Tita Cory Has Already Been Entombed

Why Slay Us? On The Shore Of Consciousness

Tita Cory Has Already Been Entombed

(Poem)

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

former president of the republic

former landowner of hacienda luisita

wife of ninoy with his monument in ayala

because he fought the dictatorship

and murdered later by the fascist state.

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

alleged mother of democracy

acclaimed defender of justice

mother also of the chattering cristeta

and amiga of majong aficionados

in the mansion of merriment and joy.

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

in the hospital then

prayers reverberated

masses were held

in many chapels and churches

while the camera focused on

the rich and the famous

the saintly mammals

recited their novenas

“please god the merciful

prolong the life of our tita.”

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

after she was showered

with expensive flowers

inside the manila cathedral

after being rained with praises

and adulations by those

she had shared her blessings

during her rosy journey on earth

her memories were solemnly refreshed

and petals of tears fell

slowly crawled on the lovely faces

of ladies with very smooth skin

like a rare porcelain

also with silk underwears

from the waist

down to the sacred mound

from the bulging breasts

down to the sexy belly

with candle-shaped fingers

forbidden to even dip in sauce

or to mash the wet-sticky soil

“oh, god the merciful

please take care of our tita’s soul.”

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

shameful were not to peep

at her cadaver and bronze coffin

the hypocrites in government

forcing themselves to look piously

amidst the glaring lights

of so many cameras of publicity

even the national welfare’s traitors

and notorious plunderers of public fund

remorseful were not to gaze

at her seemingly saintly face

they even expressed

their masqueraded sympathies

to the grieving rich family

“oh, god the merciful

please bless our tita’s soul.”

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

along the long stretch of road

to her final resting place

she was sent off by the stares

of the masses of people

who didn’t mind the falling rain

or the sun’s irritating rays

they who massed then at edsa

to support the prime leaders

against the dictatorial regime

they who abandoned their laundry

they who deserted their factory

they who did not drive their jeepney

they the fishermen and farmers

they the students and intellectuals

who were so worried and concerned

about politics and society

they who were slaves of the bureaucracy

they who all offered everything at edsa

to end the despicable

reign of terror and fear.

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

up to now she’s being idolized

offered with incense and perfume

showered with praises and admirations

she who was so religious

always taking then her communion

she who was so helpful and humble

she who was so forgiving and loving

she whose words were holiness full

that’s why the chameleons

keep on saying

she’s a national hero

the hypocrites keep on drumbeating

she deserves to be a saint

but the poet who wrote “gera”

keeps on asking:

what about those farmers

massacred at mendiola?

what about those murdered

at hacienda luisita?

what about the peasants

at hacienda san antonio in isabela?

what about the isneg in dumalneg?

what about those in lupao in nueva ecija?

what about the natives of marag in paco valley?

what about the “ora pro nobis” of lino brocka?

what about above all else

the billions of dollars foreign debt

which could possibly be absconded

when she established then

a revolutionary government?

“oh, god the merciful

please forgive our tita’s soul.”

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

from then on till now

despite the enshrined spirit of edsa

still suffering and wretched are the masses

bombarded with illusionary hopes

by a few demigods

of patronage politics

and foreign-oriented economics

struggle we must… fight!

even the deceiving elitists

and defenders of bourgeoisie democracy

keep on shouting back

continue the struggle…fight!

till the emancipation of the masses

from bondage and injustice

continue the fight

till vigorously unshackled

the mannacles of servitude

till violently cut-off

the tentacles of exploitation

and genuine social justice reigns

continue the struggle

until a nationalistic, progressive

and democratic society prevails.

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

“oh, god the merciful

we are the ones you should

help and bless now”

in every dramatic scenes

we, the masses, are always the extras

faceless and nameless

and mere shadows in the dark

trash in the eyes of leading men

after every scripted film showing

blessed always are they

but we, the masses, are nothing

“oh, god of abraham

is it really true

blessed are the poor

for they will inherit

the kingdom of heaven?”

to hell if the rich on earth

enjoy your abundant blessings

though the rich and exploiters

gluttonously feast on the blood

and flesh of the wretched masses.

tita cory has already been entombed

in the cemetery of the blessed.

let the struggle go on…fight…

even we, the miserable masses

are daily being repressed

tortured and buried

in the graveyard

of injustices and servitude

of hunger and grief

of sorrow and despair

while dancing joyfully

society’s demigods and exploiters

and tolling clangorously

the big bronze bells

of money-filled churches!