Munch on some
       salty chips, chewy cookies, sandwiches of every spread,
            and of course instant cup noodles.
Sit back and tap your fingers to some
        tunes in that carefully constructed playlist.
Snuggle with that
        favorite stuffy bunny and catch up on sleep
While I---
I will keep my eyes open every moment,
        eager for the cinematic scene playing in the window
                of the Metro regressing back to its roots:
From the bustling city
with its mechanical hums and bright lights,
        to the sleepy village
        and its vintage stillness and simplicity,
                to the vast rice paddy
                like an emerald in the sunlight,
                        then to the thick, dense rain-forest
                        echoing melodic chirps and hoots.

Venture within my mind,
I challenge you.
A forest so strange, so vast, so wild, so dense.
Bear with you a cruel set of bow and arrows,
And most importantly, a shield of your faith.
Take care of your shield and do not lose it.

My forest is teeming with trees, my memories.
Some are grand and sublime.
Their branches embrace the infinite sky,
While their shadows will brighten and lighten your soul.
Some are inferior and despicable.
Their branches dangle and will ***** you in the eye
Though you will have told them hundreds of times that you do not want to see them ever again.

My forest is abounding of creatures, my thoughts.
The rabbits, deer, and monkeys gleefully dancing around are very much worth minding.
But beware of the birds! They swoop from nowhere, nowhere at all, and pester everything.
Beware of the snakes! They are delightfully shiny and smooth.
But if you play with them, they will poison you and eat you alive.
You will exist in their foul stomach until you are complete dissolved.

The core of my forest
Is a colossal mountain of questions.
It is treacherous. It is cold.
It scrapes the sky and for sure it will scrape you.
Do not climb it,
For at the top, you will find unacceptable and invalid answers.
Most of the time, no answers at all.

Conquer me, please.
Endure the precious distance and the precious pain.
But before you end your adventure,
Pray that my forest will not become a city in the future
(A city is corrupted and cluttered and detached and deranged)
And share with me a part of yourself
Because no one does.

Hoy Neng,
bilis!
Halika nga dito.

****-abot nga sa akin yung ano,
yung kwan.
Yung ano na medyo pula,
pero may pagkadilaw,
ng kaunti.
Nandoon lang nakapatong sa ano,
malapit lang doon, oo doon.
(Sabay turo,
gamit ng nguso)

Dalian mo!
Bilis!
Ang bagal-bagal mo naman kumilos,
Susmaryosep!

Be the iron ore smelting in a crucible
Constantly being refined.
Ready to be molded into a mighty weapon.
Ready to be wielded in battle.
You possess a warm glow attracting.
And the lives that you touch
Burn along in love and
Melt along in awe of Glory.

Or

Be the brine drawn from the dark arctic depths,
With your cold pride
And salty apathy that leaves
Mouths and throats
Dry
And stirs bellies
To malfunction,
Then inaction.

But

Be not the stagnant puddle
Most toxic.
Reflecting heaven
But still clinging to the earth.
Collecting raindrops from the sky
Together with dirt from the soles of men.

For

Do not be lukewarm,
Neither hot nor cold,
For He will spit you out.

He looked at me.
When I can't even
Look at myself,
He looked at me.
He looked at me and stared down deep,
With His eyes not of pity,
But of love.

Get lost!
Plunge into the cool waters of the unknown,
Breathe in its main element, adventure!
Fight fear!
Battle beasts!
Challenge chances!
Cultivate curiosity!

Get lost!
When you are navigating through
A remote road,
Alien alley,
Or secret sidewalk,
Soak your soul,
Let it dry
…slow
Do not wring the thrill out.

Get lost!
Everywhere,
Absolutely,
Is a strange somewhere and an exotic elsewhere.