Following is another poem by Kapampangan poet Pons Medina on the value of kindness or good works. In a nutshell, this amazing literary work emphasizes that at times problems around us are just too great and it seems impossible for us to make a difference. The poem teaches that every small act of kindness, love, and compassion (or any good work for that matter) counts. Let's start solving societal problems, including the promotion of Kapampangan language, which is slowly being replaced by other dominant languages as parents insist on Filipino and English as the lingua franca of their children.

DING MITATA AT KATERBANG STARFISH

by Ponciano Medina

Mayayari pa ing bagyu inyang mine lang miglakad,

Ining tata kayabe ne ing lalaking kayang anak;

Kening pampang na ning dagat titisuran da ing balas,

‘Nyang ding dakal a STARFISH karing mata ra milantad.

Ining anak a lalaki pagumasdan ne ing tatang

Daramputan nong mabilis, ‘yatsa no king karagatan;

Balu na rin niting anak, at nung iti era gawan,

Dening dakal a STARFISH mangamate la king pampang.

Dakal la ring pipiling do ring buntuk da ring manalbe,

Atin medyu mamagsisti karing taung lawe-lawe;

Dapot samal la ring adwa, alang patugut dong iyugse,

King danuman ding STARFISH at ban ela mangamate.

Mepagal ya ining anak, sinabi na kang tata na:

“Etala pu aligtas ngan deng STARFISH a katerba;

Palage ku masayang mu at mawala mu pung kwenta,

Ining pagal tang gagawan etala ngan pu asalba.”

Ining byasa ng pengari ing maisip nang pekibat,

“Mekad pin ‘tung ali to ngan aibalik kening dagat;

Dapot karing adamput ta maulaga ya at sapat,

Misuglungan ya ing bie ra king dapat tang pamagsikap.”

Akakit ku ing lisyun na kening bye ta babo yatu,

Katerba lang manenaya king lunus ta’t pakalulu;

Mekad ela misopan ngan king danup da at deliryu,

Dapot binang maulaga king ninuman abut tamu.

Mapagal pin ing sasaup ampon tutung makaynang lub,

Lalu’t dakal ing salabat at magsisting sisimangut;

Nung manaya kang ablasan ban suklyan ing kekang lugud,

Mipatuknang kang sasaup, gawang mayap ‘gad mapupus.

Eta dapat tutuknangan pamanyapat tamung mayap,

Samantalan’ ing panaun limitadu tamu oras;

Ing saup mu maulaga maging iti ‘myang karitak,

King atyan a misnang danup ban maibsan ing k’yang kaplas.