The only thing left to say is
That there is nothing
Left to say, Not today at least
Not to you
Not to the partying crowd
Not to the angry moon
Or the wine glasses
Or the laughing hearts

There is nothing even to do
But wait for the twist of
Morning
Expect that by that time
Perhaps we have found
Something to say

Not just that
There is nothing I could say
Or do
Not too you at least
Not in October

But it is futile for morning
Too long a time
And by that time
All that could be said
Is that
All this time nothing has been said
These are now the rules of our relationship
Shall we start talking now?

You know how I talk in these October nights
No different from February mornings
Where air is good
Or April days
Where the sun is naughty
All the words are perhaps
But they cancel each other out
So?
Shall we start talking now?

When there is in front of us
A sordid mirror
My suit which is a farce
Your dress which is another farce
Drink in hand
Cigarette in another
Untalking. No talking. Detalking
(This is the tragedy of our own unsaying)
Remove, do not revitalize
The closing doors say (our bones say)
The movements of the mouth

In short we are tired
That there is so much to be said
And that there is nothing to be said
It is time for sleeping you say
Lull-laby-the-night-a-way
(and even here you gave up halfway)
To let our bones do the talking
(Or untalking)
It is a pregnant pause
A miscarriage
Nothing
Nothing
Nothing

Have you met your cousin
Betelguese?
She said Hi, the way stars do
Bearing brightly burning light

What about the pulsars
Spinning ballerinas
Of the far end of space?
They're your cousins too

Saturn would like to chat
With you
Missing your warm hug
He tries to hug himself

Yes they are all our relatives
Didn't you know
We are all sons of the deathless
Isn't it nice to be so?

Show me once again
Your charm
Your moonlit madness
Drunk underneath
An October sky

Show me that parade
Of smiles
Your indulgence dancing
In Heaven or Las Vegas

Show me the self
You hide at dawn
Those night crawling eyes
That reflect only lunacy

Show me the lies
You celebrate
That jazz energy you loved
In Heaven or Las Vegas

In Heaven or Las Vegas

Come to the river
The river knows everything
It contains all shades
Jasper, emerald, sapphire
No past, no future
But a deathless present is
There. Swim and know all
From the mountains to the seas.
Intimate secrets
Are reflected to the sky
Listen closely to its cry

Look not at my heart
This casket of selfishness
Look not at my eyes
Vile twins of hate and judgement
Look not at my mouth
Creator of lies from nil
I am a wretched
Being. Living over graves.
Look not at me. Forget me

I do love thee
This temple of mine
Of flesh and bone
Created

Whose measurements
And motions I must
Take care with no
Restrictions

Do not forget
Its solemn needs else
It could not perform

Its solemn industries
Without pain and
Constant scorn

I must eat well
Live well
Measure, rest
Reflect and
Move my body

As was designed
For many years
Before death
Arrests me

I found a poem
In an LRT station
Garbage can
Written on the back
Of a 7-11 receipt
In blue ink

It was a letter
Of heartbreak to
A hometown lover
Four stanzas
And a couplet

And then the train
Arrives in cold blood
Like an army captain
But I decided
Not to join

There is something else
That needs my
Presence
I put the receipt
Back in its place