Kundiman
for Melissa Roxas
If I speak for Melissa, I must speak
for L, N, and youth we do not name,
Assata, Mumia, each name ears have fought to know,
Andrea’s Osage, names stolen inside the chanting,
each stolen who’s let me hear their heartdrum
each patience, in prayer, for one kiss with truthsong,
all spirits and lovers who carry song without sound
and still dance.
Yes, I live now, the quiet fightdrum
Melissa Melissa Melissa still chanting
You shouted your name for memory still chanting
Melissa far and close still chanting
L N and youth still chanting
each purple flower, each return still chanting
Melissa Melissa Melissa still chanting
the blank license plate still chanting
Assata Mumia and MOVE still chanting
all hiding in Quezon City still chanting
Melissa far and close still chanting
each who’s lost home country still chanting
Andrea’s Osage neighbors still chanting
each ghost still not safe to name is chanting
Let us be this fightdrum still chanting
each Kuya, help me still chanting
each decline to comment still chanting
Melissa’s camera memory still chanting
ghost of dead lovers still chanting
showing signs of torture still chanting
medicine for this break still chanting
language evaporate at gunpoint still chanting
stretch and pull each mask still chanting
each door forced open, each left ajar still chanting
each stomach caressing ground still chanting
each muscle fight back still chanting
Melissa’s Flame to the Body still chanting
each Foot that Bleeds Black still chanting
each Incipient Wing that can’t fly still chanting
military gone to hide still chanting
each inch tape, each knotted blindfold still chanting
sinking each handcuff’s clasp still chanting
temperature their rifles still chanting
each bomb, each fire, each time still chanting
each death and resurrection still chanting
Melissa’s compas inside still chanting
each rib, each palm stronger than cages still chanting
each breath you stole for rest, each whisper a campaign still chanting
each poem that speaks later, each truthsong before Night Comes still chanting
each window of sky, each freedom found in village arms still chanting
each knowing eye, each kind gesture still chanting
each movement til empire fall, each rest in love still chanting
gathering this rebel heartdrum still chanting
all this music poetry still chanting
Yes, you live, Melissa,
song of truth rising,
your music is chanting.
after Illya Kaminsky and Ruth Forman
Offering part of chorus of Kundimans bearing witness to Melissa Roxas’ abduction and torture in the Philippines on May 19, 2009. “Kuya, help me” from Melissa’s May 29, 2009 affidavit signed in Quezon City, Philippines. Rest of italicized text from poem Melissa conceived and memorized during her abduction.
“You shouted your name for memory” from Ching-In Chen.
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Vanessa Huang
August 23, 2009
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