End's Beginning
Prison Poem of Ninoy
August 11, 1973
What now? What next?
When will this end?
Man is born free to live
to live in chains.
To be born is to die
To love is to struggle,
endure, suffer, sacrifice
for what? For whom?
Freedom, liberty, happiness
zenith of human aspirations
But does he really want
freedom?
Can he appreciate liberty?
Which comes first
security of happiness
food or freedom?
Peace at any cost or liberty?
A living Filipino
or a dead hero?
Why struggle, life is short
"Enjoy while there's time"
After all, life ends in the grave.
Advice of the sage!
Sweat and tears
water the seed
Seed falls and grows,
Bear fruits and dies.
Falls, grows again
Dies, grows again.
Man is trapped
In a vicious circle
round and round
there is no escape
"There are no tyrants
where there are no slaves."
Cry and fathom despair
to understand hope - to
discover the meaning of love
Love and live
Live and die.
Nothing to nothing
hole to hole
womb to tomb
tears for birth
tears for death
water to water.
Live to die
Die to live
Kill freedom
Long live tyranny
That Freedom may be
BORN AGAIN!
