Agosto 26, 1966 nang ikaw ay ipagkaloob sa amin.

Ng Poong Maykapal, sagot sa mataimtim na dalangin.

Nagbigay sigla sa aming buhay,

pag-ibig at pagmamahalan ay lalong tumibay.

Oh! Anong tuwa at ligaya

Nang mapagmasdan ang maamo mong mukha,

Angel sa langit ang iyong kapara,

Pinagpala mg Diyos na ubod ng dakila.

Lumaki kang mabait at matulungin,

mapagmahal at masunurin.

Sa iyong mga magulang at mga kapatid din

Ikaw ay naging maalalahanin.

Sa pag-aaral ay di ka nagpabaya,

Sa sikap at tiyaga ay nakatapos ka.

Bilang gantimpala ika'y pinadala sa Australya,

Upang magliwaliw at magpahinga.

Sa di inaasahang pagkakataon,

dumalo ka sa isang pagtitipon

Dito mo nakilala ang lalaking

nagpatibok ng iyong puso,

Nagtapat ng pag-ibig at di

nagtagal, kayo'y nagkasundo.

Nang umuwi ka sa sariling bayan,

ikaw ay kanyang sinundan.

Hiningi ang iyong kamay sa mga magulang

Na di nakatanggi nang ikaw ay kanyang pakasalan.

Sa unang taon ng inyong pagsasama,

Ikaw ay naging masaya at maligaya.

Ngunit di naglaon ikaw ay nabahala,

Sa sobrang paghihigpit at selos ng iyong asawa.

Di nagtagal kami'y nagimbal,

sa balitang ikaw nga ay pumanaw

Tuliro ang isip at halos mawalan ng buhay,

Hindi makapaniwala sa sinapit mong kapalaran.

Oh, Paginoon ko! Bakit nangyari ito?

Hinagpis ng ina na nagdurugo ang puso,

Di man lang nayakap at nahagkan ang bunso,

Bago man lang ito mawala sa mundo.

Masakit, makirot sa damdamin ng isang ina,

Ang mawalan ng anak na minahal at inaruga.

Tumatangis at nagmamaka-awa

Mabigyan sana ng katarungan

ang karumal - dumal mong kamatayan,

Rosalina!

August 26, 1966 - the day of your arrival,

a blessing from Almighty God,

an answer to an earnest prayer.

For us, a new burst of life, love and care

strengthened.

Oh what glee, what joy

To watch your gentle face

Like an angel the great Lord

had favoured.

You grew up a good, helpful

loving, obedient child,

ever thoughtful of your brother and sister.

Through your effort and perseverance

your studies were completed

and your reward - a trip to Australia

to enjoy yourself and to rest.

But by a twist of fate, a gathering you attended

where you met a man who made your heart sing.

Soon after, his love disclosed,

an understanding you had reached.

Upon your return to your homeland,

on your trail he was to seek your hand in marriage

from your parents who could hardly decline

when he did marry you.

The first year of your union was bliss.

But shortly after, you were filled

with anxiety over your partner's

severity and jealousy.

Shocked we were not long after

upon hearing the news that you had gone.

Perplexed we were, almost at life's edge,

unable to fathom and come to terms with your fate.

Oh Lord, how could this happen!

A mother's grief, her bleeding heart,

deprived of her youngest child's last

kiss and embrace before,

from this world, she passed away.

A mother's hurt, what unbearable pain

in losing a much loved and cared for child.

I grieve and plead that justice comes to right

your horrid death,

Rosalina!

In Memory of Rosalina Canonizado

Rosalina's mother, Ester Canonizado, wrote this poem to mark the tenth year since her daughter's death.

Ester says, "I wrote to express my feelings and sufferings for the past ten years - to lessen my heartaches and helplessness to seek justice for my daughter's brutal death. I'm not a poet, but my sad experience made me write this poem."

This photograph of Rosalina was taken before her marriage in 1989.

Rosalina Canonizado was 24 years of age when she was killed in western Sydney in 1991. Her husband, Thomas Andrew Keir, whom she had married in 1989, was charged with murder. The jury found him not guilty and he was acquitted.

Rosalina was Keir's second wife. He had been married before, to another Filipina, Jean Angela Strachan who, he claims, disappeared in 1988. But more than a decade later, new evidence became available and DNA tests proved that Keir had murdered Jean. He was convicted and sentenced to 24 years, of which he should serve a minimum of 18. He is appealing his conviction and sentence and will be heard on July 2, 2001.