Once my heart was dead
Then You revived it
So now it is desiring this
That I will hear its beat with the same rhythm as Yours
And its pumping will go as fast and slow and hard and flowing
Longing for that joy when a soul comes to their knees and pleads
May it break for what is breaking You, seeing this world so lost
Then loving, truly loving
Them whom You gave your life on the cross for
Because my heart started living
When You first gave life to it
Now my heart is alive like never before

It is those nights again
Just after you switched off the lights
And hurried beneath your blankets
You were trying to shut your eyes
But then the world started to brighten up
Ray of sun breaks through your broken window pane
You washed your face
Checking on the mirror
“Okay, not bad.”
Looks up at the sky and asked:
“Did you talk to him today?”

“Did I talk to him today?”
Looks up the night sky and said:
“Okay not bad.”
Checked on the mirror
Washed my face
As soft light came through our broken window pane
The world started to dim down
I tried to shut my eyes
Hurried beneath my blankets
Switched off the lights
It has been those nights again

I have never been drunk my whole life,
Until today.
It started with a sip, then a shot;
Until I had a glass almost empty.
I couldn’t stop, I needed more;
Every words slipping out aroused my whole being;
Every letter, every pause, every rhyme;
I felt a stranger’s heart, it became my reality.
My head was spinning hard,
I didn’t want it to stop.
So this is how it feels to be drunk.
Can I have more?
Please, just one more shot.

Ninety mornings passed
Since I last wrote you a poem
The sun was down since

Tumambad sa akin ang rehas
Na may tuklap-tuklap na nakaraan,
Minsa’y puti, ngayo’y sinag na ng araw.
May mga banderitas ding panlayag
Siyang simbolo ng mainit na pagbati.

Nakaririnig din ako ng padyak ng mga paa
Sabik sa halik ng lupaing hindi naman pag-aari.
Ang pagtatampisaw sa putikang
May sirit ng pagmamadali.
Ang pagkalampag ng pintuang walang tirahan
At ako’y maiiwan, nakatali sa silyang lupain.

Sampung minuto raw
Sampung minuto ring tumatagas ang mga alaala
Sampung minutong pagiging saksi ng ebolusyon
Ng waring walang himpil na pagtatantya ng pagkakataon.

Nilalatag ko nang paulit-ulit
Ang mga kwento ng bawat katauhang kasapi sa kwento
Sa kwento nilang paulit-ulit na binabasa
Buhat sa matatapang na mga matang
Hindi ko man lamang masuyo.

Nililingon ko sila sa aking paghihintay
Ako’y hindi kilala, bagkus binabalikan.
Malaya ko silang pagbubuksan,
Yayapusin ng buo kong pagkatao.

Hindi ako mapapagod sa pagkukutya sakin ng kalsada
Sa’king mga pagal na mga paang rumorolyo.
Patuloy kong iindahin ang bawat misteryo ng lubak at patag,
Maihatid lamang sila, sa panibagong kwento ng paglisan.

One of the most beautiful moments of my life
is when I witness
Tatay, in one corner
silently,
reading his Bible.
Nanay, on the other side of her world
silently,
meditating His Word.

Oh, such a beautiful moment of my life
when I witness
Tatay, in one corner
solemnly,
head bowed in prayer.
Nanay, on the other side of her world
solemnly,
hands folded in prayer.