My First Farewell

I.
To each with life, whether human,
animal or plant, death of body
is an unalterable certainty
Part of Life’s very mystery,
as God had planned, is that
to its fated end it flows inexorably.
For almost all, however, the time
of death’s coming is something one
cannot predict and foresee
Jose Rizal, one of the greatest
of the heroes of our beloved
Motherland, the Philippines,
Was afforded the distinct honor
and opportunity — the colonial
military court had set the date
Even the hour of his execution
by musketry to ensure
that he would forever be stilled
So, across the hours of that night,
on death’s eve, he let flow
through his pen a loving poem,
It was a fond farewell, that his own heart
heaved love so great, in no less
than a valedictory.
Such opportunity has to all others
been denied,denied to all
whose lives were gone in a flash
All the others who had cared
for our Motherland so, spoke such
love not by words but their lives!

II.
Even an inkling have I not when, really,
shall it be that I would finally
breathe my last.
As infant I had lain near-dead,
with a ready coffin; Sobbing had
already started by my next of kin
But the mysterious ailments that had me
in their grip suddenly disappeared
and I got instantly healed.
From that time more than five decades
have rushed by, Thank God,
a bonus life for me was bequeathed!
Despite all the moments of peril
to this precious life that I have
knowingly or unknowingly faced.
My time has still not come, up to these
very moments when I am
weaving words to form this poem.
Still unsure am I, if really I can get
this piece finished, If the next sunrise
would find me still breathing.
In just these past few days quite a number
of my friends had gone to their rest
or were brought to the brink.
Should I sigh out my farewell
to my Beloved Nation, after being
overtaken by the stealth of my end?
I seek now to imitate Rizal, about the time
of the 110th anniversary of
his Ultimo Adios; this is my first!

III.
As has been usual before fond farewells
are said I seek to declare
some advanced requests:
Accord value and attention not to my
mortal remains that are like clothing
already put aside by Life.
Focus not on my hole-studded shoes
with worn-out soles, ponder, instead,
the footprints being left behind
For these are markings made not merely
by my feet but by my real self
as no less than spirit!
Rather than spend time to think
of that pair of shoes that has been
taken off and is wasting away
Ponder well the story and statement
of my footprints; know well the paths
they had chosen to tread.
I did make profuse attempts
to explain well about the spirit
and content of all these efforts,
But many of them, even from among
the ranks of my workmates
have yet to firmly decide
To really patiently listen to my statements,
to read and comprehend well
my explanations.
After I depart, may they remember to
review them and even as these are long,
to comprehend them this time.

IV.
In this same farewell, to my beloved
siblings, fellow-offspring of
Inang Bayan, I seek to share
These grains of light that I have gathered
from my own experiences
and from those of my workmates.
Most important among these is this
two-fold challenge and call
that I raise before all the people
Of this nation, the Philippines,
and of the whole world — bloom as
humans and behave as fellow-humans!
Accord this a real fulfillment
by day-to-day living of each one of us
as created in the image and likeness
Of the Creator – with innermost spirit
glowing in goodness flowing
from limitless unconditional love
And boundless almighty power
that fully deserves to be reflected in an
invincible sense of confidence.
Let Rizal be our model in self-development
and actualization as human beings
fully worthy of this exalted term.
And let Bonifacio shine as the epitome
of fully living the spirit of oneness
among fellow-humans or kapwà
Let us love our fellow-humans, knowing
well the lesson from our sage Jacinto:
The humanity of all is only one!

V.
Our Motherland is now prostrate,
victim of battering
at the hands of greedy exploiters
Who despise our capabilities,
using as justification widespread traits
that we have only acquired
From enslavement for less than the past
half-millennium, thus completely
ignoring, turning a blind eye,
Denying the innate honor and nobility
of our race, our honesty,
love for work and levels of skill,
That had lasted across many thousands
of years; sunk into dependence,
we have been exploited!
Many of us who love those of our brothers
and sisters who are now mired
in deep impoverishment
Have been misguided about the way
to show concern and to extend
assistance to the poorest among us,
And unwittingly foment among the broad
populace a disempowering
culture of dependency.
May we all be able
to teach others how to fish
instead of daily doling out fish!
Bring into play a renewed bayanihan,
our collectiveforward movement
through the tangkilikán way!

VI.
Whoever is helped has the responsibility
to develop their own knowledge
and exert their own efforts,
For whoever rises absolutely dependent
on others cannot really stand up
on his own two feet;
He is but lifted like a soft blanket raised.
if the hold be slackened
it slumps back down!
Building such knowledge and capabilities
of people has been attempted
by many organizations,

Including those that I have spent time
to initiate in formation, consolidation
and expansion,
But apparently I have been unable to
explain fully well this framework
even if only to my workmates,
So while these groups
have accomplished much, many people
have remained virtually unaided
In discovering their wisdom and various
capabilities based on knowledge
from their own experiences.
What our beloved Motherland,
the Philippines, needs
is the real attainment of synergy
Among Filipinos who have deep-seated
initiative, confidence, and perseverance
for the upliftment of all!

VII.
For as long as my lungs continue
to breathe in the remaining years
that I shall remain alive,
I shall help in carrying forward the torch
of such efforts for the deliverance
of our people,
I shall continue to resist the temptations
of exhaustion and defeat all those threats
of ultimate failure,
And go on linking up those who should
be teaming up, reconciling those
who are in senseless conflict,
Helping strengthen further the cooperation
among us who have started to practice
“bayanihan” synergy,
So confident am I that with my passing,
the great torch of the effort
to attain oneness shall be carried on,
Ever forward, by many who shall join us
and remain with our Pamayanang
Sanib-lakás ng Pilipinas.
My love for our people, for our nation,
shall continue being lived along the path
that I have chosen—
To help our people and our communities
fully realize: we are, precisely, our
Inang Bayang Magiliw!
No other would love and care more
for the Philippines if not we, ourself,
if not our synergized self!
The final call in my First Farewell is this:
Synergize and rise up on our feet,
Beloved Philippines!!
May my footprints be reexamined
to yield some lessons. Let us live long,
and live well for our Motherland,

Live well until we finally breathe our last!

Makati, Philippines, December 29, 2006
(117th anniversary of Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios)
translated into English on April 26, 2007