C-hoose prudently...let crazy faces be imprisoned in the past

R-ecall...relive moments we went cold with fright and terror

I-nsouciant, we become, when problems are resolved...but, we cannot

S-idestep old fears, sorrow.......Let's do something, for change...We've

E-ndured hardships...we've become sun-baked adobe bricks...For once, let's

S-eek space...meditate...focus on lessons learned...from past CRISES.

                            (six lines of ten words)


     |||||||| ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ |||||||| ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ |||||||| ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ ||||||||




Sally

Copyright May 5, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

( A reaction to Atul's poem, "Acknowledgement Long Due")


A well of words springs forth in every man's mind....they are either uttered...or written down...they could raise...or break,
someone's nerves, hopes or wall...

Words,  too, could be a source of strength
to be read...to be heard...channeled...offered...
to those in need of help...

Words may be a cradle....swaying.....
catching what could be falling...
or what has almost fallen...flat on the ground
a pad, that could soften the impact of a fall...

Words are a hammock, tied securely, between two trees
the trees move...but stay firm and steadfast
as the hammock swings to and fro...

I am a tree...my leaves and twigs,
being blown wild, by gusty winds
but i was swayed...i was calmed,
upon reading the words...sincere thoughts of a fellow poet...
my day was saved.

Sally

Copyright February 23, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

| / / | \ | \ \ | \
/ // / | \ | \ | / |
/  / / \ \ \ | / / \

Storm is gone
and all hypes  have settled down
i go straight to that one place
for that much awaited
cleansing...............and freedom
i strip myself of clothings
on the surface
and those underneath my skin...

Under the shower
i am bare
as a newborn babe.  
sighing....as i surrender myself
to the trickles of water sliding
                                            down
                                                   my
                                                         body...
I turn around once...
                              twice...
                         ­           thrice,
                                            to spray the wetness
                                                     all over me...
...i turn the **** gently....for more water
...close my eyes  
...as countless thin drops flow out, touch my head,
                                                           ­     i let them trace
                                                           ­             the countours
                                                       ­                          of my face...
Mouth opens a bit
i drink in some...to quench my thirst
let go of some...and retain the rest
be overcome by the coolness of the tap water,
.....take time to reflect...to ponder...
....while wet eyes give way to sniffles
....blending with those refreshing trickles,
...........erasing muddy stains of fear
...................and dried marks of tears
................sighs, of fatigue...and regret
.............these, i most often neglect...
.....under the shower, they'd be quashed
..........i'd let them all be awash
......................save for my personal friends,
..........like grit........and good ole common sense.

As water saturates my whole being
...a few expectations and dreams
..........go down the drain
.......while others.....stay
........and dwell within.

Some feelings just cannot hide
...some, refuse to surface, and stay buried deep inside.


Sally

Copyright October 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

Sun is now cradled
............where it always dips...at dusk
..................seems within reach...of low-lying clouds...
.......................no more birds, butterflies...or other winged creatures

Another day spent...
........................but, the SKY, never rests
....................if not sun, there'll be a moon
................always, night...after day...after night...after day
...........a cloak of darkness has taken over
......eyes roam through the shadows
...recalling one by one...how the day went by

...can't help but smile, for chores and errands done
.........eyebrows are raised, for the ones yet to be finished
...............a sigh, with the wind blowing...for plans...and dreams,
.....................still unrealized....those that persist...but, just...cannot be
.........................i put them aside in shelves...at the back of my mind
..............................stubbornly resurfacing.....every now and then...

I wonder about the SKY
...............................does it ever get tired?......as i am?
..........................for, i now feel the late afternoon aches
....................my body, my thoughts get weary, at this hour...
...............but, i lighten up...when a full moon appears...
...........SKY is revived...a stationary beacon...a nocturnal smile
.......a sign...the night rules for a while...while everyone sleeps
...while sun gets busy, giving light and life on the other side

And i,
...always find a reason to be alone out there...
.........in the silence of a moon glow
.............a rocking chair awaits...
.................in the summer...a woven mat is spread
....................with both arms under my head,
........................i lie on a cold mattress of pebbles and grass,
.............................gaze at the heavenly  SKY.....recognize the bear
.................................the hunter...the morning star...or catch a falling star!
.......................................if i'm lucky, i'd be dazzled by glowing fireflies...

As i...
......................................am always grateful...for another day almost done
.................................and to unfold before long, is a new one
..........................time to finish what's left undone...a time for new beginnings
....................look forward to another day...and another.....and another
.............while i......remain unmindful
........of shadows watching......from afar
...of perils...............lurking........in the dark...

::::::::::
............
::::::::::::::Sally

Copyright January 4, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

In one's lifetime, comes a moment or two,
when a sunny day's sky of powder-blue
turns to an utterly gloomy black night
not at all a beautiful twilight
:::just a dark firmament...no homing birds in sight

When in a flurry,
it comes naturally,
to want to sit...on the ground,
on the floor...just somewhere down
with both palms cupping jaws
resting on knees are angled elbows
discontent and stagnation
nag one's  imagination
heartbeats
............are drumbeats
glances are fleeting
unfocused:::::escaping
such are vain attempts, to dismiss
avoided thoughts and scenes:::to release
::::and decide...all must eventually cease
yet.........it's never easy to find peace
can't just forget sounds of voices...and sweet laughter
jokes and conversations that came, before and after...
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
they are tattooed in the mind
::::::::: they are ::::::::::
::: i n d e l i b l e ::::::::::
:::: e s p e c i a l l y ::::
:::on:::moments:::when:::
:::we struggle the most:::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::only:::­to:::realize::::::
::::::::::::::::::[[[]]]::::::::::::::::
:::::­:::[[ memories ]]::::::::::
::::are:::a::::[[metal cage]]
::::::::::::: and we :::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::: are :::::::::::::::::
:::::::[[captured birds]]:::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
it usually takes long:::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::to be freed:::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::;;;;
::::::from being:::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::held:::::::::­::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::[[ c a p t i v e ]]:::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
(November 2015)


Sally

Copyright January 13, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

A poet writes
about truths,
what is, and what is not...
a poet writes about nature,
people....the sun, moon and stars,
a poet dares to feel...to see the whole world...


A poet writes...
to vent his/her own shares of  joy
of agony...and aches...miseries...afflictions
as well as those of the others'
a poet reads...sees through someone else's eyes,
face...words...voice...and actions...

A poet writes,
to euphemize the sharp truths and facts in life
make them less painful to the ears
to at least, soften the pointed edges of every trial...to hurt less
to pad the impact of a fall...from frustration and despair
and, through words...encourage one...to rise...when fallen...

A poet writes
to cite reasons...so a hurting one would believe again
have faith in life...in love...again
to reach out...to those who have gone far, in the dark
and take them back to the fold ...of the bright side...

A poet writes...
to tell the woes of those oppressed
the world over
those tortured...violated...and killed
of children abused
their future stolen away from them...

A poet writes
of how nature has been exploited...and maltreated
how human beings
would one day disappear,
how nature...would be around.......no matter what...

A poet is sensitive
observant
and vigilant...
A poet is compelled to see and tell all truths...
truths of yesterday...those that are here now...happening
and those of tomorrow.....and beyond...
All these,
A poet must write...
...nothing more
...and nothing less...


Sally

Copyright January 3, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan



[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[(())]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]­]]]]]]]]]]

(Utterances)

Year ending brings to mind
past occurrences....
and matching
utterances
::::::::::

...when making quick, vital decisions.....and ambiguity takes center stage:

"what if....."
"****** if you do,
****** if you don't!"

...when angered by uncertainty...and results are no longer important:

"what will be,
will be..."
"come hell
or high waters..."

...when love and reason are conflicting my already confused mind:

"selflessness...
right moment...
patience...
unconditional
hope...love...faith
never hate..."

...when pressed for time...whether i like it or not:

"what then?
give way...
another time?
but, when?
just wait..."

...there is only i, me, myself......to face the consequences...

words....and....me,
through thick and thin...
through life...
cruising.....

...in whatever point i may arrive...there's no turning back...

whatever happens
whichever words are said,
whatever my feelings are,

i start and end my day
with a grateful smile...

i live through each day
....make it through each night...

(a group of 10W)


Sally

Copyright December 29, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Recurring Reflections And Beliefs)

Birthday after birthday
i keep looking back...
and find five girls always on my tail,
i see them as my regular paparazzi
when i am in my busiest moments,
when things work out adversely,
against all my best efforts
i find them still tagging along with me...

And then,
i look back at my most trying times
i recall those epiphanies that came to light my way,
how they guided me through,
until i was out of the dark tunnel...
.....until that MOMENT came
when i could hear with just one ear,
i have no regrets, though, or anger within,
for, i could still hear the leaves rustle
when a light breeze blows...
i hear even the dry oak leaves
as they hit the ground,
or when an empty plastic cup
is blown by the wind
from corner to corner of the street...
these days, i am more aware
of the bees buzzing on top of the flowers,
the birds, scattering seeds, helping
create new lives on the ground.....
i still clearly hear the hummingbird flapping its wings,
hovering, as it drinks from the bird feeder,
even as dusk sets in...
i hear the mockingbird...as it closes its wings
and roosts on a pine twig.....

One vital truth keeps me going-
i still have my one good ear
my eyes, my arms, my feet...
always, i am reminded of this question:
why did God endow us with two eyes,
two ears, two hands, two feet?
we lose one, there is still the other
in our daily lives, the same thing applies
among our loved ones and friends,
we lose some, we gain some....
some doors close, another one opens...
second, even third chances are ever waiting,
a fresh start is always there to be claimed...

In this stretch of my life,
i still am faced with choices on paths to take,
those once transitory thoughts
still visit and within me, they stir..
but, reason and good judgment
rise above all...

.....these things, i have realized---
most of what i wanted then...and didn't get,
i have now let go....
selflessness is inevitable,
there are people...things...to be prioritized
over  our own happiness
understanding is important
.....seeing myself here, now,
.....i am happy,
.....i am no longer there
still, i am glad to have been there...

When asked the most puzzling questions,
i have learned to turn
to the wisdom of the children,
i always, always have but one answer....
"...just because...".

At this point and time,
life, still is not perfect...
but i have known how to be calm,
as i face each new day...
perfect, or imperfect,
it doesn't matter anymore,
heart and mind have been honed,
for this knowledge overrules all others:

God is beside me, He is behind me...
He leads me,
He's got me covered...
i have nothing to fear...

(November 13, 2013)


Sally

Copyright November 2013
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

There is not much luxury  
within the four walls of my territory
but, this is where steel arrows,
and sharp shiny daggers invisibly fly
i feel the winds blow...strong and gentle
though the drapes and blinds do not move at all
there's a lot to hear outside  
-------far and deep...into the night-------

from a not so distant place
i hear the cries of a newborn baby,
waiting...maybe, to be breastfed by her mother,
or be coaxed by the ****** of the feeding bottle...

there goes those softened footfalls on the street,
or maybe, just outside the house, could be next door;
a swish of air usually signals the onset
of the suicidal activities of the bats;
the eager voices of a family with their television on
waiting for the father to arrive from work,
brings a smile...

there's a mother, her daughter and son
discussing family issues over late dinner...
i hear the crying and lamentations of a widowed wife,
of a sick mother who was abandoned by her family,
i fight the urge to go out in the dark
upon hearing the soft whimpering.of a sick dog,
the muffled sobs of a lady neighbor, brokenhearted,
****** my heart without end
i would've sobbed with her...comforted her...
the silent weeping of an orphaned child
is hard to fathom...hard to ignore
........i even hear my own unspoken woes,
their wailings and mine, side by side
all heard...by the spirits of the night...

sounds seem the loudest
during these late, late hours, when
the rest are asleep, and quietude reigns
curiosity is so stirred, for
i don't...i can't see the source
of these nightly sounds

in the dark silence of the night
i hear...
...and
i write...


Sally



Copyright May 25, 2015---4:51 PM
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan



::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::­:::::::::::::::::::::::::

Carpe Diem (2)        
  


It is a hot day....but, we're having a brief shower
i sniff the earthy scent carried by the afternoon breeze,  
feel it blowing, brushing against my moist skin,
i spot a beetle wandering away from its home,
the Pine tree...it travels... oh...so...slowly...inching
...reaching at last...the...window...sill...


Amongst the leaves of the tall Fortune tree
daddy long legs appears......its fragile body quivers,
as it dangles...going down from its web
to meet its neighbor and beetle friend,
.....and from the window ledge
the two fall down on the bushy flower bed,
like a dual suicide act.  
quickly, they vanish... into the thick
of bloomers, yellow, white and pink


The rolling hills landscape on the horizon
breathes peace and calm at this very moment
the valleys...streets......the church and houses
people from all walks of life, going through their chores,
they suddenly enfold my whole being...
there is  pulchritude in the faces of the women,
slim, strong, bulky...hips, bouncing, swaying rhythmically...
fair-skinned and dark, short...long haired...all are smiling warmly,
like they have no other cares in this world
signs of fortitude on their faces...obvious, but unuttered.

i, too, feel a lilt deep inside..i beam with a smile,
acknowledging theirs, as they walk past me.
enjoying every bit of  God's miracles
that meets my eyes

...a few lines pop in my mind...they become a story...or a ditty
suddenly, words in a joke...from someone who's witty
comes sweet laughter...during moments untethered
hours of heeeeeee, and ha-ha-ha, and shared giggles...

Anything that comes to sight
comes with a smile, so bright
i squint from its brilliance
i bask in its radiance
i refuse to let go of this glowing,
an unknown  inner feeling,
outside, it is revealing,
my soul, it is embracing

i claim it:
this moment of bliss
i have finally seized!


  

Sally

Copyright September 21, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

Fading Sun...

I was looking at the graying sky.
Trying to chase a fading sun
I peeped above the pointed leaves of the Yucca tree
My eyes were met by little bursts of orange stars
And oblique sunbeams... emitting fading brightness
Through the bushy leaves of the Sampaguita plant.

I was waiting for the moths to appear
Near my lighted candle,
But a gusty wind blew, and made the shell chimes
Sway back and forth...left and right
Round their base and through,
Until all five chimes made pleasant music
With the cool, whirring wind.

I was waiting for the late afternoon sky
To turn to elephant gray
To highlight the yellow glow from the street lamp
So I could test some newly hung Christmas lights
And the capiz lantern outside the french windows
But the rainshowers came all at once
And i found myself wet, from the pouring rain.

I was waiting...and saw a changing sky
The rain, just tip-tapping on the roof
A much cooler air blowing...
Bringing sprays of mist on my face...
Suddenly emerging...the shape of a bat or two,
Flying, crashing, through the dripping red palm tree.

On the horizon, sun was now a dipping balloon
If there's any, i would wait for any kind of moon.

On the garden chair, i sat
And just above me, came a regular stray cat
I heard its paws lightly scratching
The wet surface of the fiberglass roofing.

I still wait...and contemplate on hopes and prayers
I wait...for a lot of dreams to come true
i wait, for this long day to be over
While the night creatures,
In their own tones and tunes
Have started to croon...

Sally


Copyright October 16, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

Embers (2).  
  

Can't talk, can't swallow...
there's a block somewhere
i turn to the other side
new fields.....unknown skies
make hands and mind, busy with new chores...new projects
learn to breathe slow...in a rhythmic flow

eyes look up...trying to find my kite among those, flying high,
with a begging glimpse...sent with prayers

the hours go by...so...very...slow
a distraction is most welcome
while waiting, for things to work out on their own.  
while...waiting...
trying to be feisty...determined...in exerting efforts
to cleanse a steamy, foggy mind..intoxicated
with highfalutin truths, and plans that come...and go
they surface....then hide....they confuse
affecting those innocent: one, two, three...even more...

deep within are demons that struggle
to overcome each other...
....dancing with the flame...
so untamed
so alive
soaring inside
not at all like embers dying,
they're all fired up, sharp-edged...hurting
singe-ing innards
ahh...still can't breathe...it burns inwards
possessing throat and voice...can't speak
slowly, the airs turn bleak

how i so want to shout to the Heavens
just this once, to beg...for my own manna
to ask for more fresh air
make sure patience never wanes
to bake and strengthen under the hot sun,
the tiles and stones of my concrete wall
i ask for more beams and rays...i don't want to fall
i ask.......for red-orange embers
.......to permanently brighten
my charcoal-black skies...



Sally


Copyright October 9, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

An empty coffee mug.....
  
Could evoke impending sadness
between you and the empty vessel,
are some private, reflective moments

It could mean,
it is time for you to stand up,    
away from the coffee table
and start your daily grind
face another day in your life...

An empty coffee mug
could lead to
the end of a long exhausting day
the end of a conversation
the end of a relationship :(

Coffee is gone,
lots of things have to be done
maybe, It is time to leave an old life
old beliefs, give away old clothes, old books
some goodbyes have to be said
to old friends gone...old self, and
to old pricking, stabbing pain...
move to another house, for a new life
new opportunities, new friends
new surroundings, await

Each season segues to the next
yellow-green, brown, fuschia pink
red-orange, purple, even aqua-blue
slowly, but surely, they all turn to gray
the lovely colors of Spring,
Summer and  Autumn,
become ashen...and die
but... after a while, they surely give way,
a springing of new life
could never be held at bay
.......................................
out of the coffee shop
or maybe, outside your room...just stop,
it could be a stretch from your scope of view
you are faced with the birthing of everything new
there is sun shining
for sure.....a moon rising
.........................................

An empty coffee mug
could mean,
the end of your break time
stop wallowing
quit postponing
focus back on work and
things to be prioritized
now is the time...got to move on.....


Sally

Copyright September 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

...thought i was on the moon's surface,
tumbling high, low, over its dark craters
but, no...i was floating on the earth's atmosphere,
where winds of all seasons blow without cease
where fogs and mists do exist
where clouds do form and mold
they are, in truth, in their own world...
  
but, it suddenly rains
can't help it... i slowly descend...

...i am transformed  into an umbrella.  
for, Gene Kelly  soon takes me, while singing a cappella
"I'm singing in the rain," to my ear he whispers
... and a bit later, the song,  he would whistle
in his free hand, i become a blooming, pale- rose-y stunner
claiming eyes of passersby, through my magical flower power...

but...all wonderful dreams come to an end
when the aroma of steaming brew permeates the air
right through my nostrils....and i suddenly choose:
cream and sugar.........for my coffee
while reading classic works...or writing sad or crazy poetry
radio plays, "My Funny Valentine"....and i feel
like a singer, who sometimes sings off key
singing of thoughts of who i wanna be
singing of dreams of who i wanna be with
singing, i wish i could dip my feet into different seas
singing, i wish...i wish, i could travel with thee
but now, i'd rather be, there.....in my cozy nook
to slowly scan through the pages of a thick book

my life...a hardbound, glossy-paged book, rimmed with brown and gold
where half of my pages still choose to be unturned, unread, and untold
while half...the rest of me, dog-eared or otherwise, have started to unfold.
  

Sally


Copyright September 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

Across the house,
There's something going on
Sounds louder than ordinary
A discussion maybe
Exchanging views
They are shielded by the hanging leaves
Of a row of banana plants
Heads are bowing...then rising

Suddenly....a loud mix of sounds ...

A light wind blows, banana leaves sway
And the heads of those present spew
Angry meows,  
And arrrs,
And  hrrrs
And growls,
And grrrrs
And the enraged yelling of a human's voice
Overpower the soft, scared purring
In one corner...

Soon,
Inch by inch...
Three, four, striped stray cats, with a few kittens in tow
Distance  themselves
Away from a big, wide platter of food,
Being selfishly devoured
By two big mongrels, of brown and white...
The Feline Forum, supposed to be with free dinner,
Is over
Has just been disrupted
By unwanted visitors
Starving intruders that came by
This  early evening.

It is dusk...I see fire...I see both dogs
They're black as coal...fiery red-eyed...and triple-horned
Holding on to each of their tridents
I wish they'd go to hell....where they belong.


Sally


Copyright October 8. 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

i cried a river
(fourteen lines)

my restless soul had sailed on troubled waters
while deep inside,
it wept...unceasingly,  
it wept too long,
til it had cried a river
then came a point, when
i had to deal with the consequences of my actions
a most painful moment, to see the victims of my decisions
i wanted to reach out to them...touch them...comfort them
but, i couldn't...
for, i am now floating...drifting with the water flowing
and so, i now face my next life
i do not deserve a restful one...but i do wish for that
i am still lost...groping...even here...but, i must sail on...


Sally

Copyright September 30, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

I'm
breathing
hurriedly...i'm
r e m e m b e r i n g
c o n c e n t r a t i n g
trying  to  p i c t u r e :
~~ A ~~


P--lethora of trees, flowering plants...across and beyond...surround the

L--ustrous surface of the rushing blue green water...spraying...  
     nourishing
A--maranths and azaleas, with its windblown mists...refreshing.....see,

C--reeping creatures underwater could not ruin the quietude it emits

I--nimitable is its Serenity...nothing else is at par.............its

D--impled surface, tiny ripples running, creating streams of dreams...
     whispering


W--ords...a gentle massage, washing away rage, misery...like precious

A--methyst, jade, citrine and crystals...shimmering down under,  
      rebuilding, helping
T--urquoise, gently touch with its sea blues...above, under...wherever

E--merald waters, against red carnelian rocks...to weather...endure...to

R--escue someone reeling...patiently...with words mollifying...and  
     sprays of
S--alty mists..soothing pensive eyes, mind, soul...cleansing...healing  
     CHAKRA...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Placid~waters~run
b e h i n d~~me
b e f o r e~~me
deep~~within
~~ m e ~~
~~~~~




Sally

Copyright September 3, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

Start slow...
     warming... up...and...below
         forty five degrees
            to the left...right...others go nineties...
       some freeze...from locked knees
   they don't mind...they'll recover
          before the hour is over...

Detach self
    from what
       surrounds
             but...still aware
                connected...
            agitation
        soon to be lessened
   eventually....calmed

Focus...
   exercise
       stabilize
    synchronize
        visualize
     internalize
  energize!

Endure!
               An ant bites at the back of your ear
         something's  crawling on your tummy
     beads of sweat, drop across your eyes,
or inside your ear...you feel the cold touch within
    
A bee, a wasp...sometimes, a fly
      circles very near your face
           makes your wall of
                concentration, crumble
              tempting you to lose count
          of the movements
      testing you...
   if you might still stray...even
      a step away...
          if, to your weaknesses
      you would still succumb

          will you be distracted?
             or stay focused?

Let eyes, and mind blink
     One...two...three...quickly!
            be grounded!
                stay on the right track.....

               Exercise!
               ...visualize....
               ... internalize.....
               ...never give up!



Sally


Copyright September 21, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan