Savannah

Again another poem about a dear friend. Although it's not the usual cheeziness - except for the last few lines. He he he

Thursday, 18th March 2010

Savannah

Posible ba na ang tao'y mabulag ng ligaya?
Hindi dahil sa pagsara ng mata dulot ng pagtawa,
Bagkus umaapaw sa mata ang liwanag ng galak.
Parang kislap at kinang ng ginto't pilak.
At sa pagnanasa mong kamkamin ang ilaw,
hindi mo na mapansin ang samu't-saring kulay ng mundo sayong
pagkasilaw

Maaari bang mabingi ng halakhak?
Katulad ng ulang patuloy na pumapatak,
Nilulunod ang lahat ng yanig sa hangin.
Kaya't walang nalalabing maaaring dinggin,
Kundi ang malinaw at malutong na hahaha,
Hindi mo na madinig ang pabago-bagong awitin ng mundong
maka-orkestra

Maaari bang mapipi sa tuwa?
Na kahit hindi putulin ang iyong dila,
Kakatayin, tatapyasan naman ang iyong bokubaloryo.
Sa ganoong sitwasyon, masasabi mo bang sayo ang mga salitang
bibigkasin mo?
At sa mga pangungusap mo, makikilala ba ang 'yong pagkataong tunay?
Hindi ka na matatagpuan ng mga kakilala mo, tulad ng mga salitang
nanakaw habambuhay.

Hindi manhid ang taong ganap na masaya.
Masdan mo ang pagsabog ng kulay ng mundo.
Pakinggan mo ang iba't-ibang awitin nya.
Hanapin mo ang mga salitang talagang sa iyo.
Ako ba'y nadaranas ng iyong mga pandama?
Sapagka't ikaw ay palaging nadaranasan ko.

Luna

This poem is a re-write of an old poem that I lost. I barely remember the original except for the recurring stanza. Somehow I do feel that this new poem has kept the essence of the old one. In fact I have a hunch it's even better than its predecessor - of course I would know for sure.

Sunday, 21st February 2010

Luna, Luna,
cratered and gray,
why do you stay?

Why must he be the one,
to be your life's center,
when he has his sun?
Do you hope to enter -
between them intervene?

Luna, Luna,
cratered and gray,
why do you stay?

The little light you show -
albeit alluring -
is naught but a coy glow
that pales in the shining
splendor of bright starlight.

Though you capture his glance
every evening passing;
see - his look is askance.
His countenance facing
the breaking dawn of day.

Luna, Luna,
cratered and gray,
why do you stay?

The sun you imitate,
catching what rays you can;
but his love you won't abate.
What he'll see even then
is a mere reflection

of radiant rays that spring
forth from a shining sun.
Only hurt shall it bring.
His stare shoots - like a gun -
a nipping nostalgia.

Luna, Luna,
cratered and gray,
why do you stay?

Find your self in his eyes,
do you - in his longing?
Looking at his love, cries -
all that he is hiding -
you hear: ringing, howling.

He's your center, your world;
the sun his focal point.
Your orbits spiraled, swirled,
bringing both bodies joint
in a very black hole.

Luna, Luna,
cratered and gray,
why do you stay?

Fate paves a painful path
for Hyperion's offspring.
The Universe's wrath:
upon her who did bring
for all eternity?

Luna, Luna,
cratered and gray,
why do you stay?

Fire & Earth

Double haiku combo. Since I wrote these on the same day, might as well post them on the same day as well...

Tuesday, 16th February 2010

Fire

Flickering flames rise
in one brightly burning burst.
Leaving ash - falling.

Earth

Mountain: towering.
Stillness - belies rumbling rocks.
The mountain trembles.

Untitled

A poem I wrote on the spot while I was writing a letter to a friend who lives in Chicago, 8000 miles away...

Friday, 29th January 2010

She blows the candles
The smoke swirls toward the sky
Whispering her wish

Untitled

Thursday, 8th October 2009

Puddles aren't oceans
and an ocean is just a puddle.

The silent atmosphere
carries clearer sounds.

Like the song said of the circle game,
you can only look but never go back.

One must have his eyes on the road.
Trouble is what you'll get when they wander.

Or maybe it's a form of myopia
(seeing only your self or him or her)?

Like a synaptic switch switched off:
a gap no jolt from the brain can jump.

How does one stop being stupid?

Untitled

Wednesday, 19th August 2009

run...
faster...
push yourself...
run as fast as you can...
feel the wind in your face...
feel the rush of your blood...
and in a sudden burst of light -
consume your being.

Wind

January 2009

Wind

What makes flora dance
with virtuoso and grace,
wind or breathe of life?

Water

November 2008

Water

Within my cupped palms
Slipping, sliding through
Leaves a cold feeling

Yet another untitled poem

Friday, 22nd December 2006

Two days ago it seemed I was catching up
Every minute was passing by too quickly
I was too busy to notice emotions

Yesterday, when everything was over and done, my heart started
beating again
For a minute I felt life had stopped
The emptiness from before resurfaced and ate at me

Thankfully, the noon rain cleanses
The cool air is good for sighing
And the clear water is good for crying

Today I feel great
I am normal
And life is good

Tomorrow I'll be catching up again
Every minute passes by too quickly
And I'll be too busy for emotions

Baguio

Baguio is a city in the Mountain Province of the Philippines. Actually I'm not sure as to the accuracy of that statement. Suffice it to say that Baguio is a city on a mountain which belongs to a group of mountains that primarily constitute one of the provinces of the Philippines. It's called the vacation capital of the Philippines - at least before. I never understood the fondness of Manilenyos for Baguio - I think it's a horrid city. Why write a poem about it? The poem is more a poem about a person than the city really - at least the driving force is a person.

Thursday, 7th December 2006

Baguio

the sun is intense
but the air is cool
like fire and ice
playing on the skin
a familiar sensation...

here in this city
here in your home
here in your memories

i look for you

in the brown blur
of people passing
the gray facade

in the row of faces
looking out of jeeps
beeping by

will i see you here

in the city's heart
beating with life
busy with life

i look for you

above the city
where manors stand proud
cloud covered sky-dwellers

dignified doldrums
and stale frozen fogs
hide the heart

will i see you here

in the city's mind
while the cryogenic calm
conceals emotions crying out

i look for you

as Helios' hands
reach out to me
outside the city

8000 Miles

Sunday, 19th February 2006

8000 Miles

The sea beats
Calling my heart

I hear your voice,
your laughter
amidst the morning
sea breeze blowing

The waves beneath my feet,
like your hands:
both heavy and gentle,
pull me further,
deeper, away from home

Are you there,
at the horizon's end?
I want to succumb
to the pull of the tide
The currents will take me
to your land
of golden leaves
and crystal rain

Firetrees

This is perhaps my personal favorite out of all my poems. It's not so much the writing style or the content as it is the vivid images and memories it elicits in my mind. Everytime I read it I remember that day - well a highly romanticized version of that day - when I was strolling along one of the streets of UP Diliman. *sigh* Good times... good times...

Sunday, 4th December 2005

Firetrees

Summer ignites
life and love
with its rekindling warmth

Flaming flowers bloom
Orange and reds
Embers on emeralds

Steps upon the pavement
of raconteur chroniclers
Friends sharing lives

A heart is set ablaze
screaming unheard whispers
of its painful joys

But winds blow away flowers
And rains can quell a blaze
The silence of a constant pitter-
patter upon the gray

But echoes remain in the trees
of memories and longing
The winds whisper them to me

Dancefloor

Friday, 11th November 2005

Dancefloor

Nasan ka na
Nagsimula na ang kanta
Sa bawat linyang mabigkas
Lumalapit ang wakas

Itinutulak ang sarili paharap
Laban sa agos ng tao't panahon
Para lang makita ka
Kagandahang hawak ng iba

At matatapos ang awit
kasabay ng gabi
kasabay sa pagpatak
ng lungkot at pangungulila

Iabot mo ang iyong kamay
Kahit naiwan na sa panahon
Kahit nahugasan na ng luha
Kahit wala na ang tugtog
Upang tayo'y maging isa
Sa isang sayaw
Isang sandaling wala na

Ngayo'y naghihintay sa kama
Nakatungangang umaasa
Upang masagot ang mga bakit
na bumabagabag sa akin

Pinabayaang pagkakataon
Kung mahabol ko lang sana
Hindi na magpapatangay
Sa bilis ng buhay

At sa bukang liwayway
Maliligo sa liwanag
Malilimot ang gabi
at sa panaginip...

Iabot mo ang iyong kamay
Bayaan mong ika'y matangay
Lumipad sa ulap
Sa langit ng aking ligaya
tayo'y magiging isa
sa isang sayaw
isang sandaling atin

Kalay

This is the first of a series of love poems and the first of three poems in Tagalog. I believe this is the point in my life where I reached the zenith of falling in-like. As Fiyero put it, "somehow I've fallen under your spell; and somehow I'm feeling it's up that i fell."

Wednesday, 5th October 2005

Kalay

Kwadradong kulungan
Tanikala ng isipan
Hindi mapigilang
h'wag umaklas at tumakas

Nakasabit sa tali ang kamay
at manhid na mga paa
Aliping piyerot ng apat na sulok
ng gusaling bilangguan ko

Nakikita lamang mga ulap at langit
at sa gilid, dugo't luha
ng mga matang
wala na sa mukha

Naririnig ang lagadab
Ang awit ng demonyo
Isang pabulong na pagakit
Sumasapaw sa mga boses ng ulo

Naaamoy ang kalawang:
sa mga rehas at kadena
sa malapot na basa ng sahig
Ginagahasa ang nirereglang ilong

Nalalasahan? Wala!
Ni butil ng kanin,
o patak ng tubig ay
hindi kailangan ng bilanggo

Sa kulungan kong ito:
walang sakit
walang pangit
walang pagod
walang gulo

Wala; wala; wala -

kung hindi kalayaan.

Kalayaan

Saturday, 17th Semptember 2005

Kalayaan

sithit at pulupot
ahas
tuklaw sa ugat
lason
sunod-sunod na pagsaksak
dugo
marahang pinipiga
luha
maalat na mata
bulag
alab na galit sa puso
abo
hihipang marahan ng hangin
lipad
patungo sa araw
kalayaan