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Sunday, June 19, 2016

Fort Santiago


FORT SANTIAGO
To José Rizal

I visited your cold, stone prison.
Bereft of spirit,
Empty of words.
Your cell rang like footsteps

Inside a bell. I could not
Imagine you alive.
Supine, you lay
Motionless, a pigeon

Strangled by the hand
Of forces greater than
Your idealism, stronger than
Overpowering sentiment—

Your love of country exceeding
Your love of life, a pearl.
Yes, you penned poems, essays,
Two novels. You wrought

Drawings, paintings, sculptures—
At least one famous piece:
The Triumph of Science over Death.
Buildings, cities, towns, streets

Today carry your name.
Yet you are not deathless.
You are dead,
Slain by migrant necessity

Born of want, poverty
Pulling grubs from the soil,
Nailing down rusty iron sheets
To fashion flimsy shelters

Soon blown apart like paper
By tornadoes, locusts
On annual rampage.
But wait—now I see you rise,

Arms bound, marching off.
As if on a stage, players assemble.
Your back is to the firing line.
At that moment of volley

I see you transformed:
You turn—shot as a traitor,
Dying as a martyr.
Despair spinning into hope.



Jose Rizal (2012) by Amen Zamora

4 comments:

  1. Image courtesy of Amen Zamora

    Image link:

    http://amenavifail.deviantart.com/art/jose-rizal-obey-obama-format-by-amenzamora-292579587

    Gonzalinho

    ReplyDelete
  2. Today, June 19, 2016, is Jose Rizal's 155th birthday.

    Gonzalinho

    ReplyDelete
  3. Publication credits - original version:

    Philippines Free Press (December 31, 2011)

    Eastlit (December 1, 2014)

    Gonzalinho

    ReplyDelete
  4. All caps mine

    LET ORDINARY BUT BRAVE FILIPINOS HONOR RIZAL

    Let us not be bothered by President Duterte’s absence at the Rizal Day rites last Dec. 30. Really, he doesn’t deserve to lead the rites, much less stand on sacred ground where Rizal calmly faced his executioners. Maybe it is about time that our national hero be honored by Filipinos who have lived a life of service for our people.

    In the future, I hope to see our MODERN-DAY HEROES instead of politicians raise that flag every Rizal Day.

    I am thinking of an INDIGENOUS PERSON WHO HAS LED HIS PEOPLE TO PROTECT THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS; or an ENVIRONMENTALIST WHO, WITH MEAGER SALARY, RISKS LIFE AND LIMB TO PRESERVE OUR PATRIMONY; or a HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER WHO TENACIOUSLY WARDS OFF SINISTER EFFORTS TO SHRINK OUR DEMOCRATIC SPACE; or a MEDIA PERSON WHO, like Rizal, USES HIS PEN AND WORDS TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER despite the fact that at least 13 journalists have been killed under the Duterte regime.

    I am sure we will never run out of honorable and patriotic Filipinos who have lived up to the ideals of Jose Rizal, because EACH GENERATION HAS ITS OWN HEROES.

    EVELYN SILAY
    evelyndsilay@gmail.com
    Philippine Daily Inquirer (January 15, 2020)

    Read more: https://opinion.inquirer.net/126605/let-ordinary-but-brave-filipinos-honor-rizal#ixzz6BQdR6WZC

    Gonzalinho

    ReplyDelete