It All Started With a Parade

It All Started With A Parade All walks of people crowding the streets Like moving vessels of a mighty fleet. Jolly Diana, a wake-up call at dawn; A throng is gathered down the town. Cadets go marching, called the corps; Gutsy kids are watching from above the roofs. Steps are drummed to a cadence; As marshals yell to the human stream. Big brothers joined in uniform They are soldiers, the kids assumed. With ecstasy without disguise, Pride and innocence seen in their eyes. Some beat the drums and others blow horns; A gal is leading with a baton. with Flags of colors and banners too; To a festive town around they go. Church bells tolled and clergies joined, And so the teachers and policemen. The politicians and constituents; The village folks are coming in. The air is filled with festivity There's so much fun all through the day. From one entertainment to another it leads; But it all started with a parade. Date and Time of Writing: March 01, 2012 10:14am - 10:48am February 28, 2012 is the 40th anniversary of Barangay Liburon in Carcar City, Cebu, Philippines from being a Sitio of Barangay Can-asujan to an independent *Barangay. Being new to the community, I had the curiosity of how the community people conducted the celebration. I have the honest comparison of my ecstasy being a 3-year old kid in 1974, having the first consciousness of a parade in commemoration of Sogod, Southern Leyte annual town fiesta that was then held every 15th of December (later moved to December 21st). As a sort of reminiscence, and how it differed to what I observed of the present kids observing the parade, led me to the writing of this poem. * In Philippine political setting, the Barangay is the smallest administrative division. It is a community of about 800 square hectare more or less, subdivided into smaller villages called Sitios. The Barangay is headed by an elected Barangay Captain with a counsel composed of eight counselors.