Theme yielding of Humabon [poem]

Title

Creator

Abregana, Veneranda

Language

English

Year

1965

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Sxodus of (ke 5^00 ion men Second Prize, USC Literary Contest The blood of the Patriarchs Stirred red in Moses When You opened his eyes from Adam’s sleep. He found his brethren grooping in Egypt’s darkness; So, dropping Pharaoh’s diamonds, And caring less for our gold. He led us out, — out to walk under Your Light. Through the desert of temptation we plowed a score of years times twenty. Though compassed on all flanks by Ammonites, Philistines and Chanaanites, Though whipped by the tempest of rebellions, bitten by the serpents of heresy, shaken by the earthquake of world wars, blinded by the sandstorm of time, We still stood gazing forward and up. Moses has long fallen asleep; Multi-masked general have led us. Pilgrims for centuries, we have filled the seven thousand islands and more, with thirty million strong. Yet, still today, our lips do not sip from a fountain of honey, nor our eyes see a river of milk flowing. Nevertheless, we are not lost, nor deceived, For amidst the frenzy of our journey We have You, our Manna, forever; We have amidst us the Arc of Your Covenant, a whirlpool of faith, love and hope, ever drawing us to the axis of Your grace. Through the centuries we carried it; We will keep on carrying it, in our minds in our hearts; Through our works and breath we will sing of You, Whose union is the promised eternal bliss. Earth, we know, only hazily mirrors heaven. Llewelyn Navarra Hortillosa kerne ^ietding. of ^JCumakon. Third Prize, USC Literary Contest Four hundred bountiful years The whole world is almost in tears Amidst the troubles of many nations-chaos Many came despite the rain, the crowd and the wind of the local scene Here and there, north and south, east and west The whole world is dead It’s only here, the pearl and the gem of the east Where faith continues day by day since the time The first Christian queen confided, When to the heavens she raised her eyes — To Him the Little Black Child 1565 Pagan innocence! Fear of Anito King and God of the trees She adores and worships him She follows scheduled rituals She bows down to his power With all her pagan love she would shower — Savage arrogance! Regal in native splendour A hardy conviction within it seems But for the queen of his heart And his carnal delight He can’t say no, no, never shall be bow down before him He who is called the son of the father The God of all things, supreme God The God on the cross. Brutal shyness! Sweet timidity Gentle meekness, tender and devoted wife That she is, without It is Anitos she worships King and God of the trees She followed scheduled rituals But she is the queen, queen of the heart of the king The real power on the throne The winkless goddess behind the hall and the wall of the empire If what she desires, he denies, Her eyes are like black gems afire For a man when he loves gives his woman anything she wants — March-April, 1965 THE CAROLINIAN Page Thirty-nine He is a willing slave al her command Even if a thousand lightnings are at hand Wifely dominance! Now is the time, her queenly persuasion reigns Her final choice must not be ignored Lest he shall find her less adored She persuades Humabon her king and husband Liketh sound of the waters of a virgin spring Her voice seems to sing Pinangga, hinigugma (My dearest beloved) She sweetly pleads Let us submit ourselves Io them Surely their God must be the (rue one I'or (hey have come from a far distant land Their clothes are far superior Their looks compassionate and their voices sweet to hear Strange benevolence! For she saw The Little Black Child Regal looking like a king from a shovel filled with filth While she was on her promenade Along the shores the shores of which she was fond That low hut on the sand. She felt compassion and great joy Upon beholding Heaven’s King — Boy. He was God, she was told The early sunlight of that pleasant day Seem to blink and blink with naughty joy The heavens too and all For ne’er has a king of that kingdom in the orient seas yielded to a stranger If not of his wife’s great wonder Over the tiny black child which filled her with such surrender By the shadow of the cross Young Humabon brave and strong King of Cebu, ancient city of the east, Came with a sudden glaze of glory in his face As the white shore stood ready to embrace the tender lashing waves Maddening quietness! On a mantle white laid upon a Persian rug Knelt the tawny haughty ruler Beside his graceful dark and lovely partner The sacred water dripped as the Castilian friar blessed them with a rod-like whip Juana is her new name, queen of Cebu As the dear father pours the holy water The slender liny queen raised her eyes heavenward with a pray’r God, Lord, bless all my people May faith continue Io grow upon our land Cntil there are no stars and moon in the sky I util the sun shall come back no more Io die Ry Veneranda Abiegana ^ke ^ciumpk of (ke Cross by Ricardo I. Patalinjay PR6LOGO Now we have Io pause for a while. Come, help me dig the loam of time The history of Humabon’s reign And Magellan’s arrival And let us trace back the germ Of our Christian ancestry nascent from lime primeval. CANC16N 1. And on the shining edge of day On the threshold of an island Peopled with pagans who walked like Brave brown gods The strangers landed. And the bold Captain spoke: “Lay down the sword! Come, plant the Cross! Let this be The living symbol of our achievement. Henceforth the world will know That we have conquered the Orient For Christ and for the Crown! Pigafetta, record this in your book. Write down in bold letters what we Have done today. Ah, the future Generation will ponder over this And will exclaim: “They are agents Of God. We have proof! This Cannot be destroyed by the elements. For in this Cross runs the living Blood of our living God!” And in the trembling flames of the tribal fire And in the grieving rhythm of the agonys The natives knelt and were unmired While they sang the cleansing songs! And the ancient dreams of the pagan gods The hallucination of primeval sods Grisly as nightmares; dark as nights Perished at the fool of the Cross! Thus they had come as saviours Their precious gift the light of faith They taught the hearts to love and give Instead of breeding fear and hale And the soul to seek purgation In eternity’s bold dimension! That was the genesis of our creed Eructed from the tattered womb of the years A crude pattern of odds and ends A concoction of faith and flames! Page Forty THE CAROLINIAN March-April, 1965

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