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471 · May 2016
HAVE YOU EVER...
Sally A Bayan May 2016
Have You Ever-

felt the blazing sun too hot, it ****** your skin?
then, suddenly, falls a downpour of raindrops so thin.


Have you ever
seen steam rise from hot surfaces doused by the rain?
have your hands, ever
let go of a hot plate, or a hot pan due to burns and pain?

Have you ever
stopped to think and wonder
why...........why
when so inspired
your flow of rhymes
in midstream, suddenly dies?

Have you ever
reached that point, where
the minutes, hours,
days, weeks, months of each year,
where...every breath you take,
is wasted waiting? And for your sake,
every drop of patience...you manage to imbibe,
and then you fight, every struggling second in your life.

Have you ever felt.....a brokenness
a spreading...widening blackness?
numbed you in the heat; in the cold, you almost froze
your lips do bleed...but no one sees, til they're too close
because, you cover them with bright colors...for show
you bear no signs of belligerence      
your pained moans and screams of resistance,
............................fall,
and get lost in a dark abyss...a  huge hole
...you open your mouth...
and, like a wind that howls....you shout,
in that immeasurable depth, your voice glows, like embers,
yet, nobody knows...it's you, who always remembers.

You, are soaking wet...tap water continues to pour
bath tub overfills with stained, pained water all over the floor
the anesthetized edges of your brokenness, now cooled...softened,
go down the drain, and there, they get to be unfettered,
they flow out of your system, these bottled feelings;
even a brief moment of break...of freedom,
should be appreciated...

Have you ever thought of gratitude?


Sally


Copyright May 21, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
(by Creedence Clearwater)


Someone told me long ago
There's a calm before the storm,
I know; it's been coming for some time.

When it's over, so they say
It'll rain a sunny day,
I know; shining down like water.

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain
Coming down on a sunny day?

Yesterday, and days before,
Sun is cold and rain is hard,
I know; been that way for all my time.

'Til forever, on it goes
Through the circle, fast and slow,
I know; it can't stop, I wonder.

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain
Coming down on a sunny day?

Yeah!

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain
Coming down on a sunny day?
467 · Sep 2021
Continuance
Sally A Bayan Sep 2021
(A gloomy, rainy Sunday...4:50 pm)

Sundown comes, and takes with
it, the spirit, the lilt of the day.
it wearies, and wanes...restless
minds succumb to acquiescence
and introspection at day's end,

the dark calms the world...

we thank God, for saving us one
more long day...from misfortunes,  
diseases, from the evils of humanity.

on lengthened gloomy days,
ashen hues of displeasure
ebb and flow, born from hushed
questions...dying unanswered,
it's hard at times, to keep on loving
all that we love...do everything we
love doing, with the same longing
and enthusiasm...as before.

to be, or not to be,
to do, or not to do,
to love, or not to love---
how do you practice continuance,
while reeling upon the murky
mid streams in life?

what if, we are suddenly,
summoned...to back off from
existence, take a final break?

do we carry resentment
wherever we may end up?
whatever second life awaits us?

our weary souls take rest, these
wonderings fade, as we close our
eyes at night...rising to a hopeful
sunrise, to wondrous chirpings of
birds...to rooster's calls...to water
flowing from the faucet...the sweet
smell of maple syrup and freshly
made pancakes, and sniffs of coffee
brewing...songs and scents of a new
morning, then, sun peeps through
slits and spaces, melting last night's
dark perspectives...a continuance
occurs...another day to tackle.


.:::::::.
::        ::
         ::
       ::
      ::
      ::
      
      ::
        
  :::::::::::

   sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
   August 25, 2021
#morning #continuance #sallyb
462 · Jun 2014
GHOSTS
Sally A Bayan Jun 2014
Ghosts

Children's voices from a nearby school
have softened
and slowly faded away...
the streets are cleared: no more school buses,
all gone
for the day...
people, stray dogs and cats are free,
roaming the streets,
having fun in the fading light,
even as the dark spreads...
faster, and
wider...

evening quickly creeps upon us,
the dark descends lazily on our
weary minds and bodies...
it roosts on our self-confidence,
too long at times...filling spaces
between moments of fresh air
and deep sighs...
sending in unwanted thoughts
things we would rather not remember...
but---
dismal light from a lamppost
sneaks in through the windows,
and creates shadows that sway
and dance on the wall...
dormant figures gain consciousness,
dragons unconquered start to waken...
out in the dark they emerge:
blag!  blag!  .blag!  
heavy footfalls bringing tremors,
breathing out red flames,
and start spreading terror...

in the midst of a spacious arena
is where we find ourselves...
vulnerable, stripped of our courage,
hiding.....from these blinding,
fiery and scary scenes...
from earthbound ghosts of a dark past
that cower over us...
it is true, darkness fades with every morning,
it is also true,
ghosts come visit every once in a dark evening...

tonight is dark and quiet,
out here in the cold
and pitch black darkness,
i know they would come,
i could feel this weird coldness,
from a weird ghost of the past...
night of all nights!

i must not fall...

i am not alone in the dark!



i am not alone in the dark...

i am not...


for


warm is your one hand, now under my elbow,
the other, lightly resting on my shoulder...
you came, my dearest.
oh, please, let not your hands learn to
hold another's warm body.

may your eyes never stray from mine,

may your arms never falter,
may they never slide,
may they never
fall,

may you always,
a l w a y s,
hold  me right
never loose, never too tight
just hold me
firmly.






Sally

Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A Bayan
461 · Jun 2018
F A T H E R S
Sally A Bayan Jun 2018
(a Father's Day acrostic, reposted...edited)


F-athers don't always show their feelings, they're not

A-s demonstrative and warm as most mothers are...yet,

T-heir love is deep...beyond measure....it's amazing

H-ow they hold their weak moments, without a tear falling...they're

E-steemed...like a statesman of enduring greatness...silently,

R-apidly perceiving the needs of their children, their family...always

S-elfless, as mothers are....to FATHERS, family is  their priority...

::::::

A father is made of  concrete,
hard as stone...a bit creviced at times
.......yet, always replete
with pebbles of love...and warmth, especially
when he nears the threshold of his home
to his children, his heart is soft as satin
...in his home, he is the hearth...the wall
........the love for his family,
............a fire burning within him:::



Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
    June 17, 2017
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL THE FATHERS
AND GRANDFATHERS OUT THERE!!!
460 · Dec 2016
Melted Snow
Sally A Bayan Dec 2016
(10W X 3)

Snow covers the grass...now,
Like frozen tears, melting
Graying...

Fallen dry leaves...trapped,
Buried underneath white,
Cold wind bites.....

Sunlight dazzles,
Brownish grass breathes,
Crystal meltings flow,
They sparkle...


Sally

Copyright December 19, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
...out in the cold, watching snow melt, setting grass free...
460 · Nov 2021
The Hopeful Wait
Sally A Bayan Nov 2021
(This was inspired by Pradip's comments on
      an old  poem  of mine,  "Anticipation."
          It's been a year since...and i still
             go back to that poem, to read
                his words.....to recall the
                    countless waitings i
                        went through in
                              my life.)


Pradip Chattopadhyay › Anticipation
Anticipation is such a perfect word Sally for the hopeful wait.
Let's hope we come out of it more resilient more humane.



THE HOPEFUL WAIT

We wait for something to
take place...desperately,
we count the days, the hours,
for a wish to materialize,

a small voice whispers
encourages us to hang on,
to not think of the waiting
as a difficulty,
like, a cross to bear,
because.....it is not...

the waiting time, the passing
hours, are journeys where
epiphanies unfold, and clarify
our dimmed perspectives.

while we wait, while battling
adversity and weariness,
we must make sure to fortify
our faith, our determination,
our patience, and not go the
opposite way...

some may not agree...but, there is
wisdom in what could be, where
none is certain...we see its beauty
when recalling the waiting.....life
teaches us to welcome, to embrace
the uncertainty....to trust the wait.

............
.........
.....


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
  November 27, 20
(Thank you, Pradip!)
459 · Jul 2023
Voices
Sally A Bayan Jul 2023
(10wx4)

Fading rays
of sunset
concede,
to welcome
shadows
of dusk.

Myriads of
sparkling stars
stupendously
complement
the dark indigo sky.

On
cold nights,
full moon's glow
numbs
the day's
wounds.

Life's smooth
and
serrated edges,
create
voices
in one's writing.


sally b
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
June 9, 2023
452 · Jun 2022
A Lone Star
Sally A Bayan Jun 2022
~>/~ * ~<~\
In the middle of my chaos,
in moments of despondency,
a lone bright star shines,
and holds every piece of me,
together,
~~~~~~~
always "there,"
from a distance,
but ever near
to catch me
if i fall.
~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
::::::::::::::::::


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
June 7, 2022

#God #deadfamilyfriend #lovedone #lonestar #sallyb
451 · Dec 2018
Gems
Sally A Bayan Dec 2018
It had been days and nights of rain,
sun shone this morning, and gave
sparkle and luster to tiny drops
on leaves of the Norfolk pine.
shafts of rays revealed
crystals and diamonds
upon layers of green.
what lovely gems,
the sun creates.

Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
December 31, 2018
450 · Oct 2016
L A T E R
Sally A Bayan Oct 2016
Later...

Arriving by dark...at the house...
I am nearer the closed front door,

but, i wait....'til my nose.....almost levels your arm
we both stop..........you  look me in the eye

suddenly..... you plant a kiss on my forehead
you're a bit taller, still...we look at each other,

eyes glow...they do best, to communicate...faster

..................."later," ..............

i got the message.....without the voice

warm breaths    intensify...fingers   touch   lightly
exploring possibilities.........expecting,
the  affirmation....of a promise....for more:

.................................. "now!" .......................

you open the door....for me..........................


Sally

Copyright October 14, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
...an old poem...
Sally A Bayan Nov 2013
D i n n e r    d o n e...

                  W i n e   d o n e...

               D e s s e r t   d o n e...

                       D o n ' t   n e e d   d a r k   c o f f e e......


     Sally

       Copyright 2013
        Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
446 · Jan 2019
Being There
Sally A Bayan Jan 2019
. . . /\ . . .
_______


Every ticking of the clock
there occurs some bad or good acts
they could be organized, or unkempt,
yet, nothing, or no one could pre-empt
our thoughts.....there's not a hint of rage
just questions on being there on a big stage,
called life, like a puppet...or pulling your own
strings...fighting abuse when that moment is born,
the fear to err...in making a vital decision
to reel, when marked as  a failed person,

who wants to be censured......or judged,
be disheartened by an ugly smudge?

it's almost unwelcome, to hear scrutiny
wary of doors shutting on you, with finality

it's hard not to hear people's words
when they hit the ears
and the chest.............like swords,
a hostile wind.....a strange silence...are felt,
loud in their echoes,
........no human heart is ever made of pelt.

faith and hope
........embolden the spirit to persist,
to rise from all storms in life
...............to still exist...

when the winds blow nonstop,
............................is, i believe,
God's way of fanning the fires,
........................of our will, to live,
we  go on breathing
...................we survive......

Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
January 26, 2019
444 · Aug 2021
Purposes
Sally A Bayan Aug 2021
(Be Relevant)


By a beading table, is where i sit,
a few steps across a desktop corner,
a sky-lighted, cozy space, a vantage
point where i see and hear clearly, as
i'm easily heard and seen...close to
the kitchen, where home scenes and
sounds...and scents of home-made
food, inspire and influence creativity.

here is where i mend torn garments,
repair anything that must be mended.
here, i'm found when my presence,
my sentiments and advice are sought,
when they ask what's for dinner, or,
just wanna hug...reasons for one's
existence, speak loud, just as my
thoughts...speak loud, too.

"is this why i'm here in this world?
why i was created here, and not in
other livable spaces in the universe?"

purposes and roles come to mind,
when hope is nowhere, and thoughts  
of an ungrateful world, an ungrateful
surrounding, drag on...

while the rest are still hushed by
the twilight of dawn, my eyes are
half-closed, but the mind is already
up and about...deaf and blind to
disappointments and frustrations,
oblivious to estrangements,
because,
family...is always a priority.

no arguments, just a choice...to
live through this purpose-driven life,

to be relevant,

to be involved, to be a part of the
whole...as long as time allows.  

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

sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
    August 15, 2021
Happy Sunday everyone!
I miss you all.
May happy thoughts prevail on this rainy August morning <3
440 · Oct 2014
RECALLING AN AUTUMN PAST
Sally A Bayan Oct 2014
It is showering outside, the air, now colder,
for the first time, i see a tree quiver,
leaves are falling, and blown towards the gutter,
amazing! to have witnessed our own version of fall,
a strong wind blows, shaking off leaves from a tree so tall...
no orange leaves, no fuschia or purple, not even yellow ochre...
this time of the year, they are verdant still, so alive are their colors
mostly yellow-green, some, brown, red, others are like feathers,
falling lightly on the ground, where grass...is always greener.

We are in the last quarter of the year,
soon October ends, comes November...
i am reminded of those cold, cold nights
i had painstakingly survived,
exactly the time i came down with the flu
after roaming a backyard so wet with icy dew...
But this is one season i want to experience anew,
the freezing mornings i always woke up to,
looking forward to oven-toasted corn bagels
and steaming coffee on the table...

I recall that walk through the rumble...
when it rained, i ran and almost stumbled
while searching, imagining a place
where i could chance upon a face...

It mattered not, the anxiety and fear
i felt the longing to be near...
there were only strangers in the view
no hope, not even a trace of a clue...

It was enough to be standing there
in that immeasurable open air,
looking down to the theatre...
i couldn't breathe, the truth was so stark
it choked me...i left before dark...
my enthusiasm was in vain,
like the falling rain...
it flowed, deep...down the drain...

Dream had finally ended...done...and gone...
the day, saved by memories of the late John Lennon..

Before silent nights and silver bells become dominant tunes,
i would like to rise to a similar morning...feel that cold day anew
hear the whispers of the wind, of an Autumn i once knew,
an Autumn past that echoes to this day...haunts me in my solitude...

Sally
Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
433 · Nov 2018
Changing Hats
Sally A Bayan Nov 2018
Maybe, we're just walking...or working,
merely going through our daily grind,
suddenly, the unexpected pops up,
something hard to ignore...we react...

when circumstances call for it,
mothers and fathers become doctors,
other times, to  plumbers, or carpenters,
even ministers of the church...

some folks, after their nine to five stints,
volunteer....to mingle with despondent
souls, like prisoners... reach out to them,
as priests or trusted friends do......
some swim, or paddle through floodwaters
to give food and supplies to flood victims,
others cross through fires to save lives,
others care for orphaned, or abandoned kids...
nurses, doctors,  even ordinary citizens,
walk the extra mile...help those lost in their
own illnesses.....to find themselves back.
............................the list never ends...

"mysteries" always unfold before us,
their purposes are incomprehensible, but,
they turn us into healers, therapists, carers,
we, at times become miracle workers...

even cold-hearted people were born
with seeds of love embedded within them
in some mysterious ways, the willingness
to change hats occurs, when the need arises...


Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
October 29, 2018
429 · May 2016
WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN?
Sally A Bayan May 2016
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
***elections are nearing...***
Sally A Bayan Aug 2014
Coming home
From a hard day's work,
Exhausted from the noise, stress
And confusion of the outside world,
Where silence and comfort are nowhere,
The pool caught my weary eyes...
Its aqua-blue water, as always, invites as it undulates,
Soothing the eyes, the mind,
Healing the soul, even by just watching
Its noiseless and slow movement...
Its call...I can never resist...

Toes feel the water, then dip both feet up to ankles,
The coolness permeates every pore on my skin...
Finally, I plunge into the cold comfort of the giant puddle....

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

I close my eyes

I give out a sigh

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

Peace cradles me, as the clear blue water moves me, here...there...
I don't want to fight the swaying current...
I just want to stay there, floating, for a while...

Released am I, feeling so pure, dripping wet under the shower...

When I am so sick or too tired, nothing beats a splash of tap water on my face...
Why is that?

My restless feet are soothed and stilled when soaked in lukewarm water...

Why does a small pail of water, when poured over my head, my whole body,
Miraculously, brings me back to my senses?
Like a new born ME has come into this world.....


What is it about water?


Sally

Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
*** Many thanks to Sjr...I read his "The Bells Of Civilization," and two words caught my eyes. ***
(nothing much to offer, but something to ponder on...)
423 · Sep 2022
Moon Glow
Sally A Bayan Sep 2022
A cold midnight wind blows.
underneath a moon glow,
silhouettes of leaves, sway
with an enchanting grace,
while “Sabor A Mi” plays.


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 21, 2022
422 · Feb 2017
WITH THEE
Sally A Bayan Feb 2017
(Edited...reposted)


Time and past circumstances keep us in fetters
Long ago, I sketched this place on paper...
.............a beautiful oasis......
Where trees with long swaying branches surround
Along a placid stream, where crystal waters abound.

This is where i go
When feeling sad, or aglow,
I simply close my eyes
And easily....I am in an isle...

A place created by me
Not just you or I exist, but WE,
It could only be shared WITH THEE...
This, I have aply named, THE ISLE OF WE...

While working on this magical space
My brush strokes just fell into place
Not one, not two ever strayed,
With hues of aqua-blue, foam green...never blae.

I'm between a dream and reality
It is where you are, it is where I want to be
When I keep to myself, when I close my eyes
I am instantly here, in this isle
Perfectly...beside you,
Holding hands, we take in the view

Paradise is here,
In this unknown sphere,
From this isle, I would never flee
Where only I, exist.....WITH THEE.

    


Sally

Copyright February 9, 2017 (edited)
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
Love poem # 5
:( blue, gloomy day, right here, right now :(
418 · Oct 2017
ITCH
Sally A Bayan Oct 2017
(Candles)

A different kind of wind murmurs
a humming repeatedly echoes
restless birds fly round and round
a ball bounces up, down...back and forth
all of these, amassed in one's awareness
like an itchy patch on the skin,
...nagging...

there're many reasons for sobbing
but few are heard,
cries of discontent, of despair,
of mourning, from waves of violence
man-made, and natural disasters...

babies are born under the sun, 'neath
bridges...growing up, bathing, under the
falling rain, in floodwaters of many seasons,
in rivers without warmth and passion...
they get older...get used to those waters,
becoming dark-skinned...red-skinned,
some remain fair-skinned, with disheveled hair
faces aren't smiling...not all are willing
to share their questions...just their needs...
they need plenty....they seek free time
free knowledge, especially food and shelter,
whatever could be spared...and shared
for them to survive...
the world needs new avenues, new routes
for those reaching out, but could not...

a spark...is where it all starts...
the world needs candles to light
keep them burning bright,
flames, be enforced...empowered
protected from being blown...to resolve
even a bit, of the nagging itch...

one would think...it's kinda impossible
yet the thought is countered right there and then

    with God...nothing is impossible!


Sally

Copyright October 7,  2017
rrab
414 · Apr 2023
Coffee, or Tea...
Sally A Bayan Apr 2023
<>
In the soft early morning light
of a quiet, peaceful kitchen,
some of us
make coffee, or tea,
while air is still cold,
the house,
still devoid of human noise.
<>
Fingers are slow and gentle
while stirring.
the careful touch of teaspoon
to cup is the only sound heard,
no voices, just the breathing
of a silenced heart...could be,
<>
A heart filled with hope...or a
broken heart, courageously
trying... to forgive...to forget;
it may be a heart  quivering
from unnamed fears...on its own,
in an unidentified darkness.
<>
Maybe, it's the heart of one
who seeks something meaningful
to say, or write, but, often end up
with mediocre stuff...
<>
These sleepless hearts are always
up early…savoring quiet air,
avoiding human conversation,
finding a perfect ally in cups of
coffee, or tea that provide warm
tolerance...silent witnesses to
sagging spirits...the first ones to
hear our contented or heavy sighs,
because,
once in a while, life makes us
seek the calm, the peace
emitted by the steam, rising
from a cup of hot coffee, or tea.

<>

sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
    March 22, 2023
413 · Dec 2019
Rap-Tap
Sally A Bayan Dec 2019
(The Chaos)



Sing your blues in rap,
let restive feet start to tap,
rap'n tap your gripes!

a touch of humor
should lighten..ease discontent,
learn to rap...and tap!

words and steps can rhyme
find tempo ’midst the chaos
chin up......rap, then, tap!

in the Christmas air
rap your blues...sky will hear, as,
heels, toes ...touch the floor

the world suffers, too,
find ways to save our planet
speak...dance...let's rap-tap!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::::


Sally

Cop­yright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
December 24, 2019
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!
410 · Sep 2014
Whispers
Sally A Bayan Sep 2014
(Love letter 2)

Dear Wanderer,

Already many months have gone by
Hurting times are slowly passing by
Trying moments, I hardly get by.

What could you be thinking of at this moment?
Don't you feel pricking pain in your chest?

I sense your nearness
I can't see you, but, I feel you.....
The air seems to tell me you are close by...
Tell me, why can't the past seem clearer,
Things are blurry, like windows on a stormy weather,

I imagine you,
Staring at me with wide-eyes
And I, staring back at your azure eyes...
I know Somebody up there hears my prayers,
But you...
Why do you seem deaf to my whispers?

My soft gentle words are carried by the wind,
To your ears, why can't they be destined?

Where have you gone now, dear wanderer?
When will you ever hear my whispers?

Why did your smiles
Last just for a while?

I am getting wearier,
One day, I may no longer wonder...

Please, we don't have forever,
Come fetch me now, dear wanderer
Now...or it may be never.

Me-

Sally

Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
409 · Mar 2014
SEARCHING...ENHANCING
Sally A Bayan Mar 2014
(A Five-in-One...)

The seasons have been dreary,
My eyes are now weary...
I have read a lot, though i still read...
peace, following a good deed
seems so far-fetched..
though the days have stretched...
a tiny voice, i hear...
a whisper, and i quiver
telling me of malcontent...asking me what i want
what i am looking for...for long, not just this instant
there's time, it said
of a road i must tread...
something is lacking
can't explain this wanting...
it unsettles,
i end up in frazzles...
a feeling of vacuity arises
signals the inception of crises,
even more magnified ......
as i search my heart deep inside
looking through my soul
almost sure to find a hole
it must have been rended
waiting, to be mended
must patch it up with new beginnings,
anticipating enhanced endings...
these thoughts leave me with a sigh, questioning,
one that is continuing... never ending...

WHAT MUST I DO?
WHERE DO I GO?
HOW FAR?

NO GREAT LAUGHS LATELY...
ALL EMPTY, THESE  ROARS AND GIGGLES...

MISSING THOSE BEAMS...
MY INNER SMILES OF JOY
PEACE, CONTENTMENT...

far...or near
by air, land or sea,
i shall travel that road
i must seek the light,
the voice,
the answer...
to give way to
the winter of my discontent...

Sally

Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
408 · Aug 2021
Forest
Sally A Bayan Aug 2021
/|\ /|\
/|\ /|\ /|\
/|\ /|\ /|\ /|\ /|\
   """""  
Whether  composed,
ailing...or up and about,
i'm always roaming
in this untouched forest,
where trees are tall with
inspirations...abundantly
blooming with lovely
words and phrases...and,
i always find you there.

i see you peeking, at the start
or, in the middle,
at the end...even between
the lines of a poem.

you're bound to mind
by indestructible ropes
made from vines and roots
of a durable tree...you seem
to be, unthinkably permanent,
not  even Chopin's etudes,
or Schubert's serenade
could unbind you.

you emerge from buckets i fill
with water, or from the ***
where i make meat sauce...you
rise amongst tangled leaves of
the asparagus fern, or the crisp
and fragrant oregano plants.

there, you dwell pensively
within my forest of thoughts
because............because,
you are the poem,
the longest, i ever wrote.
~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~
~~~~~
sally b


©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
August 22, 2021
408 · May 2023
In Repose
Sally A Bayan May 2023
(last night)

The day’s raging rains
finally stopped,
humid summer winds,
cooled into soothing breezes.
:::::::::::::::::
a pink, purpled sky
quickly darkened,
calls of crickets,
croaks of frogs
they got lost in the air.
the day’s noise segued
to a soft echo of voices,
.............f a d i n g
..........g r a d u a l l y
::::::::::::::::::::::
'til burning worries
of the mind were calmed,
forgotten for the night.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::
lights turned somber
and amplified a spreading,
much awaited
silence.

All found their places,
their own shelter
in the comforting dark.
nature...was in repose.




sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
      May 17, 2023
406 · Sep 2015
Shower Therapy
Sally A Bayan Sep 2015
(a repost...from 2013)

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

I am underneath
My eyes closed
Its warmth cascading
Refreshing
Alleviating
My soul, reflecting
Its touch, soothing
Cooling
Calming
So relaxing
I am extending
For my blues, I'm chasing,
Away~~~with the water flowing
My pain...disappearing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~­­~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SHOWER  THERAPY

   by

  Sally

      Copyright 2013
     Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
406 · Mar 2017
Winter Haikus
Sally A Bayan Mar 2017
Let not freezing winds
numb, or paralyze your thoughts
give them tunes...write them!

Let the warmth of words
melt frozen inks of winter
spring...is setting in...

Sally

Copyright March 19, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan

>>>>><><<<<<
405 · Mar 2018
CIGARETTE
Sally A Bayan Mar 2018
::::::::

...measured footsteps were hushed
....but the floor squealed and creaked
......door slowly, carefully was opened,
.........the hinges...all but squeaked...

cool sea breeze rushed in,
through the glass windows
...and half-opened door,
...stoking the ember of a cigarette
...resting on an ash tray....barely half-smoked...

flowered curtains danced and swayed
cigarette smoke snaked......and spread
within the small space of the sala,
white smoke...blended with the room's gray mood,
...and the low lamp glow.....while on the radio,

Miles Davis' "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,"
........................played on...

there was too much noise
in the silence  that wrapped
the cottage........thundering...yet,
unheard, by the lady seated on the floor,
silent...with a cold gaze...agape...though, not
of splendor...from the creamy full-moon above,
her one hand, a few inches from her throat
that hurt so much....fingers reaching,
...towards her slim, silky neck....gasping,
....catching precious breath
'til there was no more......just death...
smoke was fading,
from the cigarette's dying ember...

.............radio was playing,
................"Every Breath You Take."



Sally

Copyright March 12, 2018
rrab
"Every Breath You Take" sang  by The Police...
404 · Jan 2015
LIGHT ALONG THE WAY
Sally A Bayan Jan 2015
A
S
w e
.tread
....along
...the paths
.of life,  comes
a time when roads
t u r n   to  z i g z a g s
sometimes beaten, painful
to walk on...and the blue sky
darkens to gray...and the clouds
hide from us, and the sun sets, and
we need some rays to guide us through.
]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
From nowhere
.........any hour
y o u    appear
b r i g h t     as
morning  s u n
your   BEAMS
ILLUMINATE
you are a light
that guides us
.....through the
[[[ D A R K ]]].

...For Timothy...

Sally
Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario
My humble gift to you Timothy...Happy birthday!!!
400 · Nov 2014
SEASONS CHANGING
Sally A Bayan Nov 2014
Seasons Changing
  (14X10)


First five months, things are taken in stride, everything easy,
One day at a time...summer sun makes me lazy...
June, July, and August are unpredictably sunny, rainy or stormy...
Days start to become dreary, the downpour affects me deeply
Yet, my heart beats faster now...these months stir anxiety,
Reminders come regularly now, as the hours pass by swiftly...
Expectations, rising... I meet September winds with much longing,
As I count the hours, the days, the weeks approaching...
The moment is here...busy October has gone, finally over,
I feel the chilly winds of December, in early November...
My whole body shivers, almost surrendering to this bursting cold,
As a blanket warms me and my socks-wrapped frozen toes...
Autumn colors, snowy sights, and freezing nights overcome me...
But somber thoughts, moments, travel with me, on this evening flight.



Sally

Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
400 · Jan 2017
Rock Salt
Sally A Bayan Jan 2017
(10w x 3)

:::::
people see in you
what you wish them to see
:::::

:::::
but your mirrors don't lie,
truth radiates
its own light...
:::::

:::::
you may show rock salt,
.......i still see sugar granules
:::::
:::::

Sally


Copyright January 31, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
398 · Feb 2017
THEY SAY.....
Sally A Bayan Feb 2017
....love is a gamble
relationships are a gamble...
they say,
"tis better to have loved and lost
than never to have loved at all,"
it's a quote cliched...overused, but,
countless times, proven true...

for, no man is an island,

we weren't created to be alone...
we were taught, brought up...to love,
to pass on, the love we were given...

it is a wheel...a process
an inevitable cycle,
love comes....love goes,
it ebbs...and it flows...
there are those who have hurt,
are still hurting.....
yet, they still go on, trying...loving...

for, what is life, without love?

it is death, it is hell...without love...

they say' it's nonsensical....it's foolish,
yet, we humans...take risks
the human heart, most times, forget,
it gives...without counting the cost,
It fights..unmindful of the wounds
it loves...in the shadow of God,

for, our faith always teaches us,

"Love is patient, love is kind.
   It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails..."

(1 Corinthians 13: 4-8)



Sally

Copyright February 14, 2017

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
(Happy Valentine's Day to all !!!<3 )
396 · Feb 2018
Wednesday Morning
Sally A Bayan Feb 2018
Am

looking at the ceiling

eyes are fixed on the

white rotating blades

turning around slowly

......oh so slowly

......the monotony

..........hypnotizes me



everything around me

every sound or action

is moving like a snail



the ticktocks of the clock

are droning

the water inside the kettle

is boiling without a sound, i think

thin slices of pork marinated

in soy sauce and lime...frying,

doesn't scare me...the fight between

heated oil and soy sauce

is not as noisy...not as violent

as it had been in the past mornings



i feel them all...slow and hushed

..........as a snowfall in winter

i am thinking of winter this early hour

...yet, it's summer...so hot and humid

...........hot coffee has failed to alter

.......the weary, and dreary airs

....of this early wednesday morning...





Sally



Copyright Feb. 21, 2018

rrab
something that came up at 3 am...
392 · Nov 2017
Broken Trail
Sally A Bayan Nov 2017
...words,  at times,      f
                                       a                    
                                   l
                               l

                          in   a    

                        c
                      r
                        o
                             o
                                  k
                                e
                            d
                                  row...


when gathering thoughts
when establishing a message
when trying to put words
in their right places
...they sometimes end up
............in   w e i r d    spaces

..................r h y t h m    
is messed...it's neither a poem nor a hymn
.....falling backward
..........it sounds   a
                                    w
                                k
                                     w a r d

......everything else doesn't     j i b e ...
...........time is not ripe....
the poem's moment...is yet to arrive...


        Sally

Copyright November  5, 2017              
rrab
391 · Jul 2017
Shackles
Sally A Bayan Jul 2017
The mountain wind this evening, spreads
its cool fingers on my short hair, like a comb,
brushing strands, away from my face....while
my own fingers are tiptoe-ing, back and forth,
seeking comfort...and freedom,

they're a mix of purple and burgundy
hues and shapes that clash perfectly
they're cold, round, and heavy...
i am weighed down by colorful shackles
my wrist, choked by red, green and gold crystals
the gray of doubt and fears pull my heart lower

"O, please give way,
let my fingers, and my body sway!
let my arcs, loops, and crossing strokes
make their own moves, like frogs must croak
like cats must purr and meow...
leave the rooster alone, let him caw....."

left hand slides them one by one  on the table,
wrist...now bereft of  natural crystal shackles
shortly, this dry spell would turn into a surge
night could offer a ditty or a dirge

free hand, black pen, unicorn paper weight
crisp yellow pad....old lamp, still bright
newly sandpapered desk of pine
all are ready, one busy night...a glass of wine...


Sally

Copyright July 23, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
...kinda dry tonight,,,playing with strands of agate, sodalite, tiger's eye,
   goldstone, and other semi-precious stones...all cold to the touch...
385 · Sep 2020
Second Half
Sally A Bayan Sep 2020
⚡️🌧🍁🍂🎄

July was a sweet surprise...half way into August, and the
next fifteen days...proved to be a ghost month....its days,
painted with somber colors, and difficult times, the hours
moved slowest, the sun hesitated to shine this September.
October is uncertain.....definitely, apple pie and cinnamon
scented winds will blow.....November's cheers shall segue
into the last thirty one days of the year....December is the
busiest month, a perfect time to put on hold, sadness and
pain...a frail, fragile joy, dormant as a Rose bush in winter,
shall rest, to breathe again, to bloom again in early Spring.




Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 19, 2020
384 · Feb 2021
Coherence
Sally A Bayan Feb 2021
(10w x 4)

<3  <3  <3

Why do lovers
find coherence
in whispered
silly sweet nothings,

even just
the warm breath
of the one
who whispers,

every "ha?" and "hmm?
uttered
means the universe
to both...

there is more than
coherence
when gazes meet
and lock...
::::::::::::
::::::::
:::::
(who needs words?)
:::::
::::::::
::::::::::::


sally b


© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
  February 14, 2021
Happy Valentine's Day to all, esp. the lovebirds!
383 · Nov 2014
Think of me...
Sally A Bayan Nov 2014
Think of me...
Not
As a splinter of wood stuck deep in your flesh,
No...not  a thorn,
In your life, never a disruption...
Think of me as something extraordinary, like,
A special kind of food,
A beautiful, brilliant light,
A helping hand, an INSPIRATION...

Never mind if the reverse happens...
You can
Think of me, as, SALT...
That washes away the bitterness in your tongue
That enhances the flavor of your every taste
That clears the gray clouds in your worry-filled sky
To make the sun shine during the dullest hours in your days...

When you're  weary,
When moments have become so dreary,
Pulled lower still by melancholy...
I boost your mind, your spirit, to wonder once more, 
I fill you with jumping beans, so you'd dance on the floor...
I make your droopy eyes stare back, alive with wonder
I resurrect the excitement, the spark in your sagging spirit...
I bring MAGIC...

Think of me as, SALT...

I preserve your life,
I enrich your wit, your wisdom,
I brighten your days, I heal your pain, your woes...
I am just within your reach...

Others say, I melt,
I disappear...
In truth, most ignore my presence
Yet, I am always there, always around, 
Just neglected...
Taken for granted...
But, when thought of, nurtured again, and cared for,
I take shape in your mind, I solidify,
Once again, I become Hard as  Rock...
I could be permanent,
Stay with you,
If you'd only let me...

ThInk of me....


Sally
Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
377 · Jan 2019
Still There
Sally A Bayan Jan 2019
...it's never gone, just silent...blending,
off and on...surfacing
when at ease, or, unwinding
as grown ups....closing, opening palms
while hearing, or sharing words of wisdom...

that smiling carefree soul,
always captured...always held in awe
by colorful arches of rainbows
and swings and seesaws...
drawn to the sandy sea shore
in the spring or summer
while watching big and small kites soar
savoring freedom up in the air------
...floats upon sight of lighted Christmas trees
and red poinsettias...quivers on a cold breeze,
thrilled, when snow falls and it starts to freeze..

a fresh kicking energy within, glows,
it musn't stop....no one needs to know
about this soul...mellowed, yet young... hidden,
but not imprisoned
there're a thousand and one reasons
throughout life's alternating seasons,
the child in you and me,...must live on...


Sally

©Rosalia Rosario A. bayan
January 21, 2019
365 · Mar 2019
Crack
Sally A Bayan Mar 2019
1:00 am, 3:00 am ... most nights,
thirty minutes without warning,
restless air, chokes the pipes
when controlled, it explodes in bits
of yellow, orange , dark red and gray
skull seems to crack ... or , is it breaking now?
a darkness follows a wheezing,
desiring to spew all malaise  
expelling bad air, while chasing fresh air
praying a stillness soon rules .... . but , no,
the painful exertion persists
that  disturbing noise just goes on,
and racks one's whole being ... one's world
every rib quivers ... every fiber throbs  
eyes and veins start to bulge
as if to burst on their own...

,, ,, , for a while, a calm occurs ... yet ,
another dreaded episode lurks...

on a dark, restless night such as this,
one can only imagine
~ ~ ~ the undulating waves ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ and the blue waters ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ of the tranquil sea ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~
Sally
~ ~ ~

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
March 20, 2019

#dreaded episodes  #malaise  #severe cough
362 · Jul 2019
Haikus In The Dark
Sally A Bayan Jul 2019
🌑

Through a DARK, treed space
a selfish beam lights slim path
this DARK, moonless night.

something stirs...'midst this
spine-tingling DARK....the wind warns:
"a thousand eyes...w a t c h..."

skin is all goose bumps
cold, scared of this patch of BLACK
my pupils dilate,

six steps back, to run,
should i hear evil whispers
.........o'er hungry voices?
:::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::­:::::::::::::::::::
"whsh, whsh, whsh......kitties?"
green, grey eyes rush...one limps, yet,
all share the fish......."meow..."


Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
    July 19, 2019
(A scary night on a scary vacant lot...)
355 · Aug 2017
Unbridled...Unreined
Sally A Bayan Aug 2017
Listen...feel closely
there's freedom in the atmosphere

the wind is
unrestrained...unbridled
it doesn't choose,
it touches anything it comes across
the trees, the roofs
the mountains and hills...the sea
takes even the humble dust, anywhere it blows...

it touches my skin...my soul,
it dries the sweat of my being, my whole
to my skin...it is cold...

nothing...no one
slows it down
except,
One, who tames the wind...
~~~
There is freedom moving in circles
inside...outside the waters

through the ocean, or the  smallest stream
even through the rain pouring,
water falls
flows freely by itself
unrestrained...unbridled,
transforms the humble dust,
into mud...

it touches my skin...my soul,
it dries the sweat of my being, my whole
to my skin...it is cold...

it finds its own path,
nothing...no one
slows it down,
except,
One, who stills all waters...
~~~

Sally
~~~

Copyright August 15, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
355 · Aug 2015
DUSK ll
Sally A Bayan Aug 2015
(a cluster of 10W)



When
      dusk
             is
       nigh

and
    creamy
             full
          moon's
               up
         high

:::::::
think light,
      ::::::  close your eyes

imagine skies,
       ::::::  then, slowly... s  i  g  h

::::::::

dark
    silence
            bares
       holes...

...opens
      dialogue
              'tween
                   man
                and
           soul

::::::::

inner
     self
         whispers,
                "patch
           h o l e s  ---

...amend
         ways--    
             again,
                   be
        w h o l e ---                            

::::::::

rise---when hurled to the ground
life---is a merry-go-round                                    
::::::::

...now,
      feel---
         night's
                soothing  
          calm ~ ~ ~

...nurtures
             soul    
                 like
         healing
    balm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::­::::::


Sally

Copyright July 8, 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
***Good night, folks, hope you all have sweet dreams!***
354 · Aug 2024
Here On Earth
Sally A Bayan Aug 2024
Most of us grew up believing
that after death is when one  
gets to face heaven or hell;
but, as the earth gets older,
people's eyes and minds
change with the times, turning
deeper, coming up with various
analyses and conclusions.

Some fight for what they think,
that there already exists
heaven and hell here on earth.
to experience any of the two,
we......don't have to die.

While here on earth, we see
and live...we experience
the good and the bad, and
whatever is in between; we
breathe a mix of fresh and
stale air...survive countless
hardships, physical, mental
and emotional struggles,
are we already being
rewarded, maybe being
punished, for whatever
we deserve?

At this point, i remember
my folks words:  reward
and punishment starts
here on earth, while we still
breathe and have lucid minds
to identify the colors of our
past actions and decisions,
were they right or wrong?


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
August 29, 2024
341 · Aug 2019
Universe
Sally A Bayan Aug 2019
On starry nights,
i think of the comets and meteors
that graced the starlit skies of past nights,
of falling stars i chased, as i uttered my wishes
before they disappeared at the far end
and somewhere out there....exploded

all these...were mine...they used to be mine
to hear you say, i was your rainbow...was divine
i was your sun, your source of light,
your moon...your accompanying glow at night...

.............you said..................

day or night, it wouldn't matter...
nothing could shield my glitter
we were bound by long strings of glowers,
ties.....that could never be severed

for, i.....was your universe.

yet....the moon, the sea and the tides,
the wind and the rain.....all connived,
all decided: for now, things musn't jibe
all worked together...to create space
all made the earth move, on a different pace.

we used to be rich with all the things,
.....suddenly, we ran out of everything.

our world...slowly crumbled
our paths followed suit, and swerved
yes, we were clearly breathing
but, WE....had stopped existing,

promises, declarations, then uttered,
became platitudes...stale, and dead.

i am now,
my own Universe.



Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
June 3, 2016
The monsoon season is truly affecting my poetry,
this is an old,  super sad, yet, silly love poem:)
Thank you, dear ones, for bearing with me.
340 · Jan 2018
When(s)
Sally A Bayan Jan 2018
When smiles become too often
...and things tend to be more than alright
.....when little mistakes seem tolerable
........and the past don't feel too pricky,
............when heart beats smoothly, calmly
................when things become too sweet,
...................and so sugar-y............is when
........................i start to worry...



Sally

Copyright August 2, 2017
rrab


(some nonsense from last year)
339 · Nov 2014
SPACES---IN---BETWEEN
Sally A Bayan Nov 2014
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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


In this present circumstance,
Where a choice must arise,
There is an enormous area,
Situated perfectly...to confuse...
It is too wide...I could just glide.

But, I hear murmurs of apprehension,
A path so dim and unclear, it causes deflection...

How do I deal with indecision?

It looks simple, like an easy way out,
Yet, I could not get through...
A quiver says, I musn't get through...
If I dare start my steps,
What would I find straight ahead?
Would I be smiling, in peace?
Would there be peace, yet, I, in pain?
If I turn to my right,
Would that be an act of propriety?
Would I be smiling in peace?
Would others be smiling, like me?
Or would they be in tears?
If I go left, will I be
******?
Cursed to perdition?
Would I still be smiling in peace?
Would I be the only one smiling?
Would I be kneeling down, lower?

Life used to be simple, without complications.
My mind, right now, is traveling through dark avenues,
And...there is only YOU, I can turn to.
Please.....I'm not that  bad,
I need your touch upon my head, your strength, to enlighten me
Grant that I may know...and accept the wisdom of pain,
Make me see the joy, derived from pain....

Take my hand, Lord,
Lead me away from these

S P A C E S
I N
B E T W E E N ...

I don't want to get lost...


Sally

COPYRIGHT 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
***between the straight, the left and right paths, there are spaces in between...
    In making choices or decisions, we must look beyond our own
sakes....others,    
have to be considered, as well.***
337 · Apr 2024
Rivers
Sally A Bayan Apr 2024
(haiku x 3)

Life is a river
we swim, we drift...a cycle
of rising....falling.

equanimity
is ******* soft riverbed
we reel....sometimes drown,

we give up, they dry
we fight...we breathe....rivers flow!
ripples do follow.

Sally
Copyright March 2015
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
(Wrote this a long time ago, and while writing, I thought of a fellow poet, our good  friend, Harlon Rivers.)
334 · Feb 2018
Coffee Maker
Sally A Bayan Feb 2018
Glamour, health and politics,
are ideal morning topics
blending well with hot coffee,
and, these early risers...share openly
their impassioned accounts, simultaneously
seething, with a dark and strong bubbling sea,
making the most, out of a few hours of bonding,
breakfasting, after morning chi kung
(sometimes, with family, reuniting...)
they have moved with the times and days,
subscribing to both old and acceptable new ways...
anger and dislike are voiced gently
no despair hidden...i believe, not a tad of ennui,
.......surely...

these ladies have no fancy hats,
flowered, feathered, or with colored tats
no jewels crown their heads...........just
plain hair: black, brown, long or bobbed,
no pearls grace their necks.....or gloves
that are trimmed, to hide overworked
hands, or wrinkled knuckles......they're
past their golden years, prim and proper,
their own sets of rules are flames burning,
steam rising, like those of coffee brewing
deep in their minds...their values, churning,
their inner beauty, transcending...

their mornings are like a coffee maker,
brimming with bubbles and dark swirls,
tamed, paled in mugs, when cream is added in twirls...
complex issues considered taboo,
sometimes, even plain tattoos
are discussed in hushed tones
voices agree or disagree...until froth is gone
and bubbles have simmered down...

the hours are fleeting, time passes so swiftly
one has gone...but these enterprising ladies
excitedly plan ahead, for their next assembly...

Sally

Copyright November 2, 2016
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
(an old unposted poem about my breakfast group)
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