Punta Cruz
THE adventure of my ancestors
from Bohol
where poverty drives them all the
promises of Mindanao
is land-marked by the
cross planted
on the shore of Miputak
to protect them from the
attacks of the
pirates
godless men from the south
who without mercy
took away their women
and children
as slaves and
concubines.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Virgen La Purissima
virgen la purisima
virgin most pure
a family icon brought from the rocky island of bohol
to the promised land of mindanao
by my great, great ancestors
on a wooden sail
facing the rough seas
for nights and nights
as they all ran away from the their oppressors
who compelled them to make those big churches
of rocks and lime
using their free labor
or face death,
or face the drowning death of the uncertain seas
if luck did not side with them
if faith they did not have
they arrived on this island of mindanao
and cleared the forest to
build their farms
they married
and built their houses
and farmed
and marked their territories
that was a hundred years ago
the family still lives
the tradition alive
the children and grandchildren and greatgrandchildren
had since multiplied like the sands of the sea
and they all prayed
and they still prayed
with heads bowed, kneeling
in silence, in song, in novenas, in dance,
in merrymakings where food is shared
where a new child's name is added
to the list of this huge family tree
where everyone has a name
and a responsibility
for centuries
mother mary most pure
virgin most pure
virgin la purisima
you have showered this family with intercession
some blessings from God
the protection from the rough seas
the strength of the wooden sails
which once sailed from Bohol
on that dark night
and for more dark nights
when there was no light seen ahead
when there was no hope of finding land
it was you
most dear mother
mother pure
virgen la purisima
our Dear Mother Mary, Mother of God
Who interceded for Light
Who gave the direction
For this clan to survive
to find land and to find anchor of its restlessnes
We are here again, and as always
Praying for your guidance and protection.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Heal Our Land
They say it is the land of promise..Mindanao
The land of beautiful people
The land of dreams, hope and faith
Now it 's gone..the promise..
Now it's war torn, of children crying
orphaned, untimely deaths..of bloodshed
What can i do to help?
what can we share to lessen the hurts?
Who can help us in this strife?
My heart bleeds for them..
I came from this place of promise
And now..it's gone..gone..
If only we bow down and humble ourselves
Humble ourselves and pray
God in His goodness and loving care
Will listen to our cries and will HEAL OUR LAND
And my prayers will be
Let there be peace in Mindanao
Let there be joy in our hearts
Let the children play
Let there be freedom, voice to be heard
Let there be peace from within.
poem by Meggie Gultiano

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Mercy, Mercy Me (live)
Oo oo aa mercy mercy me
Ah things aint' what they used to be
Where did all the blue skies go
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east.
Oo mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be
Oil wasted on the ocean and up on our sea
Fish full of mercury.
Ah oh mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be
Radiation underground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live near by are dying.
Oh mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand
song performed by by Matchbox Twenty

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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John Cornstalk
Jack Cornstalk lives in the Southern Land—
What says Cornstalk John?
Jack Cornstalk says in a loud firm voice:
“Land of the South, lead on.”
CHORUS:
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Land of the South, lead on!
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Lead on, Land of the South!
John Bull lays claim to the Southern Land.
Jack, is the South Land thine?
John Cornstalk cries in a loud, firm voice:
“The Land of the South is mine!”
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Land of the South, lead on!
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Lead on, Land of the South!
“By the long, long years my father toiled
In the pioneering band;
By the hardships of those early days,
I claim the Southern Land!”
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Land of the South, lead on!
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Lead on, Land of the South!
But where shall the Land of the South lead to?
Where lead the nation’s van?
Jack Cornstalk cries from his strong young heart:
“To the Dynasty of Man.”
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Land of the South, lead on!
Land of the South, lead on, lead on,
Lead on, Land of the South!
poem by Henry Lawson

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Must Be Freed
The ante-bellum Negro prayed,
For God to intercede,
And God in answer to him said,
'Your children shall be freed.'
The hand was seen upon the wall,
The fates at once decreed
That Negro bondsmen one and all,
Should soon be free, indeed.
'If Abraham Lincoln's president'
The South said, 'we'll secede;'
They apprehended he'd consent,
For Negroes to be freed.
To battle North against the South,
O'er states rights was agreed,
But echo from the cannon's mouth,
Said, 'Negroes must be freed.'
Confed'rates did with marked success,
McClellan's steps impede,
Till Abr'm Lincoln did confess,
That Negroes must be freed.
The Union boys with heaven's strength,
From that time did succeed;
And fought with valor till at length,
The Negro slaves were freed.
The Jim Crow car for Negroes made,
To crush their pride, indeed,
Has on the harps of thinkers played,
Those people must be freed.
The right of suffrage from the men,
Is taken out of greed;
A better day is coming when
They shall from this be freed.
Black men before the lyncher's rope,
In vain for mercy plead,
But justice cries, 'There is a hope,
From such you shall be freed.'
From ignorance and poverty,
From superstition's creed,
From those who crush his liberty,
The Negro must be freed.
The hand has written on the wall,
The clouds must all recede,
For God Whose word can never fall,
Says,'Negroes must be freed.'
poem by Lizelia Augusta Jenkins Moorer

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I'm gonna take the South out of South Africa
I'm gonna take the South out of South Africa
the home of the slaves
and the land of no freedom
I'm gonna take the south out of South Africa
where George Wallace stood
on the University steps
and said no blacks
no blacks shall enter here
except over my dead
and crippled body
I'm gonna take the South out of South Africa
where separate but equal means
that blacks lived in the homelands
and not in their homes
I'm gonna take the South out of South Africa
where Jim Crow laws
have tried to change their colors
but it's still the same old shackles
call Apartheid
I'm gonna take the South out of South Africa
where young people are detained
...without trials
...without lawyers
...without rights
but never
... without hope
I'm gonna take the South out of South Africa
poem by Oscar Mireles

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Our Children
A baby sitter who can’t stand kids
A drunken father slaps his children around
A drug addict mother who sleeps and does nothing but get high
A sister who never comes home in time to protect the small ones
Our children are here on this earth to be loved
Not to be abused and used as slaves
Our children are not punching bags or our slaves
Stop the abuse against the innocent children
These children will grow up to be just like you
Our children need us to love them
The older siblings stand between the you and the younger ones
So stop all the abuse
The children need to be taken care of
All you parents out there listen to me
Heed my warning because your children will grow up to hate you
Stop all the abuse against the future of this world
poem by Jessica Roberts

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Mercy, Mercy Me
Woo ah, mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east
Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Ah oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, na na...
My sweet Lord... No
My Lord... My sweet Lord
song performed by by Michael Mcdonald

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You Tell Me Of Your Australian History
You tell me of your Australian history your ancestors were British and Irish pioneers
But your history in this Land is not an old history just two centuries and twenty years
And in time that may seem quite a long span though the combined life spans of three people nothing more
Your ancestors hardly were Aussies they came here from a distant shore.
The first Australians have lived in this Country for longer than most care to know
Their ancestors came here from Asia more than sixty thousand years ago
They are indigenous to this Country all others have links to elsewhere
Yet they still struggle for recognition and that to me seems quite unfair.
Dispossessed by the Northern invaders they never did get back their Land
And that they are now ruled by white people I find that hard to understand
You talk of the history of this Land as if it were only two hundred years old
But then suppose the history of the ancient Dreamtime by white people will never be told.
I was not even born in this Country which makes you more Aussie than I
And though I'm not Nationalistic or Patriotic my heritage I won''t deny
You talk of your pioneering ancestors but why talk of Human history at all
If the history of the first Australians you do not see fit to recall.
You tell me of your pioneering ancestors but one fact you tend to ignore
That they were not born in this Country they came here from a foreign shore
You''d swear by you the Human history of this Land was only two centuries old
But the true history of this great Country by your type will never be told
poem by Francis Duggan

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Illegal aliens
Some people call them refugees,
but to me they are illegal aliens.
The gates from Africa
lies wide open
and they cross illegally
during the day
and in the darkness of night.
It is a interesting thing
that they stream south
as if they can not make a living
in their own countries.
They brave the wild beasts
of the Kruger National park
and old and young
men and women and children
flock from everywhere in Africa
to a land with some prosperity.
They cross a unpatrolled
and unprotected border
by day and night.
and come on foot
and in any way
that they can.
Some employers
take them at a cut throat rate
and Nigerian criminals sell drugs
on the streets
and at street corners
foreign aliens beg,
and women sell themselves
and some foreigners
rape, steal and kill.
poem by Gert Strydom

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Dixie's Land
1 I wish I was in de land ob cotton,
2 Old times dar am not forgotten;
3 Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land!
4 In Dixie Land whar I was born in,
5 Early on one frosty mornin,
6 Look away! Look away! Look away! Dixie Land!
7 Den I wish I was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray!
8 In Dixie's Land we'll take our stand, to lib an' die in Dixie.
9 Away! away! away down South in Dixie.
10 Away! away! away down south in Dixie.
11 Ole missus marry 'Will-de-weaber';
12 Willum was a gay deceaber;
13 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
14 But when he put his arm around her,
15 He smiled as fierce as a forty-pounder;
16 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
17 Den I wish I was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray!
18 In Dixie's Land we'll take our stand, to lib an' die in Dixie.
19 Away! away! away down South in Dixie.
20 Away! away! away down south in Dixie.
21 His face was sharp as a butcher's cleaber;
22 But dat did not seem to greab her;
23 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
24 Ole missus acted de foolish part,
25 And died for a man dat broke her heart;
26 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
27 Den I wish I was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray!
28 In Dixie's Land we'll take our stand, to lib an' die in Dixie.
29 Away! away! away down South in Dixie.
30 Away! away! away down south in Dixie.
31 Now here's health to de next ole missus,
32 An' all the gals dat want to kiss us;
33 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
34 But if you want to drive 'way sorrow,
35 Come and hear dis song tomorrow;
36 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
37 Den I wish I was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray!
38 In Dixie's Land we'll take our stand, to lib an' die in Dixie.
39 Away! away! away down South in Dixie.
40 Away! away! away down south in Dixie.
41 Dar's buckwheat cakes an' Injin batter,
42 Makes you fat or a little fatter;
43 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
44 Den hoe it down an' scratch your grabble,
45 To Dixie's land I'm bound to trabble;
46 Look away, look away, look away, Dixie land!
47 Den I wish I was in Dixie! Hooray! Hooray!
48 In Dixie's Land we'll take our stand, to lib an' die in Dixie.
49 Away! away! away down South in Dixie.
50 Away! away! away down south in Dixie.
poem by Daniel Decatur Emmett

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God’s Eternal Presence
Friend you can see the hand of God, all across this earth men trod.
The presence of God is everywhere, even in lives who do not care.
The Lord is omnipresent friend; a presence man can’t comprehend.
Friend, even in this land of ours, His presence extends to the stars.
And men are blessed in this place, with God’s overwhelming Grace.
This country is blessed abundantly, by The God that man can’t see.
Friend God’s love for us will endure, in this land from shore to shore,
That is, for those men in this life, who’ve come to know Jesus Christ.
But there are men on another path, heading for God’s Eternal Wrath.
He is also a God of Justice friend, and He shall put all evil to an end.
As vengeance belongs to The Lord; and His judgment will be poured.
That’s when every eye shall see, Jesus Christ is The Lord of Eternity.
But His Mercy God extends to all, all under the curse of Adam’s fall.
A mercy to us, so underserved, for the sinfulness that we’ve served.
The death that we’re deserving of, Christ justified through His Love.
The Love of His Son Jesus Christ, who on the cross paid that price.
The Love of God is second to none, for He sent to us His Only Son,
Christ who died a death on a cross, a sinless lamb slain for the lost.
God’s gift to men sent from above, Gracious Mercy wrapped in Love.
And through the death of Jesus Christ, all men can gain Eternal Life.
(Copyright ©01/2006)
Whose Country Is This?
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of snakes;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of many waters;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of thieves! !
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of people;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of oil;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of earthquakes!
Whose country is this?
it is a land full of lovers;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of volcanoes!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of beautiful flowers;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of hansome men;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of beautiful women;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of roses;
Whose country is this?
it is a land ruled only by men;
Whose country is this?
It is a land without rainfall;
Whose country is this?
It is a land ruled by a woman;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of corruption!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of pirates! !
Whose country is this?
It is a land ruled by law;
Whose country is this?
It is a land controlled by rebels!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of ice;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of pregnant women;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of singers;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of troubles;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of war! !
Whose country is this?
It is a land with the biggest cemetery in the wolrd!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of desert;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of trees;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of pregnant teenagers!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of timber;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of hatred;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of love;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of care;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of peace;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of smokers!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of businesses;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of harlots;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of wise people;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of idiots!
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of gold;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of cocoa;
Whose country is this?
It is a alnd full of crabs;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of evil;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of rainfalls;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of ants;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of horses;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of pigs;
Whose country is this?
It is a land full of statues;
Whose country is this?
it is a land full of birds;
And so on, and so forth!
Because nature had made them so as we see them around us,
But the wise and fool live together on this earth.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis

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Sad Women.
Sad women always get up
to make breakfast for their children,
To tell him, ''have a nice day''
Sad women go to work and always do their best,
they make lunch and always sit last,
Sad women buy groceries on the way home,
make phone calls to hear someone's voice,
they are faithful to their promises,
Sad women take upon other's grief
Sad women comfort others and say
''everything will be okay'',
they don't let their sadness to come out,
Sad women don't have time to be sad,
Sad women cry when lights go out..
poem by Daria Domitrovic

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International Women's Day,2012
There are some things women should do,
As men simply cannot;
There are things that women can do,
But not as well as men.
There are some things women shouldn't do,
For they are harmful, sin;
There are many just women do,
Much better than most men.
Empow'r women and uplift them,
And make their plight better;
This half of human populace
If better, world's better.
Let poverty not strike women;
Remove their hunger pangs;
Give them all equal rights like men,
Save them from awful gangs.
Women are teachers naturally
For every child that's born;
They nurse their babies and protect,
Till dusk, from every dawn.
Women have beauty and contours
And for men, fit partners;
Women need love and care like all:
They aren't bought from a stall!
'Happy International Women's Day,2012'
poem by John Celes

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Men Must Respect
Men must respect other men
Women must respect other women
Men and women must respect our children
And protect them so all can go to heaven.
I cannot fully fathom the unusualness of men
Mother Nature will remain eternally natural
Mothers will give birth to men and women
And the sky will forever be conventional.
Men must respect girls and boys
They are human too, not little toys
Women must respect boys and girls
Our tootses don’t belong to a world of swirls and twirls.
If we respect each other, our world will be natural
Loving, wonderful and exceptional
Love and respect are like fraternal twins
In such godly oasis, everyone wins.
Men must respect and care for each other
Women must follow a similar procedure
Life is beautiful, thanks to Mother Nature
Who always follows the Scriptures.
Our children need our help and divine lectures
Let’s love them and protect their future
Let’s chase the devils out of the manger
Let’s be brothers and sisters and love each other.
Men must respect other men
Men and women must respect our children.
poem by Hebert Logerie

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Snake; an oracle of oath
The godless men worship the snake
The godless men take oath in name of snake
And the curse comes upon wrongdoer
The godless men take oath in the name of snake
And blessing rains upon the innocent
The godless men take oath in the name of snake
And snake bitten dead the lair
And snake spare life of the truer
Despite snake answers to godless men
No votive or thank given to snake, the god
So the stopped the men to swear
By it name, snake said men used
Thunder and fire for swearing instead of it name
As snake disowned the godless men
Hex fallen upon
poem by David Aoloch Bion

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Women & Men
When the ship runs out of ocean
And the vessel runs aground
Land's where we know the boat is found
Now there's nothing unexpected
About the water giving out
"land's" not a word we have to shout.
But there's something beside the shoreline
Moving across the beachhead
Coming up from the shipwreck
Making as if to say:
Women & men
Women & men
Women & men
Women & men
(women & men) bringing with them messages of love
And every where they go love will grow (love will grow)
(women & men) when you see the faces of the women
And the men, you too will know (you will know)
Women & men have crossed the ocean
They now begin to pour
Out from the boat and up the shore
Two by two they enter the jungle
And soon they number more
Three by three as well as four by four
Soon the stream of people gets wider
Then it becomes a river
River becomes an ocean
Carrying ships that bear
Women & men
Women & men
Women & men
Women & men
song performed by by They Might Be Giants

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Am Feeling More Hot
MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal warned of a return to full-scale hostilities.
'This is a grim scenario and I don't even want to think about it, but if the peace talks collapse then there will be war again in Mindanao, ' he told AFP.
Iqbal blamed hawkish factions of President Gloria Arroyo's government and local Christian politicians opposed to a Muslim homeland.
'The voice of reason is dwarfed by the voice of hatred and prejudice, ' he said. 'The peace talks are slowly breaking apart and if this continues, may God help us all.'
Talks to end the insurgency have been going on for 11 years, with a ceasefire officially in force since 2003.
The peace accord would have granted Muslims their own separate state across more than 700 villages in Mindanao, but the Supreme Court on August 4 halted the so-called Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.
The peace plan had sparked a series of protests from mostly Christian politicians and residents opposed to the inclusion of their areas into the so-called Bangsamoro (Muslim) Juridical Entity.
Several rebel MILF commanders have since ignored repeated calls by their leaders to stand down and launched attacks on civilians in towns and villages in many parts of Muslim Mindanao.
Some politicians have urged villagers to arm and defend themselves from rebel attacks. Armed militias have also been deployed to guard their communities against further atrocities.
On Saturday MILF chairman Ebrahim Murad called on Malaysia to help resume the peace talks to end weeks of brutal fighting in Mindanao.
Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez said the government would continue to pursue peace negotiations with the rebels even if the government enjoys a military advantage over them.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Also For Kidnappers
To the land of spies,
To the land of leaders,
To the land of diamonds,
To the land of trees,
To the land of scorpions,
To the land of thieves,
To the land of thinkers,
And to the land of pirates;
The law is not only laid down for a righteous man but,
Also for fornicators and for kidnappers.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis

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