The Agong Resonates

(For Rodrigo Duterte)

The agong resounds, deep and steady
A pulse through the veins of a restless land
Not a cry of conquest nor a plea for favor
But the weight of a name carved into time

Forged in the rhythm of Mindanao’s heart
Its bronze skin echoes the call of warriors
A summons to rise, to stand unshaken
To bear the burden of a nation’s fate

An enemy to the crooked, a shield for the weak
Moving with fire yet seeking no praise
A demon to the mighty, a champion for the poor
Forsaking titles yet bearing the weight of change

He hates the poison that stains the streets
Fighting the tide before it drowns a generation
They cast him away beyond his home
Yet even in exile his name resounds

Respected by foreign hands
Reviled by those who wear masks of gold
They loathe the love he bore for his people
Their fears louder than their feigned disdain

And still the agong resonates
Through the cries of streets, the hush of fate
Not for heaven nor for saints adorned
But for the nation, its spine reborn