The Statue of Pepe

Sitting on his white, man-made throne
The noble hero faces the sun
Resting his industrious hands on the arms of the chair
Watching over all his fellows
Whom he gifted
With Love,
Peace,
And Liberty
And whom he loved after God

Putting his head up
His genius brightens
Like the darkest seconds of his blessed country
His undying heart blazes like the hottest fire
His love blows like the most tender wind
His ideals shout like the silent cries of his men
He stays inside the hearts and minds
Of his countrymen

Perhaps we are vain and vanity is vain
But vanity nevertheless!
This teaches us unconsciously that he
And his works are useful ironically
Blood and flesh he sacrificed
To save us from earthly hell
From the invaders, who trampled our sacred shores
And who greedily wanted to show their
silly superiority

Respect, they have none!

To be patriotic alone may not be enough
How can we thank him
Must linger as a challenge for us
His countrymen
Whom he gifted with Love,
Peace,
And Liberty

Maybe there is a dark future
Waiting for us
Like he, who faced the sun before
Foreign guns took his precious life,
Who hoped good for his Philippines

Since then,
The Filipino race had never produced
A man who can eclipse him
It is not our great challenge however,
It is to accomplish his hope
Which is for our sake and good

Valiantly sitting on his chair
Planted on a garden of flowers
And every morning,
Dr. Jose P. Rizal faces the sun
And the bright tomorrow of our dear Philippines

To the Modern Filipino Youth

Now the seeds are hungry for knowledge
And that the times is of the essence
Spread the roots like it is your tract of land
And sip the juice from the sand
This is the nation shaped by the angels
Governed by demons
It is your right to pick which side you are
Incite the dream of the fatherland
Bear grudge to the ambitious visions of the sun
For the wet season has not yet come
Diminish pleasure and decree the ego
Or let all virgins, mothers
And all children come to woe
Conscience is God's voice
Let it be heard above mind's noise
Thou shalt not spoil thy own kind
For everything you gain will go to vain
Live life like it is your end
Or go with the impassive world's wind
Hear the confessions of sin
And evaluate yourself
If you have committed the same
You are the seeds
That grow on the filthy pot of soil
Soon you will grow
And your leaves will give shade
But how can a plant give shade?
Ah! You've grown into a tree
And broke the pot of soil
You've set your limits
And proved yourself worthy
"Bravo!", should I say?
And now that you are a tree
Will you be a good tree?