In early dawn on December 30, 1896, Rizal received his mother, sisters and his wife Josephine

Bracken in his cell to say their final good-byes. He gave Josephine a book, Kemper’s The
Imitation of Christ. Then he handed her an alcohol burner. Turning to sister Trining, he said in
English: “There is something inside.” It was his last poem now known as Mi Ultimo Adios.
Immediately, Trinidad had the poem copied and sent safely to Jose Basa in Hongkong where it
could be published and circulated. Bonifacio obtained a copy and was the first one to translate
the whole poem into Tagalog. It was distributed to all the members of the Katipunan. At that
time, in 1898, the Katipuneros numbered around five million. The Katipuneros recited that poem
in the battlefield. It was Bonifacio’s translation that made Mi Ultimo Adios accessible to the
common masses.

Dr. Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. Del Pilar inspired him to be a good writer during his time. He
used Dimes Haw as his pen name. He also wrote A la Patria, which he based from Dr. Jose
Rizal’s Mi Ultimo Adios.

Pinipintuho kong Bayan ay paalam, Masayang sa iyo’y aking idudulot

Ang lanta kong buhay na lubhang malungkot, Sa pakikidigma at pamimiyapis
Ang alay ng iba’y ang buhay na kipkip
Paalam, magulang at mga kapatid kapilas ng aking kaluluwa’t dibdib
Paalam estranherang kasuyo ko’t aliw, Mamatay ay siyang pagkakagupiling

Importance of the Mi Ultimo Adios:

 This was considered one of the evidences that Rizal did not retracted his beliefs.
 The poem together with Rizal's execution ignited the Philippine Revolution
 In 1902, the poem was recited before the American House of Representatives. The poem
revealed the nobility of the author and forever changed how Americans looked at
Filipinos during the American Occupation resulting to the passing of the Philippine Bill
of 1902.

Mi Ultimo Adios (originally untitled) is considered by some to be his last will and testament to
the country.