Once upon a moment,  when the cool Amihan

breezed  its gentle greeting and the Sun Monarch

winked its golden radiance on the eastern realm,

came this small banca to the coast of past seasons

carrying a humble load — a seed of history

lodged securely  in the heart  of a youth.

In the pink of health in his early youthful years,

he was brimming with sprightly vim and vigour,

meeting always the herald of day at early morn,

his eyes scanning the stretch of the sea and

the breadth of the Big Island.  Soon he took out

the seed he kept in his left bosom and threw it

fast into the future’s distant realm, a smile

shone faintly on his face, an image of a dream

playing in his eyes.

In a quick wink of the moment

the banca with the weight of a seed tilted

as he tiptoed on the small boat’s outrigger

and sportingly  jumped onto the sandy shore.

As soon as his soles touched the Promised Land,

the white sandgrains and ash-gray dust whispered,

the leaves and purple flowers of the wild lambayong

danced in gladsome welcome of the newborn dream.

 

Sun’s caresses and rains’ constant tickles

pampered him daily in his fresh morning hours,

moulded his body to firm shapes, equipped his soul,

the bathalas and diwatas of the rivers and forestlands

made manifest their favors, smilingly did Mother Nature

do her part in keeping safe the seed in his heart.

Another quick wink of  time. . .

he was blest  with a divine gift of fate.

The palm leaves of  tropical coconut trees chuckled,

and the lush boughs of the talisay gaily swayed,

the birds trilled, and all the people chorused

and danced on the streets  in celebratory jollity

of his victory, their lips mumbling syllables to exult

the hours and fragments of hours that nurtured

him with blossoming maturity, wisdom and fame.

And thenceforth . . .

His blood flowed briskly in his veins.

The drumbeats in people’s breasts resounded,

and loud as heaven’s orchestra the music played,

Time’s journeying feet hastened to new swiftness.

The springs of progress spurted and leapt steadily high,

Society grew exuberant and stout and strong.

A new civilization –a New Buhilaman came into being.

BUHILAMAN —  A living garden!  Awesome

phenomenon of brimming fruitfulness and beauty.

Buhilaman – unprecedented  fruit of a dream

seeded on the garden of history – lo and behold!

How it sprouted and grew,  how it flowered into

fruition in the innumerable hearts of the populace!

 

Bag-ong Buhilaman – a bequeathed  society,

a gift of love and labor and devotion— a legacy

to the sons and daughters of the future generations !

Bag-ong Buhilaman – proud City of a proud people!

Shining in majesty and charm  in the realm !

Beacon to all travelers  who long for Freedom,

Social Justice,  Sovereignty,  Peace and Prosperity.

The  Seed?

The Dream kept in the heart

of Mayor Rody Duterte!

 

The Bag-ong Buhilaman?

This beautiful City that our hearts

proudly sing. . . !

Davao. . .!  Davao . . .!  O Davao . . .!

_____

comments powered by Disqus