God Said, I Made a

Man By Jose
Garcia Villa
God said, I made a man
Out of clay
But so bright he, he spun
Himself to brightest Day
Till he was all shining gold,
And oh,
He was handsome to behold!
But in his hands held he a bow

Man of Earth by
Amador T. Daguio
Pliant is the bamboo;
I am man of earth;
They say that from the bamboo
We had our first birth.
Am I of the body,
Or of the green leaf?
Do I have to whisper
My every sin and grief?

Aimed at me who created

Him. And I said,
Wouldst murder me
Who am thy Fountainhead

If the wind passes by,

Must I stoop and try
To measure fully
My flexibility?

Then spoke he the man of gold:

I will not
Murder thee! I do but
Measure thee. Hold

I might have been the bamboo,

But I will be a man.
Bend me then, O Lord,
Bend me if you can.

Thy peace! And this I did,

But I was curious
Of this so regal head.
Give thy name! Sir! Genius
Leaving as heritage this islet this poem,
You and I, this country yours and mine,
This child dreaming on the edges of life.