AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Date of Birth : July 4, 1906
Place of Birth : Baao, Camarines Sur
Parents : Eugenio Dato y Esplana
Barbara Guevarra y Imperial
Paternal Grandparents : Damaso Dato
Nicolasa Esplana
Maternal Grandparents : Ludivico Guevara
Higina Imperial
Brothers and Sisters : Rodolfo Dato
Francisca D. Flores
Soledad H. Hidalgo
Pablo Dato (2nd Nuptials)
Schools Attended : Naga Central School, (1914 - 1917)
Tabuco Primary School, (1917 – 1918)
San Vicente de Paul Seminary (1918 – 1919)
Naga Elementary School, (1919 – 1920)
Camarines Sur High School, (1920 – 1923)
U.P. High School, (1923 – 1924)
U.P. College of Liberal Arts (1924 – 1928)
U.P. College of Law (1928 – 1933)
Southern Luzon College (1947 – 1949)
University of Nueva Caceres (1949 – 1951)
St. Anthony College (1971 – 1972)
Degrees : Associate in Arts, U.P., 1926
B.S.E., Southern Luzon College, 1949
Bachelor of Laws, University of Nueva Caceres, 1951
Master of Arts, (30 units) University of Nueva Caceres, St. Anthony College
Positions Held : Classroom Teacher, Iriga Elementary School, 1926
Baao Elementary School, 1937 – 1939
Municipal Mayor, Baao, Camarines Sur, 1941 – 1947
PRO, Provincial Governor’s Office, 1951 – 1959
Faculty Member, Naga College, 1953 – 1954
Faculty Member, University of Nueva Caceres, 1955 – 1967
Faculty Member, St. Anthony College, 1947 – 1951; 1967 -
Club Memberships : Sanghiran nin Bikol (1929 – 1931)
Akademiang Bikol (1956)
Knights of Rizal (1958 - )
Naga City Press and Radio Club (1965 - )
Los Viejos Alegres (1967 - )
Journalism : First Editor, Bicol Star (1933 – 1934)
Editor, Tingog nin Banwaan, 1939 – 1940)
Staff Member, Bicolandia, Juan dela Cruz, Bicol Examiner, Naga Times
Member, Board of Editors, Bicol Mail
Awards : First Prize, Bikol Meet Composition Contest (1922)
First Prize, U.P. High Oratorical Contest (1924)
First Prize, U.P. Liberal Arts Oratorical Contest (1926)
First Prize, U.P. Literary Contest, (1926)
Named “Outstanding Catholic Poet” by United Poets Laureate International (1965)
Books Published : Manila, A Collection of Verse (1926)
My Book of Verses (1926)
The Instant Lyre (Manuscript)
Vocabulario Bikol-Ingles-Kastila (1963)
Kantahon na Bikol (1969)
Morfologia kan Tataramon na Bikol (serialized in Naga Times)
Patotodon sa Bikol (Bikol Mail)
Sarabihon sa Bikol
Important Poems : Life of Christ
Handiong, Bicol Epic
Sonnets to the Brown Goddess
Translations of the major poems of Rizal
Translations of other Filipino poets in Spanish
Sonnets of the Liberation
Coronation and Proclamation poems
Love Lyrics
Alma Mater poems
Christmas poems
Translations of Spanish, French, Mexican and Nicaraguan poets
Other religious poems
Bikol Meet and Interscholastic poems : Home poems
Barrio poems
How I Learned to Write Poetry
I never took course in poetry writing, other than the prescribed courses in American and English Literature in high school and college. But I had written my early poems years before I took my college courses. By reading poems by Filipinos and by English, American and European poets, I learned to get the feel of poetry. I read poetry because I like it and also because in 1924 when brother, Rodolfo, was working on his “Filipino Poetry,” an anthology of Filipino poetry in English from 1911 to 1924, he had no time to over hundreds of poems in the file of the Old Filipiniana Division of the National Library in Intramuros, manila. As younger brother I could not disobey his assignment to go over all these poems, giving me discretion to select those to be considered for his anthology. By the time I had finished my stint, I had written one poem, “Among the Hills,” which my brother thought good enough to be included in his anthology.
Another reason why I learned to write poetry is inspirational. I fell in love more than half a dozen of times between 1920 and 1924, and more than a dozen times between 1924 and 1974. My loves gave me inspiration to compose – Rosario, my first love; Purita, my tragic Inday love, for whom I had a breakdown, who died of anemia pernicosa (leukemia I think medical science calls it today); Juliana, a rural maid; Felicidad, another unhappy love; Andrea, also a muse of Camarines Sur high school days; Virginia, a Manileña; Vicenta, my Spanish mestiza flame; Rosa, still another tragic love; Mely, my most recent and probably the last of my muses; not to mention more than a dozen puppy loves and minor liaisons, excluding others for whom I lusted with more than a momentary, dance-partner fascination, in an age when mini skirts and see-throughs were not needed for the pull of infatuation; and still others, married, unmarried or estranged from their husbands, about each of whom I could well write a full-length novel in reminiscence, had I have the time, the will, the creativity and the documentation.
And lastly, singled out of all, down the cavalcade of the years, and my climacteric in the 1930’s, Pacita, my national beauty, of remote Chinese descent I lost because I did not play my cards well, like the dolt that I was in my green, obsessive years, who caused me to defer my law course almost 20 years, my glory and despair of a lifetime.
In brief, to those who want to write poetry, who ask me how and why I wrote poetry as well as the question, “Is poet born or made?” my answer is:
Read poetry, the best in world literature, especially English, European, South American and Asian poetry. Imitate the way they think, the way they write.
Also, fall in love. Look around at our girls who, I think, are among the loveliest in the world. Break your heart with the pain, the anguish of unrequited love. Indulge in self-pity, if it cannot helped. But sublimate your frustrations. You are then in condition to write poetry, poetry from the depths of the soul.
Another reason why I learned to write poetry is inspirational. I fell in love more than half a dozen of times between 1920 and 1924, and more than a dozen times between 1924 and 1974. My loves gave me inspiration to compose – Rosario, my first love; Purita, my tragic Inday love, for whom I had a breakdown, who died of anemia pernicosa (leukemia I think medical science calls it today); Juliana, a rural maid; Felicidad, another unhappy love; Andrea, also a muse of Camarines Sur high school days; Virginia, a Manileña; Vicenta, my Spanish mestiza flame; Rosa, still another tragic love; Mely, my most recent and probably the last of my muses; not to mention more than a dozen puppy loves and minor liaisons, excluding others for whom I lusted with more than a momentary, dance-partner fascination, in an age when mini skirts and see-throughs were not needed for the pull of infatuation; and still others, married, unmarried or estranged from their husbands, about each of whom I could well write a full-length novel in reminiscence, had I have the time, the will, the creativity and the documentation.
And lastly, singled out of all, down the cavalcade of the years, and my climacteric in the 1930’s, Pacita, my national beauty, of remote Chinese descent I lost because I did not play my cards well, like the dolt that I was in my green, obsessive years, who caused me to defer my law course almost 20 years, my glory and despair of a lifetime.
In brief, to those who want to write poetry, who ask me how and why I wrote poetry as well as the question, “Is poet born or made?” my answer is:
Read poetry, the best in world literature, especially English, European, South American and Asian poetry. Imitate the way they think, the way they write.
Also, fall in love. Look around at our girls who, I think, are among the loveliest in the world. Break your heart with the pain, the anguish of unrequited love. Indulge in self-pity, if it cannot helped. But sublimate your frustrations. You are then in condition to write poetry, poetry from the depths of the soul.
