The Cry Awoke Balintawak by Aurelio S Alvero by The College of Maasin, Nursing Department, champion

The Cry Awoke Balintawak by Aurelio S Alvero by The College of Maasin, Nursing Department, champion, under 5 minutes winner in verse choir, speech choir category. Nursing students of The College of Maasin during the College Days Literary Musical Contest
THE CRY AWOKE BALINTAWAK BY AURELIO S. ALVERO
"Freedom"
The cry awoke Balintawak,
And the echoes answered back;
"Freedom!"
All the four winds listened long
To the shrieking of that song;
Every poet struck his lyre
With those burning notes of fire;
All the women knelt to pray
In their hearts that frenzied lay.
E'en the children and the old
Took to arms and shouted bold,
"Freedom!"
I heard it from the planters in the vales
I heard it from the traders tying 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 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
Louder, louder rang the strain
"Freedom!"
I heard it from the 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 bullet's whine at roars;
I heard it in the farthest islet shore.
We heard it and shall hear it evermore!
"Freedom!"
The cry of Balintawak,
And now our voices answer back--"Freedom!"