I already published this article to rizalhenyo.com where I was one of their writers, but I want to republish this on my personal blog to let readers know how strong, courageous, and united the Filipinos are, especially those Yolanda survivors.
“There are times that we feel we already exhausted all our efforts to do the things that we feel right, but it seems some obstacles form like a stumbling block and things simply do not fall into the right places that we wish to be. Perhaps because God has His own way of keeping us on the right track by facing the challenges in our daily lives to make us stronger.” –Roy Lardaus
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| Filipino Migrant Writers' Society: Alon Calinao Dy, Joel Santos, Joone Ceazar Lacar Manayan, Kathleen Luntao, Roy Lardaus , Expedito Osorio,Jr. (not here) |
At the height of super typhoon Yolanda that took thousands of lives in the Philippines last November 8, 2013, Filipino poets from Kuwait made wonderful poems for the victims of Haiyan, and hoping to bring back the spirit of the survivors.
Here are some of the poems we have beautifully penned:
Island of the Braves
By: Kathleen Luntao
By: Kathleen Luntao
Quo Vadis Philippines?
Such a tough year we have
A rough road ahead
Corpses swept by the muddy lake
Still we wear a smile that oh so fake!
The wrath of mother nature is punishing
There is no black and white in such situations
United we stood like homeless children
But take a glimpse of our souls
Then you’ll see brave warriors
Diminutive physique, fragile countenance
But we are ready to face
The dark waves of death from the ocean
We roared intensely, boosting our deflated egos
There is no growth without pain, I guess…
Am I being cursed or exceptionally blessed?
I think I just have a dual citizenship,
I’ve seen beauty and apocalyptic scenes
Suddenly, I’ve reflected that Life knows how to joke
A deadly jest that cost us many friends…
It’s up to us to choose what to become
Be a self destroyer, or a self healer
The aftermath is usually tragic
But I recommend the latter
We don’t need another loser in this island of misfortune.
We need brave islanders
We’ve stood the test of Nature’s fury
We seem like a magnet for calamities
We fell down so many times
But we’ve managed to get up
And built another nipa hut…
We are FILIPINOS, do not forget that!
We will not succumb to disasters
I feel our faith in God is being tested now,
I hail from the island of the braves
I kept saying that in front of the mass graves…
Super Typhoon Haiyan
By: Alon Calinao Dy
Super typhoon Haiyan,
Why have you swept away our City Tacloban?
Why have you killed thousands of our countrymen
Including the innocent children and women?
Look what you have done!
Complete devastation with no food and water,
You have taken them one by one.
Why did you need to slaughter them?
Why do you have to show the world you’re the deadliest?
Why do you come and brought us many tears?
Don’t you know we’re born as warriors without fears.
You have destroyed all our towns and cities,
You have exposed our fight against irregularities,
And now we have nothing left,
But only allies who’ve helped us their very best.
The Victor in You
By: Joone Ceazar Lacar Manayan
Life is a battle, a puzzle we need to solve and a race we must finish
Along with it is an unwinding trek full of happy moments and times of anguish,
As we go through we must be wise and be equipped
Concentration, control and strong will we should always keep.
We might fall and get wounded so as bleed
But the hurt and excruciating pain we must heed
Giving up nor surrendering will never be an option
Instead we must continue fighting guided by our firm determination.
We may cry and shout because of painfulness
But only one thing should reign and that is our eagerness
Many times we might lose and experience defeat
Yet it only prepares us for the victory we are soon to meet.
We are not meant to win every circumstance we undertake
But we are destined to fail sometimes to know our weaknesses and build strategies for future sake
A warrior never quits and will not leave the battlefield doing nothing
He is always on the go and up to something.
He is always on the go and up to something.
Paghupa ng Delubyo
By: Expedito P. Osorio, Jr.
Sa paghumpay ng unos
May katahimikang nakakabingi
At unti-unting iminulat
Ang matang lunod sa luha
At mahapdi
Bahagyang inikot ang paningin
Sa nagkalat na nasawi
Ako’y tumingala
Upang buhay ko’y ipagbunyi.
Nais kong sumigaw
Sa kinasadlakang mundo
Kahit di marinig
Nitong kalat at pira-piraso
Mga guhong tahanan
At nakahandusay na puno
Ang haliging nakasampay
Mga kagamitan at luho
Walang buhay na katawan
Sa lupang di naman sementeryo.
Nais kong tumayo
At muling bumangon
Maihakbang itong paa
Na tinamaan sa paggulong
Tatahakin kong muli
Itong landas na tutugon
Patungo kung saan
Upang muling umahon.
Pag-asa Sa Likod Ng Delubyo
By: Roy Lardaus
Sa isang isla ng tahimik na probinsya
Lugar na tila paraiso sa ganda
Biglang binalot ng malagim na sakuna
Ugat ng lahat ay bagyong Yolanda.
Bilang ng nasawi ay umabot ng libo-libo
Pagkat mga tao’y di handa sa delubyo
Tanging nasambit lamang ay “Diyos ko ba’t ganito?”
Pagkat ang nangyari’y una sa daang siglo.
Dating paraiso ay nagmistulang impyerno
Buong lugar ay nabalot ng sindak at lungkot
Pagkatapos iwanan ng bagyong salot
Pighati ang dala sa buhay na masalimuot.
Ngunit sa isang banda ang bagyong Yolanda
May mga aral din palang dala-dala
Buong kapuluan ay dagling nagkaisa
Maging buong mundo’y tumulong at nagluksa.
Nawa’y maging aral sa ating gobyerno
Imbes na magsisihan mga nagsisiupo
Ay ibaling na lamang sa tapat na serbisyo
Upang mga tao’y maibsan ang gutom at pagkatuliro.
Wag sanang mawalan ng pag-asa at tiwala
Yaong mga taong inabot ng trahedya
Manalig at magdasal lamang sa ating Diyos Ama
Paglipas ng dilim at unos, sisibol ang liwanag at bagong umaga.
Being inspired for what’s happening around them, They finally have come together to publish a unique visual poetry book, an anthology of immigrant life in the Arab world and artwork from talented people – Hermie Gernalie and Joel A. Santos. Their ultimate goal is to inspire other Filipino migrant writers to have a strong voice in writing, so that they could make a difference and lasting contribution to the next generation. They are as well hoping for support from the Filipino community on their book project entitled Anthology of Filipino Migrants in Kuwait in the Philippines. This book is also available in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retail stores around the globe.
