Twenty Past Four (A Philippine Independence Day Poem)

TWENTY PAST FOUR

I am born in this land after the simplicity and peace
Of camaraderie, harmony, each do no disgrace
For plebeians are we, lived as birds
Do headway en masse more than a herd

Do say everything has an end
For every happiness is torment
But deemed for what is right
For right is always worth the fight

Almost centuries of four in agony and torture
For we-- underneath the foreign power
Hand in hand we sought for just
For happiness again, for caste blanche

They may call for swords, mortars and whips
With chains and blindfold, we hoped for peace
Still we reckoned, to do harm is no good
So what's slashed is the given brain, a pen, and veiled words

Land shredded with its race' warm blood, our sweats and tears
Yet still standing tall with valor, no fears
For believe, we have, these intertwined hearts are our core
Sweet sampaguita, we vowed to you, you're worth dying for

There's a rainbow after the rain, as like Juno's 12 in '98
For independence was swayed, joyous cries aren't suppressed
Twenty past four post meridiem, 'twas held up in a balcony
With cheers side to side, I've cried, we're free!

Though aftermath, undeniably, we still grapple with wretchedness
We, erstwhile defender of our land, hoped you'd reminisce
Commemorate not us of yore, but how loved and treasured
The freedom before like a taboo, yet for it, lives were offered

Before I put down this pen I've slashed, I'll left you with some advice
Fight for what's yours, for what you know is right
If chained with locks, blindfolded with lies, and shouldered pains as torr
Stand up! For every thing's with worth, and like sampaguita, you'd grasp twenty past four.!

Declaration of Independence Day on June 12, 1898 at Kawit, Cavite, Philippines at 4:20 pm. MAGDIWANG MGA PILIPINO!
120th Philippine Indpendence Day. (June 12, 2018)

Photo credit: The Philippine Reporter
Poem was made by yours truly.