Bye Bye, Yellow Butterfly
August 10, 2009 by hames-1977
Came down the confetti
among the concrete gardens
of skyscrapers in the city
we embrace-
the promise of freedom
remembering the days
when you conquer
the hearts of men.
Frail and afraid
among the chains,
blind slaves to tyranny.
Bye, bye
yellow butterfly.
Flutter your wings
amidst the tempest
set free, unafraid
of your glory-defining
turbulent life.
Like the many yellow
ribbons tossed in the wind,
a salutation to dawn.
An ode to the beauty
of your kindred spirit.
Bye, bye
yellow butterfly.
T’was a long,
long way journey home.
Fly away graciously
among the angels
heaven bound.
Corazon “Cory” Aquino remains to be the woman that at one point redeemed the Filipino nation from the lowly state that our race has been, and back.
I was travelling when the news of her death reached the world, I was asked.
And I answered: “Cory made us feel as a nation proud of our country, and our race again. She’s responsible for the People Power that inspired the world. Her memories will always remind me, and hopefully my country that the filipino can.”
Now that she’s gone, reuniting with the late Cardinal Sin, I fear where our nation is going.
To quote Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said in an interview when his family visited the wake of the late President,
“It is when we need as a nation some leaders who are principled and with genuine concern for the country, who could give our leaders good examples that we lost her.”
I agree, their are only a few good men left in the government and now we lost the woman that serves as an inspiration, who kept a little candle lighted in every filipinos’ hearts to reassure that there’s still hope. What now with the candle, gone?
This poem is timely, Marvin. It is wonderful to read a poem that gives honor to the woman that deserves all that.
I wish you well.
~ Jeques
*opppss, please edit the part:
“what now with the candle KEEPER, gone?
thanks
jeques,
my father’s hometown is in tarlac. i have spent my grade school life and college life in tarlac. and you know the cojuangco’s and their hacienda luisita. i have been one of the student activists who are fighting against the many injustices of CARP implementation in tarlac, wherein many peasants have died fighting for the land.
cory is partly to be responsible for the non-implementattion of CARP, most especially against her family’s stronghold in hacienda luisita. she had a patchy record of governance and many of her political promises were broken.
but in view of the things which were out of her control, i admire the woman for her tenacious spirit during EDSA days. i cannot deny the fact, that cory and the people power brought this country’s poignant democracy. she had sacrificed a private life and have braved through the many coups against her administration.
it makes more meaningful, that she had kept a simple and decent civilian lifestyle after her presidency, though she remain active in socio-civic causes when threats to democracy is prevalent during Erap and Arroyo administration. she had a courage to speak out but maintained an arduous religiosity which set her apart from most of the powerful women in our history.
her personal life is a living testament of bravery and faith amidst struggles for attaining true democracy. she have set a bar for serving the country with high moral standard and genuine concern for the country.
so i wrote this poem in commemoration and as my way of thanksgiving for her sacrifices in order for us to live a little freer today.
best of times,
marvin
“To leave the world a bit better,
Whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
A REDEEMED SOCIAL CONDITION,
Or a job well done
To know even one other life has breath easier
Because you have lived ~
This is to have succeeded.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I give her credit for that.
I understand the many flaws in her governance, but in the many dark years of the Philippine government, her short term I still consider and remember to be the moment when Filipinos regain their patriotism and love for country in spite the many forces that attempted to bring it down. After her term, our nation descended to to its lowest low to now where redemption is seem out of sight.
We need a hero really bad as a nation.
I wish you well.
~ Jeques