Not The Month Of Flowers Is May
(For Labor Day and the continuing struggle of the working class) NOT THE MONTH OF FLOWERS IS MAY not the month of flowers is may or the procession of flirting queens it’s not also the month of lavish fiestas in honor of numerous venerated saints instead it’s the blood shedding of the likes of crisanto […]
(For Labor Day and the continuing struggle of the working class)
NOT THE MONTH OF FLOWERS IS MAY
not the month of flowers is may
or the procession of flirting queens
it’s not also the month of lavish fiestas
in honor of numerous venerated saints
instead it’s the blood shedding
of the likes of crisanto evangelista
of the marxist labor party
it’s the revolt of the bert olalias and crispin beltrans
of the fiery may 1 movement
yes, it’s the unfurling of red flags
by the exploited working class
it’s the rumbling of thousands of feet
on the heaving street of mendiola
it’s the reverberations in the air
of the liberating message
of the “internationale”
it’s the month the anger of clenched fists
would be dynamites loudly exploding
and the feverish wind would carry on its wings
the collective hatred of so many fathers
the lamentations of so many mothers
and the cries of twisted intestines
could the lord of sorrows hear
the grief of an oppressed race?
yes, may is not the month of flowers
it’s the decades of may of falling tears
sprinkling the yellowish grass
so the stunted growth of fervent hopes
may finally grow and bloom
it’s the month of continuing struggle
against the exploitative class
and cohorts of injustices
it’s the month of strengthening the united front
for the coming dark nights of vigil
it’s the tight linking of arms
of the oppressed-downtrodden class
till they trek the mountain trails
and whisper to the hissing bullets
the laments of seething brains
and transform into piercing arrows
the class dignity of a race
and aim and shoot them deep
to the hearts of greedy demigods
who always embrace the vault of wealth
and see nothing but the glitter of gold
never hearing the pulsating bleeding hearts
of the long-oppressed wretched class.
yes, not the month of flowers is may
it’s our climbing up
the bloody mountain trails
and “we have nothing to lose but our chains!”
(Para sa Araw ng Paggawa at patuloy na pakikibaka ng uring manggagawa)
MAYO’Y DI BUWAN NG MGA BULAKLAK
di buwan ng mga bulaklak ang mayo
o prusisyon ng malanding reyna elena
di rin ito panahon ng marangyang pista
para sa kung sinu-sinong santo’t santa
buwan ito ng pagtitigis ng dugo
ng mga crisanto evangelista
ng partido obrerong marxista
paghihimagsik ito ng mga bert olalia’t crispin beltran
ng maalab na kilusang mayo uno
oo, pagbaha ito ng pulang mga bandila
ng inaaliping uring manggagawa
ito’y pagdagundong ng libu-libong mga paa
sa umaalong kalsada ng mendiola
ito’y pag-ilanlang sa hangin
ng sumisingasing na “internationale”
ito’y buwang dinamitang sasambulat
himagsik ng nakatikom na mga kamao
ilululan sa nilalagnat na hangin
natipong ngitngit ng mga ama
umalagwang hagulhol ng mga ina
daing ng napilipit na mga bituka
ngunit marinig kaya ng mga panginoon ng dusa
dalamhati ng lahi ng uring dinusta?
oo, mayo’y di buwan ng mga bulaklak
deka-dekada nang pagdidilig ito ng luha
sa matimyas na hangaring manariwa
binansot-naluoy na mga pag-asa
ito’y buwan ng di matapos na pakikibaka
laban sa uring mapagsamantala
at mga basalyos ng inhustisya
ito’y pagpapatibay ng nagkakaisang hanay
para sa pusikit na gabi ng paglalamay
ito’y pagkakawit-bisig
ng uring busabos at dayukdok
hanggang tahakin ang bundok
at isumbong sa mga punglo
tagulaylay ng utak na kumukulo
dignidad ng uri’y gagawing palaso
itutudla sa balighong puso
ng mga diyus-diyosang walang niyayakap
kundi bundat na baul ng pilak
walang nakikita kundi alindog ng ginto
at ni ayaw dinggin ang tibok ng puso
ng uring dinusta’t nilamon ang laman
nilagok ang dugo’t nginasab ang tiyan.
oo, di nga buwan
ng mga bulaklak ang mayo
ito’y pagsalunga sa madugong kalbaryo
at sa ati’y “wala nang mawawala kundi tanikala!”
(my original version in filipino)
