Pagbibigay-pugay sa isang makabayang mamamahayag at manunulat

RosB Guzman

Pinasulat kita

ng magasing pambata

pasimplehin mo lang ‘kako

nang malaman nila

ang ating rebolusyon,

gawin mong dahan-dahan

hakbang-hakbang,

baytang-baytang

nang matutunan nilang marating

ang kasaysayan.

Subalit pinili mong

maging makata,

at iguhit ang dusa at pasakit,

isabog ang kulay ng poot at paghihimagsik,

sumungkit ng mga pangarap

at gawing buhay

ang ating pakikibaka.

Lampas man ito

sa pang-unawa ng mga paslit,

nag-iwan ka ng bagong henerasyon

ng mga makata para sa bayan

na patuloy na malikhaing

maglalarawan

ng ating mga hangarin.

Di ka man nagsulat

para sa mga bata

nag-iwan ka ng inspirayon,

at heto ako ngayon,

parang bata uli, gusto kong tumula.

* Alexander Martin Remollino worked for a while with IBON Foundation. He was assigned to write journals for social studies for grade school and high school students – Sibika, Hekasi, Philippine Currents, Asian Currents, World Currents, Ekonomiks. He did not pass the evaluation. Alex did not have the pedagogy and writing style for children – he was an angry young man. “Alex, you have to tone down for the kids,” his editor would admonish him. “Ma’am gusto kong tumula,” he would say. Alex thus left IBON after six months – a mutual decision that up to this day IBON does not regret. Alex’s writing had developed so rapidly that only two years after he left IBON, when the institution launched the book “At Home in the World with Jose Ma. Sison” by Ninotchka Rosca, Alex was one of the reputable writers who gave their critical reviews.