Way back when I was younger
I was mistaken as a dude
They asked all sorts of questions
That slowly grew more rude

"Why don't you wear makeup?
Or dress in something nice?"
"If you ever want to get a guy
Why won't you just take our advice?"

When I began in high school
I had just begun to change
I had bought myself some cheap makeup
And clothes that just felt strange

Still, it wasn't enough though
The insults continued to come
"Ugly. Lazy. Undesirable"
It all began to make me glum

By the beginning of junior year
I had fully given in
Dresses replaced all of my jeans
And makeup covered all my skin

It was then, the insults changed
And people began to glare
Said I "cared too much about my looks"
And my "head must be full of air"

I still always got straight A's
The way I talked was still the same
But though I knew that they were wrong
Their comments made me feel lame

When senior year had rolled around
I was lonely as could be
People "liked" what I'd become
But I felt no one liked me for me

I'd never been on a single date
Because all the guys were crude
So it was only a small amount of time
Before I was labeled as a "*****"

When I finally started college
I expected something more
But people took one look at me
And labeled me a *****

I had not been sleeping around
I still hadn't even been on a date
Everyone just made assumptions
And looked at me with hate

The part that was most ironic
Was that after all these years
Of changing to be whatever they said
I was still hated by all my peers

I didn't want to dress like this
I didn't want to just conform
But there is only so much a person can take
Before they need to fit the "norm"

Society is what destroyed me
They are the reason I am this way
I changed to be what people wanted
Now I understand: I'll never see that day

I don't know who I am now
Though everyone else thinks that they do
Now please just take one piece of advice
It's so important to just stay you

You are perfect just as you are
So continue to stay strong
Remember no matter what they tell you
What society says is **wrong

Hindi naman ganid ang administrasyon
Nagkataon lamang na may mga punto
Na walang humpay na nag-iiwan
Ng tandang pananong.

May mga eksenang hindi literal
Pero kapag bayan ang bumasa’y
Ni isang letra’y hindi man lamang nasimulan.

Hindi masisisi ang mga modernong bayani
Kung patuloy pa rin sila sa pakikibaka
Kahit nakamit na kamo ang kasarinlan;
Ang hustisya raw ay napagtagumpayan na
Bagkus, nilalatigo ng kapwa nasa ekonomiya.

Marahil hindi pa lubusang nararadyo
Hindi magkanda-ugaga
ang leksyon sa Senado
Eh kung uso pa ba ang tele-radyo,
Kaya bang tapakan ng saksi
ang demokrasyang makasarili?

Doon nag-rally ang iilang katauhan
Wala naman silang napala
Pagkat binagsakan ng pintuan
Ni hindi nakakilos kahit sila’y nasa kilusan
Saklob ng gobyerno’y
sila’y bisi sa nasasakupan.

Hindi mabilang ang dugong dumanak
Ang boses na sumigaw
Ang tonong paulit-ulit pero hindi naririnig
O baka naman ang may pandinig
Ay mas nais magwaglit.

May mga platapormang tila langit
Bagkus dilim naman ang hain
Sa maliwanag dapat na paligid.

Ibabato nila ang kinamkam sa madla
Pero dahil ang binato’y mukhang tinapay,
Walang pakuwari ang iba
Manhid nga ba ang tao
O talagang kurot-sabay-pikit lang?

Heto na naman tayo sa estante ng kaguluhan
Sana nga matapos na ang pahinang ito
Pero nasa simula pa lamang
Pagkat ang propesiya’y
Nararapat na mamalakad
Ihahain ng Higit na Hari
Nang maitaas Kanyang Ngalan.

Kung may mga bumabatikos
Sa gobyernong kinagisnan
Marami pa rin ang tatayo
Pagkat kaytayog ng kanilang dangal.

Hindi naman dapat
Tumingin lamang sa kawalan
Pagkat may pag-asa pa
Itong *ginintuan nating bayan.

I'm not afraid
of dying,
but of living,
yes, living,
it scares me.

Of losing someone,
of everything,
of living
in nothingness,
and in pain.

It scares me
to know,
that life isn't fair,
of people's judgment,
where is freedom?

You live in the world
of broken dreams,
of broken vows,
and of broken wings.

I'm not afraid
of dying,
but of living,
of losing someone
you love.

Di naman sa tamad,
di naman sa lahat,
meron lang talagang subject
na di ko magets.
Nakaka-sad.

Merong subject
na ang sarap tulugan,
yung parang na-overdose ka
sa paglaklak ng sleeping pills.

Meron ding subject
na kung iisipin,
di naman magagamit
sa tunay na buhay.
Pwera na lang sa
"Can you replace my X
without asking Y?"

Merong din yung subject
na terror ang teacher,
kapag naleleksyon,
isang balde ang pawis mo
dahil baka ikaw ang mapagtripan niya,
tapos wala kang maisagot.

Merong din subject na madali lang,
yung akala mo pasado ka na,
pero mali ka!
Dahil pagdating ng exam,
ang hirap ng mga tanong.
Yung feeling mo,
di naman nabanggit sa klase,
kaya ayon! GG!

Pero kahit ano pang reklamo natin,
wala tayong magagawa.
Dapat pag-aralan para di magkaalanganin
sa katapusan ng sem.
Dahil kung di bagsak ang grade mo,
baka DRP o INC naman. Naku po!

Who would usher
the ushers?

Who would protect
the protectors?

Who would support
the supporters?

Who would sing
for the singers?

Who would give
for the givers?

Who would write
for the writers?

My poems rarely trend
Guess I'm not a trend-setter

Last night I prayed
Softly, peacefully, and still,
No strain, no grief, no disbelief,
No doubting of His will,

Last night I prayed
Softly for His strength,
Since I am weak.

Then with peace-of-mind
Worries and stress left behind
I quietly fell asleep.