Of coconuts and femininity

{ December 3, 2007 @ 9:10 pm } · { Machinations }

 Song of Ripeness by Jose Garcia Villa

The coconuts have ripened,

They are like nipples to the tree,

( A woman has only 2 nipples, there are many woman-Lives in a coconut tree.)

Soon the coconuts will grow heavy and fall;

I shall suck their milk,I shall suck out coconuts little white songs.

I shall be reminded of many women.…………………………………………….

I shall kiss a coconut because it is the nipple of a woman.

Day 1:          

During the process of reading the poem aloud I was a bit curious of what the poem wanted to convey or what images it would like to create. Yes, I know it was about a coconut tree personified to woman/women. But, what bothers me right at this very hour is that, why of all fruits coconut is being compared to a woman, why not papaya or a bottle of coke either. Why such an image of coconut projected what a woman looks like- though we are looking it in a different perspective perhaps not really with the essence but basing it through her physical aspects as a human being. With us having 1 pair of breast, nipples, aesthetics, or perhaps the grandeur of being an individual- different.How related are the images in the poem to that of a woman?  If beauty is relative can we consider coconut and woman as 2 relative posts? What kind of image does the two portray?  I would be very bias if I only take one side- considering how unfair the poem is, in a girl’s perspective. Comparing it to the poems I read about femininity this one caught my attention- due to the impact it brought to me since I was a bit harassed after reading. Sucking the coconut as if sucking one’s breast is provocative. When I say provocative, I mean to say that the things done, uttered, creates (in the poem’s case) might get people angry or they might disagree with it. It provokes an image that would cause a sore in the eye or whacked decibels into one’s ear. However, if an amateur reader would read this, it would be taken maliciously taken the images or words are palpable. It would appeal instantly to their minds and if not given much dedication in interpreting such image the poem’s purpose (if it does, though I believe every work of art has a purpose, so to speak) might wilt.    

Day 2:          

 I was wondering how coconuts and nipples/ breasts are alike. Dissecting the line “coconuts have ripened, they are like nipples to the tree” appeals to one’s senses. Perhaps, the sense of sight, is a picture on how the two are similar or how they differ. Nipples of the tree is said to be coconuts, ripened to be exact. But why mention about the nipple not the breast? Does that mean that the tiny part of every individual’s chest is important just as how important the coconut fruit is? Can we consider a coconut tree still a coconut if it couldn’t bear such fruit or it will just defeat its purpose?Does the speaker speak like a man or the poem took the perspective of what a man feels.A coconut if viewed deliberately and scrutinized well does have a regular shape- it isn’t as round as a ball as everybody expects it to be like that. On the other hand, a coconut is considered as a tree of life- it has all it could offer. And since the two are presented as examples, can we consider that women are the spices that complete one man’s life? 

DAY 3:          

Among the fruits, the coconut is the metaphor of a woman (referring to the poem). Perhaps, the reason would lie to the characteristics of a coconut as compared to a woman. A coconut’s fruit has green, yellow and when withered it will be colored brown. With this array of colors, women on the other hand do have colorful identity which would make them unique from other kind of creature or the opposite sex. A coconut contains a liquid portion inside of the fruit which as its purpose serves as a thirst quencher and also when it comes to health problems, coconut is the best source to prevent us from different illness. Just like women, we play a very big role to our partners for we also serve as the thirst quencher of their emotional dehydration. We provide what they ought to have, we satisfy or if not make them happy through the simple ways that we do. As a metaphor, the coconut doesn’t only contain limited uses but it has a variety of usage. Women could play as a wife, a confidant, sister, a daughter, etc. Coconut as we know of it could function as a source of living, we can make broomsticks out of its branches, a vinegar, oil (coconut oil), decorations out of its husk, food, drug since The tree root possesses narcotic properties and is sometimes chewed.

DAY 4:         

The speaker seems to be admiring the women-their aesthetics- the beauty that they possess. When one speaks of a woman the first thing that would come across his mind would be grace, curves, elegance, splendor and magnificence. With this possession of aesthetics the speaker marvels at the beauty of the women. But the speaker is aware that the beauty that these women possess will soon wither and fade. That beauty has an ephemeral nature. All things end. And that the beauty that the coconut has with its fruit will soon end. On the other hand, the line “They are like nipples to the tree” only tells us that the speaker admires more what he considers “marvelous” and with that he sees breast or nipples to be particular as something astonishing or attention-seeking part of a woman’s body. The intention of the speaker to suck- coconuts’ or women’s only tells that he is determined or willing to do such thing. Perhaps, the urge is very strong that he was captured by it. Four lines of the poem talk about the sucking and the determination of the speaker say for example sucking their milk, sucking out coconuts little white songs, kissing the nipple of a woman, these lines projects an image of how vulnerable men are when it comes to girls. The truth that men are more attracted to girls having fully grown breasts is undoubtedly true.

DAY 5:         

 I’m just wondering if there is something pleasurable we can get in this poem. Is it the image it creates, the nipples, the kissing, sucking, etc.? Perhaps this is written during the time that the writer was inspired or in love with his partner or girlfriend. It’s as if he is fantasizing. There is a sense of eagerness in some of the poem’s lines. Perhaps, this poem is a recollection of the author’s past since is doesn’t go with the convention having a set of meter, rhyme and etc, It is more on the free writing process of the author wherein he just lets his imagination flow spontaneously or freely. I can say that this is based from his experience or based from his imagination- for we can say that a writer really imagines a lot, when I say a lot- it is beyond the boundaries. And it is addressed to 1^st person singular referring to himself. The ellipsis found before the end of the poem simply tells us that he has more to say about the coconut and the nipples of the woman. He has his desires toward the woman he likes or he admires.This scene in the poem is a picture of a man or her lover who really wants something on the girl he loves or he admires. Another instance would be, this poem was written during their honeymoon or after their honeymoon in a barrio, (hahaha). It is because we can hardly find coconuts in the urban. Most of these tropical fruits are found in the agricultural part of a place together with other kinds of fruits or plants.

DAY 6:         

The image that the speaker wants to tell is that he compares coconuts with a woman. He says the coconuts have ripened, or the girl around turned into a lady, given the word ripened. I assume that it is a lady since female reach their adulthood when they are in the age of 18 in which it may parallel the ripen and the maturity of the both- coconut and the lady or the women. In the case of the nipple, perhaps the speaker finds the nipple attractive of all the other part of the woman’s body. It is also like a fruit in which it gives beauty to the tree or the plant itself. When a tree bears a fruit it only means to say that, that tree has the capacity to survive given that the fruit won’t be their without given proper attention by whoever takes care of it.

DAY 7:          

The colors of the coconut tree, the color of a typical Filipina since this poem is written by a Filipino, the color of the milk, and the color of the nipples are of the symbolic value. Brown and green refer to earthly color same with the color of a typical Filipina- morena. Another would be a symbolism of purity as it is possessed by the milk which the speaker will suck. The nipples, pale or brown whatever it may be also symbolizes the nurturing picture of the ladies. A provider, nurturer, lover and etc., that’s what a woman could be.           The poem only tells us how the speaker is being captivated by the beauty of the woman or perhaps the beauty of his lover-it is incomparable because of the beauty she possesses.