What must I write about?
Must I speak of the terror that I see with my eyes
Must I tell the world of Armageddons that threaten generations to come
Must I pronounce unknown pains and sufferings too many in the world endure
Must I repeat the cries of the broken and bare the fears of those we have made obscure
But will it be better if I wrote…
Of a home filled with laughter at the dinner table and reunions no one wants to miss
Of families who celebrate little triumphs and cry together in defeat
Of a love that is like no other and will endure for eternity
Of a life that has been well lived worthy of honor and immortality.
Then perhaps I will also speak of what is hidden…
Of crimes too violent they are only spoken in whispers by those who remember
Of dreams too great they must be shared only with those who are brave and dare
Of vengeance and of battlescars both evident and unseen
Of passions and imaginings that ignite the fire within
There is just so much in this world that one must declare and make known..
When we come upon a new learning and begin to sing a new song
When we meet a soul who makes us feel that we finally belong and have come home
When the children’s cries seem deafening and the world remains undisturbed
When we rise up with clenched fists because it is only in solidarity that our voices can be heard
Thus we must write and speak even when no one seems to comprehend…
For we must unearth the voices long buried in the earth
For we must pronounce the names forgotten for the revolutions they have birthed
For there are empires and powers that must be brought to its knees
For there are children and creatures for whom this world can be bliss
diwatalakayan 