Poetry: Vic Bermejo

Vincente Bermejo Jr.

Final Farewell To My Friend

Aloft o’er the meadows the white dove flies

To sow the seeds of peace high in the skies

That in the Lord’s own time they may descend

On souls and hearts that wicked climes hardened.

Radiantly shines the great Ursa Major’s

Northern beacon to our beloved shores.

Ever beaming, untiringly guarding

Yonder Baggao, the native home of Bing.

Verdant, upright, robust mahogany

Intone your fair ‘tho sad testimony,

Cast your shadow, spread it all around

To cool your heated patch of hallowed ground.

Open your eyes, bold Aquila legis,

Render upon yourself proper justice!

Break the silence that conceals what is true,

Inspire us to be firm and brave like you!

Now that our God beckoned Bing to His side

Grief rends our hearts, with wounds so deep and wide;

Prayers may console but won’t return our loss,

All we can do is take and bear this cross.

Dear Bing, my friend, brother and wise mentor

I shall forever cherish our rapport.

Life was not fair to your private accord—

Lie, then, at rest, in the arms of the Lord!

Amen. 

Through the Mist

God, our heavenly Father,

You endowed Bing with the best of blessings:

          profound wisdom,

          a happy family,

          great opulence and

          immense capacity to love.

Unselfishly Bing wanted to share these gifts

          with all, none excluded,

          for his charity knew no bounds.

In search for Your sanction

          he broadly spread love and harmony.

Bing wandered widely

          but reached no place with lasting peace;

He sought brotherly love

          but found an abundance

of shady, mendacious hearts;

He wanted to feel and be felt

          but was met with numbness;

He offered to make sense

          but was left in the cold;

In his attempts to reason out

          he only met despair.

O God, with deific compassion

          You decided to summon Bing

          to Your own pacific chambers.

We who knew him realized

          that this wretched world no longer

          deserves to keep such a man as Bing—

          the most loving son,

             wonderful husband,

             perfect father,

             doting grandfather,

             kindest of kin,

             dedicated friend,

             committed ally,

             blameless associate,

             brilliant lawyer

                we’ve ever known,

                highly respected

      and deeply loved.

Gradually we will come to accept

          that we no longer share   

          this existence with our beloved.

Thankfully he left us

with delightful memories

that we can share and cherish

‘til You, o heavenly Father

should decide to reunite us.

We realize that Bing is now in a world 

          where justice reigns without need for legality;

          where his quest for righteousness and peace

             is at long last fulfilled;

          where he is perpetually happy in the sala

             of the omnipotent Eternal Judge.

God, our Father,

          Thank you for taking him there!

Setu, March 2018