He was my Pa, I used to call him.
Everyday this was the word
He would often tell me:
“Never keep your anger
beyond the setting of the sun.”
In his own Cebuano language
He would recite these words:
“Ayaw pasalupi
sa adlaw ang imong kasuko, ”
while looking at my young eyes.
To my ears as a small child
his words were soft and tender;
few words in a sentence and
never did I realize that his words
point to life’s great principle.
Never go to bed with anger,
hostility, revenge and hate;
Clean the heart from all anger
before the sun sets down
and enliven that capacity to forgive.
__________________
September 16,2015
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem