Lullaby for Rising by Oscar Penaranda

Lullaby For Rising*

Anak,

the well of memory runs deep

malalim

a bottomless spring

you must dive into and explore

like a healing hilot's hand

or perish

You have to steel yourself, prepare

growing into it

struggle without losing the spirit of gratitude

always saying po and salamat

for that is a healing too

paghihilom din yan

like giving 

and getting comfort from the friendship of

self, family, community

and ancestors

birthing and baptizing

yourself anew

Find the tanglad that will flavor whatever nourishes you

for we are all of mixed heritage

many colors  in our diversity

and we are all of one heritage

one color in our humanity

once you find our indigenous connections

learning the wonderful force of bayanihan

from our manongs and manangs

and kaibigans

Mabuhay ka, my child.

Oscar Peñaranda

April 28, 2012

Santa Rosa

Sonoma County,

California

*(poem composed from the one-word contributions of participants at the Asian Community Forum, at SSU, on 4/30, organized by Karen P/FANHS, CFBS, FACSCI, FAASSU).

sonoma county  salamat   comfort  connections kaibigan, mixed heritage, family, friendship, diversity, bayanihan tanglad  growing  wonderful  learning, paghilom, malalim, manong