Poetry
Yankee
Doodle Goes To War
By
Joi Barrios
Bulatlat.com
Pilipina
ako.
At sa bayan ko ngayon
Tatlong libong Amerikanong sundalo
Ang naroon.
Ito ang awit ko,
Awit ng pagkutya, hinagpis, at pagtawag.
Yankee
doodle came to town
Riding on a pony
Killed and maimed and tortured us
And called it a... democracy.
Yankee doodle keep it up,
Yankee doodle dandy,
Burn the village and the town,
And with your gun be handy.
Amerika,
Amerika,
Kay dali mong lumimot, Amerika.
Ipinagpapalit ang dugo makapangyari
lamang.
Pagkat ano ang halaga ng buhay
Ng mahirap?
Ang halaga ng buhay
Ng taong may kulay?
Bawat Pilipino'y may pilat
Pilat ng bayang sinakop ng dahas.
Yankee
doodle comes again
Riding on a fighter
Brings his war to my country
And calls it a ... democracy.
Amerika, Amerika.
Patungo ka na naman sa digma, Amerika.
Ipinagpapalit ang dugo para sa langis .
Ang bayan ko'y hindi palaruan
Ng iyong mga tanke't sundalo.
Ang bayan ay di lamang lupa,
O bundok o dagat,
Ikamamatay namin ang iyong mga punglo,
Ikawawasak namin ang iyong mga bomba.
Kami'y mahirap lang,
Kami'y taong may kulay,
Ngunit inaawit namin ang dangal,
Ang laya, ang kapayapaan.
Layas, Amerika,
Sa aking bayan ay lumayas.
Yankee
Doodle Goes To War
I am a Filipina woman.
And in my country
There are three thousand American soldiers.
This is my song.
My song of satire, my lament,
My call to action.
Yankee doodle came to town
Riding on a pony
Killed and maimed and tortured us
And called it a... democracy.
Yankee doodle keep it up,
Yankee doodle dandy,
Burn the village and the town,
And with your gun be handy.
America, America.
How easily you forget, America.
You traded lives for power.
What is the value of life
In a poor country?
The value of life
Of a person of color?
We are forever scarred,
Filipinos marked
By the violence of your war.
Yankee doodle comes again
Riding on a fighter
Brings his war to my country
And calls it a ... democracy.
America, America.
Off to war again, America.
Trading blood for oil.
My country is not a playground
For your tanks and soldiers.
A nation is not just land,
Mountains, sea.
We die with your bullets,
We perish with your bombs.
We live in poverty,
We are people of color,
Yet we sing of dignity,
Sovereignty, and peace.
Leave, America,
Leave my country, leave.
