THE CRY AWOKE BALINTAWAK BY AURELIO S.

ALVERO

The cry awoke balintawak.

And the echoes answered back;
Freedom! (fading away)
All the four winds listened long
To the shrieking of that song;
Every poet struck his lyre
With those burning notes of fire;
Girls:
All the women knelt to pray
In their hearts that frenzied lay.
Boys:
Een the children and the old
Took to arms and shouted
Bold. (increasing volume)
Freedom
Each a solo line spoken with assurance;
I heard it from the planters in the vales
I heard it from the traders lying bales;
I heard it where the fishers strike their
Sails
I heard it from the huskers neath the
Trees;
I heard it from the drivers of the seas.
I heard it from the pounders in the leas

All:
All the people raised to cry;
Fearing not to bleed or die;
All the tombs of slave and sire
Broke to voice and great desire;
Up the mountain, down the plain (rising,
then falling)
Louder, louder rang the
Strain. ( increasing volume)
Freedom! (ringing)
Each a solo line spoken with assurance;
I heard it from makers of the brooms;
I heard it from the weavers at their looms;
I heard it in the smoking smithy rooms,
I heard it in the bullets whine at roars
I heard it in the farthest islet shore
All:
We heard it and shall hear it evermore!
Freedom! (full)
The cry of Balintawak.
And now our voices answer back
Freedom! (joyously full)