TULA NG HIMAGSIK
ang bunga ng laksang pangarap
(This is my fifth poem since I began to write poetry December 1987, and my first since my initiation in the democratic movement. In fact this was written with mixed feelings of inspiration, hope, anger, frustration, fear, hunger, and weakness, in the midst of my very first ever political struggle and resistance against the status quo at the sideline of the Hunger Protest Camp in our universtiy. "Tula ng Himagsik" was written September 2, 1989, later that month was published in the college news organ, the Collegian. For writing the piece, I received 200 pesos Philippine Currency or 5.00 U.S. dollars at its present value. This poem may not be excellent and contain no literary value, nevertheless it may show some thoughts which may reflect myself those days of my turbulent and adventurous youth.)
ng pawis, ng dugo, ng luha
ng katawang pinagal na sa hirap
ay sakit ng sikmura't bigti sa hininga.
bagwis na sa pagkampay ay pinigil
manggagawang dinusta't katwirang sinupil
ng lihis na diwa't baluktot na palakad
ng katarungang bulag sa kanlungan
ng dukha't sa pugad ng mahirap!
Kabataang walang malinaw na paningin:
Kabataang nagbubulag-bulagan
Gumising ka! Bumangon! Humakbang!
Pag-asa ka, kinabukasan ka
Ng ating bayan...
Buwaya, buwitre, hunyango
Tuta't asong ulol sa gubat
Mga pinapanginoon sa luklukan
Ganid, inutil, baog sa lipunan!
Madilim ang gabi, maginaw
Diwang maalab ang makaaarok
Liwanag sa karimlang nagliliyab
Isipang may ningas, sa dawag pananglaw
Kislap ng diwang nag-aapoy
Apoy na pinagliyab ang siyang tutupok
Sa halimaw ng gubat!
March 2000