Battle of Mactan

Before the break of dawn each side prepared battle plans

in a bright bonfires burnt til’ sunrise,

Strategy drawn on sand not on a piece of paper,

indigenous warriors rallied about the Datu,

loin cloths and colorful headbands as armor,

long blades, bamboo spears, wooden clubs

common weapons of their generation

dependent on brav’ry an’ muscle power

ready to die n’ defense of their island bastion,

pledges nev’r on bended knees,

bowed their heads before strange monarchs and gods.

Battle of Mactan about to begin



Galleon ridin’ bearded enemy, well equipped,

big an’ tall, equally brave n’ shining armors,

under their watchful eye eager to landfall,

confident to defeat nescience Indios

An hour after sunrise, cannon balls rained on shore,

villagers pother here and there, burnin’ flames,

screamin’, seekin’ safety somewhere,

mingled with laughter, curses comin’ from foe

Cloud of arrows, spears, stones showered on deck in reprisal

The Explorer led his army to attack,

aggressors, defenders met midstream

Battle of Mactan had begun!



Fearless stone liked men assembled on rocky shores,

behind thick soot shouts, hollers one could hear,

geared up to exchange steel for steel, blade for blade,

soldiers from nev’r land they didn’t know where,

bloody appendages began to litter on the florid beachwater,

cries of pain, braves nev’r to surrender or retreat

finally both chiefs met, thin n’ thick steel glimmers

under the heat of the solarman,

nerves cracked under super strength

sweat, tears poured over twisting faces,

man to man, chieftain to chieftain

‘til someone dropped dead like a fly



Native arsenals an’ clinched fists quaked in the air,

a victors’ loud wail prevailed over the etiolate seashore,

the seemingly endless fray started to capitulate

when miscreant clamber back to where they were,

outnumbered, outfought, outmaneuvered they claimed

a powerful nation on bended knees, bowed in disbelief

ignoble chieftain looked on the fallen Grandee

only to behead Magallanes, the vanquished

while Lapulapu the champ raised up his kampilan in the air,

yelled the historic words, echoed thru valleys an’ seas,

“Death to the invaders, I bow to no one only to my people.”

At same day foreigners left the bay forlorn,

yet promises to avenge comes glorious mornin’



That day came but the Battle of Mactan is well remembered

                      APRIL 27, 1521