A Valley of Life and Death

A Valley of Life and Death
Mural and Poem by Dr Abe V Rotor

A valley of death, so stories go,

     for the old and the young, too;

and who would dare this fateful

     place but a lonely soul?

A valley of tears with barren shed,

     evil on nature its final bed, 

with a sprig of promised peace

     and temporary ease.

A valley of life of verdant green,

     once a full blooming scene;

life of the river down the sea,

     a world of wonder and free.  

A valley of promise, heed its call,

     words in the pulpit and hall,        

and in make believe by painting, 

     not at all worth praising.

A valley of suffering takes its toll;

     blind and deaf, the prayerful

waits for the angels to be sent   

     to this valley of death. ~   

Original title, "Dirge over a Watershed Mural." The wall mural is found at St Paul University Quezon City along Aurora Blvd.  It needs restoration.