ang pag-asa ng bayan,
ang tanging makapagbibigay ng kalayaan,
ani Rizal ay kabataan,
ngunit ngayon ay nasaan?

mababa man o mataas ang lipad,
nagiisa ka sa himpapawid.
sana ay iyong matupad,
layunin **** matuwid.

ikaw ang agila,
tanyag at sikat.
ikaw ay aking maalala,
'pagkat ikaw ay tapat.

aanhin mo ang bayang mayaman,
bayang maunlad at sapat,
kung patay na ang mamamayan,
at sa kalayaan ay salat.

"TAHIMIK!" sigaw ng mga nasa itaas,
mga taong gumagawa ng batas,
ngunit ang hustisya'y hindi patas,
'pagkat sa kanila ang batas ay may butas.

"TAHIMIK!" sigaw ng mga may kapangyarihan,
mga taong inaasaahang maging huwaran,
sa panahon na sila'y ating kinakailangan,
ang tanging naitatanong ay "saan?"

"TAHIMIK!" sigaw ng mga mapagmanipula,
mga taong ginagawang hanapbuhay ang pulitika,
pondong mga winawaldas at nawawalang parang bula
ang mga sagot ay tanging paghuhula.

"TAHIMIK!" sigaw ng mga ayaw sa kritisismo,
mga takot sa hinaing at nagrereklamo,
mga tutang kinain ng koloniyalismo,
sa ibang bayan sila ay tila maamo.

ngunit sa kabila ng lahat ng pagtatahimik,
patuloy kang umimik,
sa hustiya at paglaban ay maging sabik,
sa mga mapanakot huwag magpapitik.

ipagpatuloy ang pagiingay,
sa masa ika'y sumabay,
magising ka sa iyong malay,
pagkamakabayan huwag sanang mawalay.

huwag **** hayaang kunin ang boses natin,
'pagkat ang pag-aaklas ay pilit na isinalin-salin,
mag-salita ka pa rin,
hindi lang para sa'yo kundi para rin sa akin.

ialay ang mo ang salita mo sa mamayan,
ikaw ang maging tunay na huwaran,
susunod na henerasyon iyong ipasan,
mag-ingay sa kahit anong paraan.

"TAHIMIK!" ani ng taong bayan,
sawa na sa pagmamanipula na naghahari-harian.
"TAHIMIK!" ani ng mga mamamayan,
tandaan na laging buksan ang mata at isipan.

takbo mo'y karipas
sa bawat ahon na humahampas.
pinipilit tumakas
sa mga buhanging nakakalas.

ngiti mo'y di mapawi,
tingin ko'y di mawari.
sinasabi mo'y sari-sari,
buhok ko'y lagi **** hinahawi.

buntong hininga ang tanging ipinalit.
wala ka manlang bang kamalit-malit?
kama'y mo ay sa aki'y ikinawit,
sa akin ay ngumiti ka saglit.

pilit tinutugunan,
salita mo'y ako ay naambunan.
tayo'y nagtatawagan,
diri sa isang munting dalampasigan.

ikaw lamang ay maging masaya.
o aking sintang giliw, ako'y kuntento na.
makita kang nakangiti't tawa,
sa aki'y iyo'y sapat na.

i knew from the first time i saw you,
tamed by the crimson eyes and its hue.
amidst the cold stare you have given,
cunningly, i see the emotions hidden.

heaven has its own way of showing,
i believe it just by seeing.
unbeknownst under those cold-blooded eyes,
cunningly, i see the emotions rise.

haunting me from the depth within,
igniting the curiosity that is seething.
hollowed, i tried reaching you,
and still, you grabbed me out of the blue.

known to all that he had lost,
all that is valuable within him.
kneeling down in pure exhaust.
and now, cutting emotions in his world so dim.

shush the wind for its noise,
hear his heart wince in pain.
imagining their voice,
hear the cry of the rain.

at last, he showed the emotions.
turning his back on the facade he shows.
arguably the man showed no motions,
keeping the tears that continually flows.

etched in his heart is the still of mourning and grieving.

sa pagnakaw ng tingin,
atensyon mo ay bumaling.
hindi mo ba pansin?
malas ko, sayo pa ako nahumaling.

habang minamasdan ang buwan
na humimlay sa tapat ng araw na sikat,
tanging nasabi ko na lang ay ewan
at lumaki na lalo ang agwat.

kahit asamin ko na maging akin ka,
ipasasalo na lang lahat sa hangin.
walang ibang salita kundi baka,
nararamdamang dapat itapon na sa bangin.

kaya't sa paglaya ng buwan
sa araw na maliwanag.
maging akin ka man,
mahirap mabanaag.

sa gitna ng aking imahinasyon,
natagpuan ko ang aking sarili
na kasama't ika'y kayakap
sa isang estasyon.

sigaw ng drayber ang tanging ingay.
ngunit nakasentro ang aking tainga
sa'yong mga sinasabi.
minasdan kita habang sinasabing saki'y ayaw mo mawalay.

ngiti lang ang tanging maisagot ko
sa bawat salitang sinasambit mo.
pero naalala ko nga pala,
tanging imahinasyon lang pala ito.

ang mabagal na takbo ng ambon
'tila ba ay may ibang pahiwatig
katawan ay unti-unting inahon
sapagkat sayong mata ay naantig.

sa bilis ng bugso ng bagyo
na nagpaikot sa aking tingin,
kusang pumunta patungo sayo
at sa balikat mo ako ay 'yong diniin.

mumunting butil ng luha ang umagos
habang yakap ang tanging inalay.
naisin mang sumigaw ngunit paos
tanging sa hawak mo lamang ako hihimlay

kaya't sa huling patak ng rumaragasang ulan,
hinanap kita pero huli na ang lahat.
para kang tubig ambon na sa akin lamang dumaan,
matamis sa una ngunit sa huli'y umalat.

men were terrified,
of the power females held
thus, women belied

why do i keep holding on
on something so uncertain
uncertain if you really want me
me who only knows how to hope

why do I like you
you do not even notice
my longing stares and glances
glances that I've hidden so long

why don't you choose me
me who kept on waiting
waiting for something uncertain
uncertain as you are

when you are a woman
you bleed the burden of being one
literally within every month
and metaphorically every single day
you polish the plates clean
you cook the cake delectable
you plan the garden to grow plants
you figure out your figures
you beg to be believed
you serve to be esteemed
you scream to be heard
to be seen, to be listened,
to speak, to be free
you consume the rage given
passed and inherited
genetically and immanently
you are born
yet you give birth too
being a woman is a revolution

"do you love me?" i asked with utmost uncertainty
he looked at me as he said, "sometimes."
unsettled, unsecured and in limbo, "no guarantee."
he repeated, "no guarantee... at all times."

i wish to call you mine
not because i want to have you
nor i see you as an object i must own
neither as a possession to wield

i wish to call you mine
because you are mine to cherish,
mine to  care for, mine to think of,
and mine to love.

why did you abandon me?
in times where i was in need
where all but my liberty
was taken indeed

why must you abandon?
as you left all the worries
now im all alone
hoping for the apologies

hungry for power
while the poor starve from hunger
the rich shall cower

i do believe you
when you told me about that lie
acted as if that was true
never will I ask why

i will believe you
even if i know its false
even if it'll make me blue
I'll believe it all

i still believed you
though you lied so many times
but in my eyes and view
these are not your crimes

i believe you
in every single way
like a fool, i do

i write too many poems for you
ones i assure you don't know of
and you won't even read it
for the existence is beyond your knowledge

i write too many poems for you
ones i can't even read
it's just so hard to believe
that it's all about the same thing

i write too many poems for you
ones my hands just type without cue
how i mindlessly formulate it
in all honesty, i have no clue

i write too many poems for you
at one point i wish you knew
but I'm contented that you don't
for i know nothing would change

i write too many poems for you
but we're not on the same line
nor on the same stanza
neither in the same poem

i write too many poems for you
but it's time to stop now
it's tiring, don't you think?
to write, without a reader.

as mysterious as the moon
you're a moment that ends so soon
still waiting even at noon
in that summer at june

your shadow upon the night
blinded my very sight
and in return i gave my light
though i know its quite not right

in dim light they both embraced
like it's their last, like they're in haste
the moon which the light chased
in this moment, they both graced

pagod na ang aking puso,
sa pagbubukas ng nararamdaman.
kaya't sa susunod ay ako naman ang magiging tuso,
baka kahit papaano'y biglang gumaan.
ilang beses kong tinanong kung bakit,
bakit walang maibigay na sagot?
bakit parang sa akin lamang masakit?
ayokong makaramdam ng galit o poot.
ngunit kaysa salita,
ang tanging sumagot ay 'yong aksyon.
at 'tila parang isang balita,
nabaling ang aking atensyon,
sa iba mo na pala sinasabi ang nararamdaman mo,
may iba ka na palang sinasabihan ng paborito **** banda,
pati na rin ang paboritong kanta mo,
di ka naman nagsabi, sana manlang ako'y naging handa.
wala ka manlang paalam,
ni hindi rin nagbigay ng huling pangungusap.
hindi man lang nabigyan ng sagot ang isip kong kumakalam,
hanggang sa huli ako pa rin ang nakikiusap.
parang tangang naghihintay ng 'yong kasagutan,
pero wala na pala dapat akong hintayin.
sa akin na lang pala dapat 'tong mga katanungan,
dahil kahit minsa'y di ka naman naging akin.

sa garagal na takbo ng buhay,
bakit nga ba kapag ikaw ang kasabay
bumibilis ang lahat
kahit hindi naman dapat?

maybe if you didn't give any hint
like that time you liked my new tint
and when you gave me my favorite mint
i just wish you didn't

maybe if you treated others the same
like how it's only me that can tame
your only light and burning flame
so that's how it became

maybe if you were careful
and kind of less of a fool
a little more truthful
just thinking, it's wishful

maybe if i wasn't naive
for like a child, i believed
that you would not leave
however, i was deceived

i heard you treasure your anklet,
to lose it you won't let,
in that case, I wanna be that bracelet,
that you'll never forget

you say you love this band,
though I do not really understand.
but if you demand,
I'll let myself be ******

and you tell you like your coffee
with a little side of berry,
if so let me be your cherry
if only you just let me.

true enough I liked you first,
these feelings perhaps are cursed.
however even in your worst,
i'd still wanna be yours.

the little fragments of our memories
fills me up as its hard to miss.

the silent confirmation only we can understand;
reminds me of how you hold my hand.

when we meet eye to eye,
its like looking at the wide blue sky.

how you utter with such softness
makes my heart speak though it cannot express.

however a clandestine should not last;
it must always stay in the past.

a secret like this should go astray
for it will perish as it's fey.

nevertheless, I'll still cherish
every moments even if I have to be selfish.

brewing potion with ritual
reciting chants, merely verbal
niching these little caviar
a mixture of gravitas and war

such ladle so long enough to combine
a ******'s blood with a spoon of wine
perhaps adding a buckskin would suffice
this hellcat's hellacious bliss

a bushel of a misogynist's intestine,
must not forget to hitch gobs of sharks fin,
augment a pair of an old man's sight
then smatter the hogs' teeth bite

sing song this dark lullaby
you ought to hear plead and cry
smell and smear this fatal brew
any life it shall take and shoo

death will come and it will reign
blood will begrime and it will stain
thoroughly toting the daring deathly hex
seeking a prey who must be next

the things im willing to let go,
just so you can know
my feelings and how I desire
to be with you, I would not tire

I tried so many ways
despite the mights and mays
so that we could look eye to eye
won't you ask me why?

i know you have somebody
I know its her body
I know its not me
and it will never be

i was lost and you're aware
i know for you looked into these eyes
with such longing glance and stare
we both understood our truths and lies

how can i forget
the first time our eyes met
my soul instantly left
even so, i do not regret.

casually crashing in your arms
as i feel my head go light.
your heart which only warms
when it's me in your sight.

i don't wanna be your friend
for I wanna hold your hand
as genuine as i intend
as long as i planned

i don't wanna be your friend
and stay on that lane
where we both would mend
the gore and the pain

i don't wanna be your friend
but i can't say it
for it's hard to comprehend
as i still can't admit

i don't wanna be your friend
i don't wanna see that smile
as something just for the end
i'll wait even if it takes a while

i don't wanna be your friend
i wanna be something more
now, i can't pretend
you are what i wish for

but if you ask me why
why friendship isn't enough
i'm just gonna lie
maybe tell the truth or half

i am just a vessel,
a rotting human body.
who's always longed to be cradled,
but I have nobody.

i am just a vessel,
a display of pure loneliness.
who's desire is all to be nestled,
despite all the emptiness.

i am just a vessel,
nothing more than that.
has always been the lesser,
waiting for the time I'll rot.

so i sat there as always,
across the road near the railways,
i keep looking back as i silently hope
while thinking of cutting ties and rope

within my reach i extend my hand
i look around til i reach the land
quietly sighing as i realised
i was often the fool, never the wise

so at 1 am in the bright city lights
with unending lengths of every heights
i yearn for you, i long for you
in all the lies, this is what's true

the cold that shivered through out my body
as i heard steps i remember clearly
you stopped me from glancing through an embrace
this very moment i will never ever waste

ako'y nakakulong.
malayo sa tao,
malayo sa iyo.

ako'y nakakulong.
na tila ba dyamante,
na tila ba isang kayamanan.

ako'y nakakulong,
sa higpit ng hawak nila'y ako'y sakal na,
sa higpit ng taban nila'y ako'y sawa na.

ako'y nakakulong.
ako'y pagod na.
ako ay 'yong isalba.

how do i undo
the feelings i have for you
when clearly you got no clue
that these are all true

how do i undo
to cut myself from blue
though this ain't new
i wanna get over you

im tired of failing people,
so exhausted in causing trouble
so i wonder and think continually
am i of value really?

im tired of being a disappointment
so full of regrets and resentment
how i wish im such importance
atleast just once

so I wonder
if you think of me
just like how you're in my thoughts
so constantly.

i have skimmed every encyclopedia,
have gone through to limits of every book in biology,
and even went on to read depths of psychology,
but i have yet to find an answer
as to why a father could hurt his own daughter

once again i fell into the pit
as the darkness vibrantly hit
my consciousness as well as my wit
were taken as i was forced to submit

once again it swallowed me
chains on my wrist as I'll never be free
vision slowly becomes hazy
please let this not be my reality

once again i screamed so loud
no one heard me, not even the crowd
speaking silently with no sound
my eyes seek for the blue sky amidst the cloud

once again I'm in this pit
but these feelings i cannot admit
agony filled me as it seethe
once again the darkness bit

I liked every street lights in your place,
the endless paradise you made me see,
every warmth of your embrace.
This locked heart of mine, you are the only key.

Girls were head over heels,
it was a long line.
Your stares give unfamiliar chills,
but why does it make me feel fine?

You see, I don't know you at all,
and I won't even bother to.
But then, your eyes are a symbol of call,
that makes me wanna question something about you.

The feeling was never different,
actually, it was the same.
But there's this electric current
whenever I hear your name.

So bear with me and my questions,
please answer them very clearly.
I need no hesitations
so please don't be wary.

Time passed and I felt longing.
How I miss that unfamiliar stare.
There, I realized everything,
what I have been feeling, what I have seen, was all a snare.

I have now learned,
that it was all entrapment.
I was snared,
by my own fulfilment.

dear anxiety, when will you leave me?
all my thoughts have gone wary
even my vision's kinda blurry
hear me out and save me hurry

dear anxiety, why are you here?
creeping me out so sheer
you won't get another tear
is anyone ever near?

dear anxiety, what do you want?
still in my dreams you do your haunt
tell it to me and i shall grant
even so, no one hears my rant

dear anxiety, who must i call?
though in the end it's me who will fall
surely you have taken its toll
when will they see it all?

dear anxiety, how are you?
so good at keeping me blue
remind me that this reality is true
those who see it are only few

i liked how i opened you
from the depths within our small world
how i pushed you out of the blue
now, nothing is blurred

i adore how you speak with so little words
from the way you choose the phrases you tell
how one word from you i instanly get absurd
now, i realized, i have fell

i love how you remember the smallest of the things
from my strange fascinations to my ordinary repulsion
how you remind me of my often mood swings
now, everything's just a memory fraction

i liked how you opened me from my own
i adored how you can have such patient with me
i loved how you always get me in any tone
now, I'm letting you free.

the hand has twenty-seven bones.
four to promise you i'll be there always,
four to wear the ring you gave me,
four to touch your lips when you're sleeping,
four to feel how long your lashes are,
three to show you that i'll be okay,
eight to have your face on my palm,
and all twenty-seven to hold your hand.