The Rose of Calapan
By Ding Monserate
Where do I find an island rose
Who stands unbridled under the sun
From her stems of deep green
a string of thorns grows
Out to protect her from pelt clutch of man
Behold this rose blooms, gaily, unwithered
Come rain, sunshine or storm she prevails,
... she's less bothered
Her velvet-soft petals - playful yet untattered
Vainless, pure albeit conscientious
Nonetheless, unencumbered
And while she bloomed where she's deeply-rooted
Alas! Her strength had been challenged and meted
Plucked by fate, moved by circumstance
In a foreign land, she thrived
Armed with virtue and endurance
The rose from Mindoro, see her flourish among trilliums
She'll rise and prosper though the harshest season dooms
She gains vigour in summer, all set as autumn looms
She grows leaves in winter and in spring she blooms
There's more to her than just being enchanting
A right she had claimed by doing more than dreaming
But, beneath the surface - sturdy, flinty as steel
She's laid-back, forbearing and subtly genteel
How endearing... How inspiring... How rare.
Thank you so much, Ding! Indeed, it fascinated me.
- Lucy Lombos
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