I design for love,
I see me on their mirrors;
be my remedy.

Who is she, Mama?
Why is she asking
money from us?
"She is a beggar, son."
Don't you have
any coins Mama?
Who are them, Mama?
What are they after
from those garbage cans?
"They are searching for food,
and for money, son."
Is there someone could
throw away food, Mama?
Is there someone could
waste money, Mama?
Where are their mother?
Father? Family?
Are they sleeping alone
in the streets tonight?
Mama, why are you closing
the windows of the car?
"This place is so stinky, son."
Is it wrong to smell
something like that, Mama?

Mama, why are we different?
Mama?

Are you crying, Mama?
Why?

breathe in,
                                    breathe out...

breathe in,
                             breathe out...

breathe...
      
                     breathe...

I don't know
     how to spell love:

is it
                          "F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N-E-S-S"?

my greatest creation
every time i fall
to  my own instinct,
my loveliest breath
every time i'm suffocated
from that garbage of tears,

here, i could do anything
my heart desires:
i could burn the rain,
i could freeze the fire;
no one can hurt me,
i control everything
like turning every sunset
into sunrise,

hey!

the coffee on my metal cup
is now getting cold,
i should drink it up
before i will lose the day;
the alarm clock above my head
is now shouting so loud,
i should better wake up ---

to face the reality...

Tears ---
Distorting life  for decades.
Faded innocence ---
Wars,
Chaos everywhere.

barely
                                             breathing,


STILL                 she's

                           the girl
                I used
                                                          to LOVE

Steadfast.
Yet with
one second,
one mistake ---

everything is ruined.

Laments of sadness
in the middle of serene nights,
fragmented hearts
wrangle scrambled minds;

shadowed mistakes, open wounds,
profound mysteries of once reality,
myriad eyes failed to perceive
the intrinsic meaning of a poetry;

arbitrary decisions can lead
loud confusions to imprint,
but an ink of a poet's pen
evokes concealed feelings.

For all the ******* I have given
sometimes, I realized;
I’ve never been a good person to you,
but still you stood with me
against all the odds,
still you held my arms
when I’m about to kiss the ground,
still you never left me hanging,
never allowed my questions unanswered,
still you tried to understand my personality
as other people don’t.

I followed all your rules and commands,
I followed every step you were making,
perhaps, now is the time
to discover myself on my own way;
I listened every moment to your words
but please,
can I lend also your ears?
Unraveling the inner reason why I was born
but indeed I’m thankful , I found
an exquisite love from both of you ―
my parents.

Thank you for letting me
embrace the beauty of nature,
for letting me perceive the world,
and for letting me wander
beneath the pouring rain
(I learnt the lessons then).
Thank you for scolding me,
for giving me pieces of advice,
for the care,
for every sweat you tasted
(from sun-up to sun-down)
in order for us to experience things
that some could not
(I appreciate it like rain),
thank you for everything,
Mama and Papa.

I’m not used to, of saying
“I love you”, “Thank you”
and “I’m sorry” in front
of your eyes, but it
doesn’t mean that I don’t consider
these thoughts in my heart,
it doesn’t mean that these phrases
have never been at the corner of my mind.
You may not know, but as I’m breaking free
from my childhood stories and fantasies,
I’m also losing my strength, for I know
your presence is not permanent.

But Mama and Papa, I’m begging God
to bestow upon me enough time to show how
much I love you; how much
I need you both
in my hardest
battle, and in my greatest  loss.

It’s been years that were already in memories;
still you don’t recognize that I write,
that whenever I can hold my pen
I can’t resist the art of poetry,
yet I hope you will find
this poem I made before you depart.
I’m sending all my hugs and kisses
inside this treasure,
I may hate you sometimes
the way you talk to me ―
when I encountered mistakes;
but it’s only mild,
because you can understand me
as other people can’t.

Sincerely yours,
your child

The clouds will be the shed
of my fears, my feet will walk
across the horizon; no one
can defy me beyond these boundaries
for here in my life, my story
I am the protagonist.

The rivers will dry. But dreams
will never falter, for if love
is the nuisance, I shall bury
it deep in the ocean. Then without guffaws,
I can vacate freely to the aspired place.
I whine. I cry. I fight.

Everything will be colored so perfect
except my shadows (beautiful lies
are my only enemies). In this
borrowed time, I will ratify myself's
journey to be better than the best
for my choice is my destiny,
for I am the protagonist.

People. I let them criticize me.
I let them purchase my real worth.
I let them discover the other side of my being;
I will bring tomorrow today, and rainbows
shall stand still in the midst of frozen rains
for here in my life, my story
I am also the antagonist.

Impressions,
     Expectations,
          Disappointments,
Imprinted on beautiful
minds.
Rivers ran through
my veins,
As I tried to bite off
more than one can chew;
To every music,
I danced
But I cut my tongue,
once.

Skeptics,
     Critiques,
          Vanity
Even at the depths of
my despair,
Good things were dead,
worsts were born;
I was distorted by lies
because I lied too
So I cut my tongue,
again.

Changes,
     Changes,
          Changes
In every rhythm of
my breath,
I tried to re-build
those memories,
Still I could not.
I might hurt people
with my words,
Better cut my tongue
into pieces.

"I used to.
But I'm already tired
digging your holes!"

"We're done.
I remember.
I'm also tired
playing your *****!"

Let the cold wind
of the night serenades
the earth,

Let the golden moon
surrenders the shadows
captivated by fears,

Let the little voices
whisper words for joy;
rejoice fate,

And let my hallow soul
celebrates on my
beloved death.

Because of that love,
I loved.
Because of that love,
I cared.
Because of that love,
I hid.
Because of that love,
I changed.
Because of that love,
I tried.
Because of that love,
I compelled.
Because of that love,
I condemned.
Because of that love,
I lost.
Because of that love,
I lied.
And because of that love,
I cried.

As the skies kissed the moon,
the light which will let me perceive
my shadows scrawled with scars;
as I will walk through these roads,
the wind which will touch
my skin with tears,

it will be hard to breathe
but my mind will not stop breathing
and my heart will be filled up
with gallons of water,

I will cry beyond these walls,
I cannot stand still
'til my last teardrop falls,

when our fingers will not fit anymore.
when the spark fades through
the midst of darkness,
when our hearts will not beat as one,
when you run out of voice to call,
I will hold you still
'til my last teardrop falls,

as every memory will be burnt
into scattered ashes,
as every word uttered
will only compromise goodbyes,
and ---

as the skies kissed the moon,
the light which will let me perceive
my shadows scrawled with scars;
as I will walk through these roads,
the wind which will touch
my skin with tears,

when fragile moments were gone,
you will remain beautiful ---
and I will love you still
'til my last teardrop falls.

I can hardly bring myself to sleep ---
     my pillows are still so wet
I'm drowned on the ocean of tears,
     from these hours I should forget;
Pretending I'm still holding on,
     but it feels so different
And now I have nothing else left ---
     for you to break.

A piece of cake
           to be
                    a piece of sh*t.

'Sang gabing walang kasintulad ng dati,
nang naglalakad ako sa tabi-tabi:
animo'y may sigaw na naulinigan
hinanap ko't ng ako'y napatulala
     sa 'di makatarungan.

Tumulong ako kahit 'no pang mangyari
para sa taong walang-awang pinaslang;
'di alam ang gagawin at pupuntahan
nakita'y may mataas na katungkulan.

At nang dumungaw ako sa paglilitis,
nabilanggo'y hindi totoong maysala;
dahil lang nga ba sa kapalarang itim
o mayro'n lamang s'yang kapit sa patalim?

Ngayon nga'y nandito ang pusong sugatan,
baon sa kalungkutan dulot ng rehas:
katarunga'y 'di pa batid kung nasa'n na,
patuloy  na lang ba akong mabubuhay
     sa nakatagong saya?

We fuss. We
            fight. We
    shout. We
   cry.

But after those
      tiresome quarrels
   and arguments,
                      it always ends up
          with a smile.

                We hold
     each other's back,
          and that's
               how
                    crazy we're in love.

Most of the time,
it is better
to just walk away
through the doors
than to jump off
from the windows.

A benevolent device procured  to
           provoke an enigmatic action relevant
                   to escaping once benighted reality*.

Cold, unfold
with just a second
I taught myself to crawl,

Pure, uncured
with just a minute
I learnt from every war,

Tears, unshared
with just an hour
I forgave, but never forgiven,

Found, unsound
with just a day
I appreciated life like rain.

What is wrong? I ---
I already questioned millions
     of cooks around
          the world,
but still they can
     never give ---
the recipe for victory.

Poetry*. Is it from the heart or from the mind?

...do not
                    do donuts,
                                         do nuts,
                                                       ­     do knot,
                                                                ­               do not!...

"Hold my hand, never let go.
Be it tiring,
be it painful
still, hold me tight.
Draw me closer to our dreams,
sleep to every moment I'm awake,
color my life with rainbows
and kiss me ---
kiss me like there's no tomorrow.
Touch my nose with yours,
fill these gaps of my fingers,
sing me the melody I so long to hear
and together ---
together we'll stand from the edge of forever,
together we'll walk through the shores,
together we'll sail the ocean upon all the odds
and right now, right there
love me ---
love me like you never did", she said.

Your name,
still stains my brain
like it had never been before,
you took me higher
but then again I touched the floors:
we have drifted away
(you were the one who decided),
and now, it is too late to be back
from those words you said.

Your lips,
still intertwine on my days
as you kissed goodbye,
it has been dreams faded ---
and lost with those myriad times;
you turned each night colder,
unbeknownst, and will never grow,
and chasing those memories,
somehow, is all that I can ever do.

Your eyes,
are still blinded,
that you could not see me through tears,
a broken heart from a broken smile,
and it will never be eased again;
you have thrown all the chances
far from usual things,
so what am I supposed to do
than to break down and cry?

And now,
you showed me the worst,
yet I will still miss you
throughout these lonely years,
I keep on bleeding,
keep on fixing these shattered pieces:
and I have no choice
but to accept every details found,
to understand everything
to be brave, then believe
and to chase those memories
by walking apart ---
apart from your grave.

You make me feel like
I've never been before,
the key words we used to say
are so sweet to be heard:
I just want to fall in love
over and over again to you,
for it has been a couple of days
since I've let you enter my world.

Maybe I'm just the first man in line
standing still for you,
expecting for your cue
to be completely intertwined:
and so, it's just like
you have given me an attention
that now, I can't help calling your name
for it always crosses my mind.

I need no experience
to create such glittered moments,
the essential thing needed
is just what they called love;
for all I see,
for all I do
and for all I know,
the reason that
I'm spending my time like this
is because I'm stuck on you.

No matter how long
that I'll be staying to entirely have you
as long as I still have the courage,
I won't let you go:
and even if now that you're so near
but still so far away,
I will still wait for you
until you will perceive
that I'm ever stuck on you.

.
.
.

four...

three...

two...

one!...

MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

yesterday --- four feet,

     today --- two feet,

          and

               tomorrow --- three feet.

....walking in the woods,
              without thinking
                         its dangerously dangerous danger.

Nakatindig sa harap ng mga nangagdaan;
Sa pagtunog ng batingaw, ikaw ang s'yang naaalala,
na ikaw sana'y magbalik.
Ako ngayo'y nakabinbin sa bangin ng kalungkutan:
Nasa'n ka na nga ba?
Sadyang 'di kita matanaw kahit man lang ay saglit.

Nalulunod ako sa mga luha
sa bawat oras ng pagkadapa,
Nakapako sa krus ng pag-iisa't pighati;
'Sang pinsala dulot ng pag-ibig
na nawaglit lang ng bigla
Nasa'n ka na nga ba?
Hinahanap-hanap kita sa bawat sandali.

Nakakulong sa rehas ng iyong pagmamahal,
At sa pagdating ng hating-gabi,
ginagapos ng lubid ng karimlan:
Walang mahagilap na dahilan
sa paglayo mo mula sa 'king piling,
Bukod-tanging kahapon na lamang
ang aking sinusubukang gunitain.

Subalit gulo ang s'yang aking batid,
pait ang s'yang aking lasap;
Ni walang kapayapaan,
ni bigkis man lang ng galak.
Tayo sana'y ikakasal na, ba't ka pa lumisan?
Nasa'n  ka na nga ba?

At kung hindi ka pa rin darating,
sa panahong mundo na'y magdidilim,
Maghihintay pa rin ako sa 'yo
hanggang mayro'n pang akay na takipsilim.

I found a girl who can ever rule my world,
     a girl who makes me lose control.

I found a girl who renewed the pains on my eyes,
     a girl I never thought was an angel in disguise.

The day is completely incomplete
     without her around,

And the air is consistently inconsistent
     if I can't hear her sound.

I found a girl who will not let me stay being blue,
I found a girl ---
     a girl who is
          someone
               like you.

Wala ko gihandom nga ikaw makit-an
     ning mga mata
Ug wala usab ko gihandom nga ikaw
     higugmaon ko pa,
Kay ikaw wala ko nahigustuan
    niadtong mga panahona
Ug sa dihang naibog man nuon ko nimo
     karon sa pagsobra-sobra.

Bidli man paminawon, apan kini
     mao mo'y tinuod
Tinuod pa sa unsang kamatuoran, wala man
     unta ni sa sugod:
Ug sa dihang karon pa na ko
     nahibaw-an nga ikaw diay
Ang bugtong kalibutan ning mga tiil
     ko nga gibaklay.

Apan ikaw usab langit ug ako
     usa lamang ka yuta;
Apan ikaw lisod tawon abton
     niining mga kamota
Ug sa dihang asa man ko
     karon nga mulugar,
Kay gikinahanglan pa ang tanan
    ko nga isugal?

Ug sa dihang gugma nga dili unta
     sama sa giatay;
Kung ikaw maako ug ako maimo,
     dili ka gayud magmahay:
Pagahigugmaon taka hangtod
     sa walay kahangturan
Kay ikaw pud usa ka dyamante
     nga tunhay nga handumanan.

Ikaw ra ang naa niining akong
     utok ug dughan,
Ug bisan pa'g uklabon mo wala
     nay lain, wala nay uban
Kay ikaw usa ka babaye nga lisod
     gayud pangitaon ug ilisdan;
Ug sa dihang magapaabot na lamang
     pud ko nga ako usab imong makit-an.

Nagmula ang lahat ng tayo'y sumakay,
Ni hindi alam ang rutang dadaanan,
At sa pagkabigo mo'y sinisi'ng lahat;
Sa gabing minsa'y nalunod sa pag-iyak.

Nagmula ang lahat ng tayo'y lumingon,
At kung mabigat na'ng ulap, ano'ng tugon?
Sa pagtapak mo sa andamyo ng saya
Mapapansing may luha'ng 'yong mga mata:

Nag-iwan ng lungkot kahit nakita na
Ang mga talang kaytagal na hinintay;
At sa paglisan mo sa iyong nasakyan,
Isang barkong muli ang matatagpuan...

Stirring some cups of coffee of thoughts
     from ocean of ideas rose above through the sunrise;
I am a poet not, I am just a kid with boring words,
     critics are everywhere, how do you find my poems?

These graffiti on my mind hanged along the walls,
     are trying to convey who literally am I used to be,
with points of view, questions, which sometimes *****!
     But if you can only utter empty phrases, then shut up!

Do not judge me, I am no superman, am not that strong,
     I still bleed upon countless things people spewed out,
there is nothing wrong if I am drawn to pen my words,
     there is nothing wrong about poetry, right?

I am only a beginner, without fruitful thoughts,
     I am poet not, I am just a kid with boring words:
out of style, lack of knowledge towards once philosophy,
     so, how do you find my poems? My poetry?

Better to die on my feet...

         than on my knees.

She loves me,

she loves me not...

she loves me!

I'd rather walk
through the stairs
than through the ladder.