APPLAUD TO THE MOTHER OF JOSE RIZAL

(This poem is written as a tribute to Dona Teodora Alonso, Jose Rizal’s mother for its Death Centenary Commemoration on August 16, 2011)

 

You never knew anyone worthy next to God but your mother,

How you looked up to her,

A good admirer,

To the woman who nurtured, cared and fed you,

An educated woman to teach Latin, Literature,

And Mathematics,

Intellectual and wise you may be,

For Dona Lolay had instilled in thee,

In mind and heart

The love for God,

With these in mind,

You began to learn,

To enhance skills;

 Reading, writing, and analyzing

Able to create prose and poetry

Very surprisingly,

She knew herself very well

 That she always excel,

In teaching, caring, and loving you

As well as your siblings

A great help to cultivate your talents so inspiringly,

Hence you became a man to live so lovingly,

She was a woman with gait,

Always ready to wait,

For a son who loves not to waste,

She was the light that shone,

The light that showed

The courage in you,

The light that made to love unselfishly,

You were a great man,

Behind was a woman,

Whose name was Lolay,

With her thoughts and teachings,

With her love and dreaming,

Be it her family

Be it her countrymen,

Her love and courage will be remembered,

 I had sought and searched all the pages of history   

And for fifteen years I learned her story,

Inspired and awed of her story,

Wished to be like her so rousingly,