color
Which makes our souls visible.
Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o

blue
According to color psychology:
Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or
diction
dic·tion
/ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
serenity. It is often described as peaceful, tranquil, noun: diction
1.1.
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
secure, and orderly. "Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
 Blue can be calming, sincere and can also be
intense

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
Hairbreadth
hair·breadth
/ˈherbredTH/
noun
diction
dic·tion
/ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
noun: hairbreadth; plural noun: hairbreadths; noun: hair breadth;
noun: diction
plural noun: hair breadths 1.1.
1.another term for hair's breadth. the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
a very small amount or margin. "Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
"you escaped death by a hair's breadth"

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
transient
tran·sient
/ˈtranSHənt,ˈtranzēənt/
diction
dic·tion
/ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
adjective
noun: diction
adjective: transient
1.1.
1.lasting only for a short time; impermanent. the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
"a transient cold spell" "Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
•staying or working in a place for only a short time.
"the transient nature of the labor force in catering

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
permeable
per·me·a·ble
/ˈpərmēəb(ə)l/
diction
dic·tion
/ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
adjective noun: diction
adjective: permeable 1.1.
1.(of a material or membrane) allowing liquids or gases to pass the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
through it. "Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
"a frog's skin is permeable to water"

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 gentian
gen·tian
/ˈjen(t)SH(ə)n/
diction
dic·tion
/ˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
noun noun: diction
noun: gentian; plural noun: gentians 1.1.
the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
1.a plant of temperate and mountainous regions, typically with violet or
"Wordsworth campaigned against exaggerated poetic diction"
vivid blue trumpet-shaped flowers. Many kinds are cultivated as
ornamentals, especially as arctic alpines, and some are of medicinal
use.
•a tonic liquor formerly extracted from the root of the gentian.

Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 Figures of

speech
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco
 This is how I desire god on this island
With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,

imagery
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
im·age·ry Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
/ˈimij(ə)rē/
noun I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
noun: imagery
1.visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work. This rock, this island, this changed air,
"Tennyson uses imagery to create a lyrical emotion"
•visual images collectively. The distance between us and the Self
"the impact of computer-generated imagery on contemporary art"
•visual symbolism. We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
"the film's religious imagery"
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day/
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring

Is It The Kingfisher? God is transparent blue – the color

B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o Which makes our souls visible.
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco

This is how I desire god on this island

With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt

symbolism
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue sym·bol·ism
/ˈsimbəˌlizəm/
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
noun
Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds noun: symbolism
1.the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
"he has always believed in the importance of symbolism in garden art"
This rock, this island, this changed air, •symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects or facts.
"the old-fashioned symbolism of flowers"
The distance between us and the Self
•an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. It originated in late
19th century France and Belgium, with important figures including Mallarmé,
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
Maeterlinck, Verlaine, Rimbaud, and Redon.
We’ve pursued this whole day noun: Symbolism
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,

Is It The Kingfisher?
This island is rooted in it. Desiring
God is transparent blue – the color
Which makes our souls visible. B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
Blue symbolism
Island sym·bol·ism
/ˈsimbəˌlizəm/
noun
noun: symbolism
1.the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
"he has always believed in the importance of symbolism in garden art"

Kingfisher
•symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects or facts.
"the old-fashioned symbolism of flowers"
•an artistic and poetic movement or style using symbolic images and indirect
suggestion to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. It originated in late
19th century France and Belgium, with important figures including Mallarmé,
Maeterlinck, Verlaine, Rimbaud, and Redon.
noun: Symbolism

Transparent blue
Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 This is how I desire god on this island
With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,

Metaphor
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
met·a·phor Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
/ˈmedəˌfôr,ˈmedəˌfər/
noun I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
1.a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally
applicable. This rock, this island, this changed air,
The distance between us and the Self
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day/
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring

Is It The Kingfisher? God is transparent blue – the color

Which makes our souls visible.
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 This is how I desire god on this island
With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,

simile
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
sim·i·le
/ˈsiməlē/
I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us, noun
noun: simile; plural noun: similes
This rock, this island, this changed air, 1.a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used
to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox ).
The distance between us and the Self •the use of simile.
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day/
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring
God is transparent blue – the color
Which makes our souls visible.
Is It The Kingfisher?
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 This is how I desire god on this island
With you today: basic and blue
As the sea that softens our feet with salt
And brings the living wave to our mouths
Playing with sounds of a primary language.
“God is blue,” sang the poet Juan Ramon Jimenez,
Drunk with desiring, his hair, eyebrows,

personification
Eyelashes turned blue as the kingfisher’s wings.
It is this bird that greets us as we come
Round the eastern bend of this island;
Tells us the hairbreadth boundary between us
Is transient in the air, permeable to the blue
Of tropic skies and mountain gentian.
per·son·i·fi·ca·tion Where we sit on this rock covered with seaweeds
/pərˌsänəfəˈkāSH(ə)n/
noun I suddenly feel the blueness embrace us,
noun: personification
1.the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the This rock, this island, this changed air,
representation of an abstract quality in human form.
•a figure intended to represent an abstract quality. The distance between us and the Self
plural noun: personifications
We have longed to be. A bolt of burning blue
Lights in my brain, gives the answer
We’ve pursued this whole day/
Seawaves sing it, the kingfisher flies in it,
This island is rooted in it. Desiring

Is It The Kingfisher? God is transparent blue – the color

Which makes our souls visible.
B y M a r j o r i e E v a s c o
 New
Criticism
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco
 New
Criticism

Close reading
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco
Is It The Kingfisher?
By Marjorie Evasco

THANK YOU
AND GOD