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332 · Mar 2019
Enemies of Leisure
Sally A Bayan Mar 2019
/o\ __ /o\

The day's dry spell has ended...it's dark,
at last.......comes dusk
the hours are too slow in their flow
all else, is in slow mo
fatigue disrupts the peace...mind and body
silently complain......the regularity
of endless tasks and chores
gobbles one's lifetime...beard grays with ****
the enthusiasm that wakes the soul
before sunrise, has turned to ennui...
in the morning, the coffee urn,
brews with discontent...

a thirst for change,
twinned with fear...seems strange,
excitement and apprehension
cling to the mind...like an infection...

imagination is fecund
temptation fills every second...

this farm, is life striated with difficulties
acres of land, haunted by inherited responsibilities,
how can one be exempted from traditions
and family  expectations?
there's just no pleasure
in so much work pressure
impossible, to ignore the enemies of leisure!
it's tempting to surrender...to just loll,
to abandon all...
yet, body and mind struggle...must keep going
every morning...

an intrinsic energy within, dispels whispers at night
it is fiercest, when a candle is bright with light...
.........................................


Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
March 11, 2019
327 · Nov 2019
Hums
Sally A Bayan Nov 2019
Still without sleep this early hour,
watching waves of scenes,
almost there, atop a soundless calm,
lines, within my grasp....when
suddenly.......and loudly,
flapping wings and proud crowing
shatter dawn's placid moments...

those waves of scenes just froze
my climb....is now broken

the slumbering world has stirred
eyes open, and follow the rules of the sun
coffee-woken senses obey...

morning's peaceful hums give way to
morning's rush, and morning offerings:
sunny-side-ups, pancakes, frizzled bacon,
there's  clinking of spoons with  plates and cups
shortly, cars start revving...honking school
buses eventually fade in the moment's
busy-ness......heavy footsteps and loud
voices yelling orders take place...very soon,
dust and debris will float in the atmosphere,
grounds, buildings and bodies will quiver...

it would be difficult to defy,
huge sacrifices, progress requires,
for the good of all, we patiently succumb
.................to life's changing hums...
::::::::::
i await sunset...for much-needed aplomb,
to welcome...new waves of poetic hums...



Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
August  2019)
(one dawn in August)
323 · Jun 2017
Silence
Sally A Bayan Jun 2017
(A repost of an older poem, SILENCE, this time in french.
Please scroll down lower for the .english version...)


je
sentir
vous
tous

sur moi,
et encore, vous
un r e nulle part
n e r. C'est l'
q u i e u t d e que
b r i n g s à l'esprit tout
il est à propos de vous. vous
s'animer si je regarde vers le haut
le plafond, ou directement à travers
t h e murs, je ferme les yeux et je
vous trouverez toujours là. À ce stade, pas
la moindre s o u n d pourrait briser
le flux des souvenirs, ni ne pouvait distraire

la sérénité que j'ai toujours connu quand je suis seul,
pour, c'est dans le silence, que je vous trouve plus proche de moi ...

(Publié 1997)

Sally

Droits d'auteur 2014
Rosalia Rosario A.Bayan

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


SILENCE...

I
feel
you all
over me,
and yet, you
a r e   nowhere
n e a r.  It  is  the
q u i e t u d e   that
b r i n g s  to mind  all
there is  about you.  You
come alive whether I  look up
the ceiling, or straight   through
t h e  walls,  I close my eyes, a n d
I still find  you there.  At this  p o i n t,
even the slightest  sound couldn't  shatter  
the flow of m e m o r i e s, nor could it distract
the serenity I have always  known when I'm alone,
for, it  is in  S I L E N C E  that I find you closest to me...


(Published 1997)


Sally
Copyright 2014
Rosalia Rosario A.Bayan
I had fun with google translate :))
322 · Dec 2020
Floater(s)
Sally A Bayan Dec 2020
<o>

Eyes get weary and blurry
turning dry, sometimes teary.

fleeting specks would appear
on the ipad or desktop,
finger tip wipes them off
the screen, but, just cannot
they slide...glide...and hide,
daring spectacle-free eyes.

it's fun to indulge sometimes
when they go up, down...left to
right...but, when it's time to stop
when you feel you've had enough,
how fast they vanish,
soon as knuckles rub the eyes.

Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
December 20, 2020
(we tend to be very observant, before and after procedures.)
317 · Feb 2021
French Windows
Sally A Bayan Feb 2021
(one Tuesday morning)

Small circles of steam rise
from seething ground shiny beans
soaring just within
touching the glass surfaces
of the french windows,

celebrating mid morning blessings
sun is bright yellow, kindly shining,
simultaneously, it showers
touching...nourishing
hydrangeas, purplish wood sorrels
snake plants, lilies...and my soul.

there's laughing and hurrying to gather
near-dry clothes from the clothesline,
the rush adds fun to the day's delight,
forgetting for a while life's sad plights.

sun and rain, together,
influence my day, my life, my future
there's a small voice i always endure
i listen, though, with some pressure
to possible changes in my future

i ponder, but my eyes are captured
they stray further, as two yellow birds
perch and search for food
upon the sturdy pine tree.

eyes blink on, trying to recapture
earlier thoughts...i see, there are

no more circles of steam
to reflect on....they
have now vanished,
found their way
::::::
out--
::::::
of the
french
windows...
:::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::


sally b
© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
February 24, 2021
311 · Nov 2019
ALWAYS THERE
Sally A Bayan Nov 2019
() 

I am always there.......never cold, or still...
i float...i roam with you in your journeys,
a torch for your dimmest alleys and
corners...i may flicker, but i never waver
.......i make sure you don't fall
into hidden abysses, or black holes...
my red-yellow flame has been
burning bright, since you were born,
i will fizzle out.....the moment you die...
........I am your God-sent candle,
i bring you clarity...and enlightenment,
everpresent......in your soul.......I am
always there with you.........in your
darkest hours........day or night...


Sally
Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 24, 2019
310 · Sep 2017
Sunday Dawn
Sally A Bayan Sep 2017
(3:00 AM)


Just a few hours of sleep not a fiber of strength felt  in a body lying supine the mind so awake a rapid flow of rebelling ideas could not be contained thoughts quake needing a break in the dark of this 3am morning with the ipad providing light the body seems to languish in its own inertia only the chest rises and falls in silence behind the hills sunday dawn glows

Sally

Copyright October 1, 2017
rrab
309 · Feb 2017
LOVE'S PHILOSOPHY
Sally A Bayan Feb 2017
by
PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY


The fountains mingle with the river
   And the rivers with the ocean,
The winds of heaven mix for ever
   With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
   All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
   Why not I with thine?—

See the mountains kiss high heaven
   And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
   If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
   And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
   If thou kiss not me?

(by Percy Bysshe Shelley)
A heavily favored love poem...
307 · Apr 2020
The Feeling is Nowhere
Sally A Bayan Apr 2020
The sun has become harder to bear
this late April morning.....under
a perfect blue sky, the sun is bright as ever,
it slightly ****** the skin,
grass takes all the heat but is just as green
and still sways to the blowing wind...

we're showered with many tribulations,
bombarded with dim scenarios...revelations

of despondency, death, desperation,
......and of man's evil inclinations...

fear and confusion filter through holes
and tiniest crevices of grounds and walls,

we make do with small corners,
just to create spaces apart  from each other

we hear warnings...talks in apocalyptic
tones...we learn of events cataclysmic,

yet, we ignore earth's stormy winds and waves,
telling us.....begging us to change our ways.

we breathe, we can see, we have ears
clearly, we choose what to see and hear...
........................................................
­.......................................................
.........­.................Spring's sky is all over,
but, the lilt, the spring feeling, is nowhere
.......................................................
.­......................................................




Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
April 5, 2020
(forget the beach, be safe on home shores
  lest you get the virus and.....be abhorred.)
306 · Nov 2020
Symbiosis
Sally A Bayan Nov 2020
)/. ||..\/..||../(/

Lilies and selloum,
anthuriums, snake plants
and wood sorrels,
pink bougainvilleas and crotons
greet me every morning,
they keep green poetry alive and
in motion, as sighs of joy awaken
and nourish the brightly verdant.

i walk the few steps to the small
front garden...every breath taken
reminds me of
precious oxygen they give,
we breath out carbon dioxide,
they gladly accept...

i keep wondering,
"where, when, and how
did these mutualistic symbiotic
relationships come about?"
we would not...cannot survive
without them.

someone's, or something's refuse,
could be another's lifeline, or treasure,
no one...nothing...stays an island...


Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
November 23, 2020
303 · Sep 2023
Acknowledgement
Sally A Bayan Sep 2023
Through the years,
they have come bit by bit,
these telltale signs of one's
aging existence...glaring
changes that one can only
acknowledge, and not resist.

Especially when a fine-lined
face with a furrowed forehead
looks back at you each time
you face a mirror...or,

When knees must first gain
their momentum, before
they can stand straight,
leap, hop, or walk.

Reflective moments come
while ascending, or while
descending the stairs;
a plethora of thoughts and
scenes about tomorrows
create space, simultaneous
with heartbeats.

The hunching of the back,
the weakening of limbs
and the mind....must
be held at bay...there
are lots more unresolved  
issues to be fixed.

One wonders, how many more
sunrises and sunsets left?

sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 8, 2023
300 · Nov 2020
Land in Sepia
Sally A Bayan Nov 2020
:
:::
:::::
::::::::::
::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::
:::::
:::
:
­
Overfilled dams released
khaki-brown rainwaters, while
slate gray stormy winds brought
down houses and lamp posts,
helpless trees were uprooted,
branches, sliced off their trunks
greens became hues of dark olive-brown.
red roofs floated, fire came in their midst

rain wasn't crystal clear as it used to be
death's color became faded elephant gray
lives were snatched as hands held tight,
emotions died in those brown flood waters

2020 painted my country's canvas
with the gloomiest shades of sepia

still,
my people rise from inundation,
gray lava and tremors,
while they breathe,
they live on,
as before.
:::::::
:::::
:::
:

Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
November 6, 2020
(January 2020 started with Covid 19, Taal Volcano eruption, earthquakes, a series of typhoons, etc. etc.)
297 · Jul 2020
Water
Sally A Bayan Jul 2020
(
    )
(
    )

Afternoon and evening rains are signs
our monsoon season is nigh
yet, some wells stay in drought...isolation
can't just clear waters of stagnant emotions

i need water flowing like blood through the veins
water creating brooks below green mountains
been trying to make this water flow, but in vain

when poetry hides, days become a drag
it's like walking without protective clogs
while crossing hanging circles of fog
descending......from towering crags...


Sally

©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
July 4, 2020
296 · Oct 2020
Peanuts, Popcorn and M&Ms.
Sally A Bayan Oct 2020
(Fear)

At different times and places,
all kinds of fear enfold me.
...when they wear me out,
i claim the amazing night sky
with my dilated eyes,
i imagine gobbling a few
stars, like the way i munch
popcorn, peanuts and M&Ms
when i'm scared or worried...
sounds silly, but it's just me, taking
things lightly...enjoying
peanuts, popcorn, or M&Ms,
relaxing, while trying to be safe,
not beaten....or eaten,
by life's threatening adventures
with covid 19 and hurricanes, or,
i could be swooped and snatched
by agents Scully's and Mulder's
uncaptured aliens, who may be
lurking behind me, when i'm
deep in my fears, and
i've run out of
peanuts, popcorn and M&Ms.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::who knows?::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::
­
Sally


© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
October 31, 2020
(an afternoon spent thinking of
apple pie, while anticipating the
landfall of a super typhoon.)
295 · May 2020
Better Days
Sally A Bayan May 2020
Orange and pink hues of sunset
are nowhere...rain pours
trees are talking, leaves are fighting
the violent wind...the shutting of doors
and windows startle...and disturb

no more candle lights on the altar...prayers
have been said, tinged with whispers and
hushed giggles...the tingling of china and
silverware float in the air...the radio is off,
no more worrisome news.....what's left is,

a soothing feeling....the cool wind
makes the curtains dance...a sweet
silence breathes outside my room...both feet are
flexing...relaxing on the bed....waiting for

midnight...to end another virus-stamped day,
the rainy dark comes with a sacred stillness,
we're not over the woods, yet...but, it would be
nice to hear about less, and more:  a decline
in cases, a flat curve...a rise in recoveries...a cure,
a vaccine would disable the claws of the
evil virus......meanwhile, we keep the faith,  
as we wait...and look forward
to........better days...
>-<
tomorrow is another day.
>-<


Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
May 15, 2020
295 · Jun 2019
TOMORROW
Sally A Bayan Jun 2019
Sunday night, past eleven,
signs and sounds of life start to wane,
all have gone to their corners,
tucked in their own sleeping spaces,
another night...another week ends...
from this dark silence,
shall emerge..........tomorrow.

i am not alone...yet, i seem alone,
i seek You again...

in my lamp-lit room, i worry about
tomorrows, laden with difficult tasks.
i don't know how...or, where to start,
how to go about them....yet, i must.
they are upon my aging shoulders,
they feel really heavy...

"why me?" some nights, i ask..."take
these tasks away," i say..........when mind
clears, i take back my wish...my question,
i am reminded: some have boulders to
carry........mine are just pebbles.
here i am....complaining at this late
hour......instead of giving thanks...

forgive my worrying, my selfish whining...
if i do wake up to see another  tomorrow,
i ask for hope and strength.....there's still
much to do.....my weary mind and eyelids
surrender....God, i need Your Light.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::­::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::
(Good night, everyone!)


Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
June 16, 2019
292 · Apr 2021
Tea and Coffee
Sally A Bayan Apr 2021
)
(
(
)
☕️☕️

   
I wonder still, if you'd enjoy milked tea,
well, i'd let you....while i sip my coffee
let's gaze eye to eye and let things be.

spaces and times are not always comfy.
let's maximize, talk as we walk leisurely,
in spacious perimeters of the mind...saying
"us," and "we," first times, unconsciously,
a sight to behold, we surely could be
let's allow our feelings to unfold, shall we?

maybe, as we dine,
maybe, over wine.

by a shady banyan tree, we could stroll,
or bury our feet in the cool sandy shore
eyes and hearts are nourished lavishly
our souls, enriched generously,
as we devour the sky's infinity

we go back, refill our cups...would yours be tea
again? mine, this time, would be rummed coffee.

I soar, when our thoughts travel synchronously
sometimes, though, we're like a broken poetry

some parts of life simply cannot be changed
and i, definitely, refuse to break a chain.

and i start asking questions unceasingly,
which later, turn to crumpled poetry...
:::::::::::::::
:::::::::::
::::::::(another silly love poem)



sally b

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
April 20, 2021
289 · Jan 2023
Plafonds
Sally A Bayan Jan 2023
----------------------

Sous le plafond blanc
de notre maison,

je suis la voix
je fixe des règles
je suis reine… pourtant,

Sous un plafond de
ciel bleu clair sans limites,

Je suis
infinitésimal...

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

sally b
©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

(English Version)


Under the white ceiling
of our house,

I am the voice
i set rules
i am queen…yet,

Under a ceiling of
limitless light blue skies,

I am
infinitesimal...
:::::::::::

sally b

©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
288 · Jan 2020
Ears
Sally A Bayan Jan 2020
@  @

They're very near the brain
they're on both sides of the face;
not too far below,  throbs the heart...
these vital gifts were given to us, so we
may hear...be able to grasp what's being
said......especially, when our children are
the ones talking, speaking about school,
their fears...their dreams and goals...what
interests them...we must encourage them...
and even when they scare us...when we can't,
don't understand their ways, because they
don't agree with ours.....kindly pay attention,
hear them out...their voices, their reasons,
not just what we want to hear from them...
we drive them away from us...by imposing
our own choices on them....let us be their
guides, their friends...give them space, to
find themselves...mold their own identities...

why force our children to be Einsteins,
when they're meant to be....Shakespeares?

Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
January 14, 2020
(pearls of wisdom gathered from my granddaughter's career guidance day)
287 · Feb 2022
Late Summers
Sally A Bayan Feb 2022
~o~o~o~
Skin is the one that gets wrinkled,
it deals with the heat and the cold
of one's existence...not the mind,
the heart, or feelings...character
and determination mellow with the
passing years...brain is hidden,
but has always been gray...hair
gets visibly gray with age.
~o~o~o~
Seasons, and life's lessons
help broaden and wizen
narrow minds...a much awaited
solitude, that silent dialogue with
the soul, gives light and sense to
questions...it pays to be in touch.
~o~o~o~
Late summers have come...a face
that once youthfully beamed
with smiles...still smiles,
the grayed crown sparkles under
the sun...making it known that,
lightning still flashes in the mind,
thunder still roars through the veins.
~o~o~o~
Underneath wrinkled skin and gray,
thinning hair, there still breathes
within, a little girl or a boy...a once
young lady, or young man, now
aging men and women...more
introspective and ruminative...but,
it's still you, him, her, me...it's still US!
~o~o~o~
Not much changes, just numbers, gray
hair...lined skin, and plenty of wisdom.
~o~o~o~


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
  February 6, 2022
286 · Jan 2017
Temptations Haikus
Sally A Bayan Jan 2017
They're white flags...waving,
on stretched dreary nights, til morn,
when breeze blows stead'ly...

they're screened slideshows of
dreamed moments......a face, a name,
tease the aching  heart...

thoughts of what's not here
stir the mind and the senses,
when eyes are closed shut

sober moments break,
pieces shimmer in the dark
................serenity fades...

i look up...beg, that
my dreams and wishes, become
miracles...from God...


Sally


Copyright January 6, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
278 · Aug 2017
Q-Tips
Sally A Bayan Aug 2017
(remembering)

Was still in the shower
draped with a thick towel
shook head...whisked drops of water
combed dripping short hair with fingers,
then reached for Q-tips,
dried right ear,
another tip...for the left.......suddenly,
the world went silent...utterly...totally!
.......i saw  my eyes froze
...the mirror, was too close...


i had forgotten...i sometimes do,
it's now ten.....and six months,
from that early mornin'

when distant sounds...cruel truths,
pursued me without respite...but, God is always good,
after my storm, came that proverbial calm,
indescribable!...that suddenness....the quietness
of those fireworks bursting...in front of my eyes
they unfolded...and enfolded...
easing out...the gravity of consequences,
slowly......i accepted truths.....and changes...
never skipped thanksgiving......i now know
when, and when not to keep fingers crossed...
those were days of clasped  hands, in prayer,
believing.....some good always comes out
....of a dark, or soundless moment...

i guess, Q-tips will always scare me...the
struggle is alive....seems dead other days
...but, a kind of warm glow eases my fears...
when in total silence, i believe, somehow,
someone will come, and hold my elbow...


Sally

Copyright August 19, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
275 · Apr 2022
Platform
Sally A Bayan Apr 2022
:::
The sound of a train departing,
halted my world from turning.

I wondered if,
on a spur of the moment, will i be
brave enough? have the courage to
buy a ticket to an unknown destination?
leave without a suitcase? without a plan?
::::::::::::::
would i be ready for some other life?
away from my known zone?
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
w­ould i dare step onto the platform?
and enter the train?
::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::­:
:::::::::
a cacophony of doubts, and a small
voice, were all swallowed by the
loud noise of the train engine,
that faded into the clouds and sky,
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
while wet clothes waited to be hung,
:::::::::::::::::
while *** roast fragrantly simmered,
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
while the platform lingered on in my mind.
::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::
::::::


sally b

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
April 21, 2022

#just #a #poem #train #platform
273 · Apr 2021
Power
Sally A Bayan Apr 2021
🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯🕯

Lighted candles were placed
on top of empty church pews.
in the absence of churchgoers,
tiny flames flickered on,
to mourn for the dead,
to bring hope back to life,
and to lift to God all pleas,
floating in the atmosphere.

⚡️⚡️⚡️ ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

some flames burned still, some were
fervent...a mix of exasperation and
anger were silenced, as God's mercy
and intervention were sought,
⚡️⚡️⚡️ ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
to shut down infection,
to accelerate vaccination
to stop the race between
the two.....but, we cannot,
it's a sad reality, we don't
have what it takes...we don't
have that kind of power.
⚡️⚡️⚡️ ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️
there're those who sincerely care,
and some....really don't care.

⚡️⚡️⚡️ ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️

Today, Sunday, in most churches,
the pews will be empty....again.
.
⚡️⚡️⚡️ ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️



sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
    April 11, 2021
Sally A Bayan Apr 2019
.............to sit down and reflect
on how we lived our life the past
years, months, weeks, days, hours...
it's not the only time to recall
the wrong decisions we made,  
the people who got affected, and
how we recompense(d) them...

Lent is not the only time to be kind,
to be giving to others...we go deeper
than thinking good...being good, and
doing good.......love must shine in
our actions and words, naturally,
it must radiate from within us
all the seasons in our lifetime...

older folks always told us children then:
"be patient...find time to read, try to
understand the Passion of the One
crowned with thorns...it could lessen
the stubbornness in you...or, change
some of your stubborn views..."

until now, i ask myself: if i had been there,
would i have stopped?
would i have helped Him in His sufferance?
this leads me to my own daily crosses...
the lightest, the easiest problems worry me,
without analysis...i quickly pray for solutions...
...i whine......even in silence, i complain...

most people have flown out of the country,
some are on their way to blue beaches
to play games on the sandy shores...
some stay home, watch movies on netflix...
me?..i am alone...but not really alone,
pondering by the garden....with two white
puppies nibbling on my toes and slippers,
naughty, exploring nonstop...ruining my oxygen
and money plants...messing the veranda floor,
i almost rang their former owner.....but,
their enquiring eyes did melt my heart...

these puppies, somehow, brought light
to my blurry mind....taught me to just
accept what is in front of me,
without asking questions....
i do believe...reflections
come off and on...anytime,
...lent is not the only time....
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::::­:::::::::::::::::::::
((Maundy Thursday reflections))

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::­::::::::
     HAPPY EASTER, EVERYONE!!!   PEACE TO ALL.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

­
Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
April 18, 2019
269 · Jan 2017
Hushed Declarations
Sally A Bayan Jan 2017
(a repost, from 2014)



two hands,
reach and hold,
entwine...reassure...

the eyes meet,
speak without words...

hearts beat
in one rhythm...
beating faster,
breath upon breath
as
two lips
press upon each other,
intense kisses ensuing...

feet,
in a huddled language,
toes, touching

two bodies,
sharing warmth,
sharing love,
sharing moments sublime...
immeasurable bliss,
undeniably
~~~d i v i n e~~~


Sally


Copyright January 28, 2014
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
268 · Sep 2021
Why We Write
Sally A Bayan Sep 2021
Some minds fail to fathom our reasons.
...."Why do we write poetry?"

because...there's an energy,
a force, a small voice within,
consistently  prodding us
to share our thoughts, feelings,
our reactions to life's situations
and circumstances.

it matters not,
when senseless thoughts
are first to flood one's mind,
at the right time, the right
words and phrases, shall fall
into their proper places;
inspiration flashes like lightning
clear like thunder roaring
but, soundless, like first drops of snow
falling...we write on, until...we grow,

'til we learn how to turn an arid meadow
into a field, amber with ripeness...aglow,
ready to harvest...ere heavy rains flow.

we compare life with the changing tides  
of the sea...we re-live hell, with soaring fires,
lead our readers to imagine, as we vividly describe,
a life of half hell...and half paradise,
to teach.......to touch others' lives.

our words could redeem
a soul or two...emancipate them,
raise their confidence...embolden them
we can help them learn about freedom.

a life of fire and water, blending,
is where colorful poetry begins.

we write, for love,
we write...out of love.


sally b

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
May 31, 2021
263 · Feb 2022
Twilight Episodes
Sally A Bayan Feb 2022
🌄

From the kitchen door, i watch
orange and pink layers of a
fading sun, pale and quickly vanish.
sky gets dimmer by the minute.

On this fragrant twilight,
"Queen of the Night" blossoms,
infuse the dark atmosphere
with their long lasting scent,
still appearing white,
even in the darkest of night.

Somewhere, in the garden blocks
a resident bull frog hides and croaks.

A brush of cold breeze blends
with tonight's scenes, sounds and scents,
easing...relaxing stiff, tensed muscles,
untangling this busy day's knotted tassels.

A bowl of peanuts is tempting me,
while feet are repeatedly flexing.
tiny sweats on glass touch my skin,
Pinot Grigio is cold as evening dew,
and...as if on cue,
Harry Connick easily sings,
......"It Had To Be You."

I hope for a new day without sorrow,
for another fragrant twilight, tomorrow.




sally b

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
Happy weekend everyone!
258 · Sep 2020
Thoughtfulness
Sally A Bayan Sep 2020
<:)>

It is most endearing,
and heart-warming,
it pleasantly stuns the heart
to know how loved ones,
friends, show they care,
by bridging the gap,
spanning lands, oceans
that separate....finding
ways to defy distance,
to make you smile during
rough times......through
sincere and thoughtful
messages......saying:

"You are always in the
    forefront of my mind."


suddenly,  joy enfolds,
and overwhelms.....and
then comes a most elated,
...but shy  whisper:

"i know, i know......because,
you always...and in all ways
............dwell in mine..."

thoughtfulness...is a bunch of
white and bright yellow mums,
it heals and soothes the soul...


<:)>

Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 13, 2020
251 · Dec 2021
The Gardener
Sally A Bayan Dec 2021
🌈
🌿🌱 🍃 👩‍🌾


In the garden, the hands and
the mind are always kept busy.
while pruning, pulling out slugs,
or just repotting, every fibre of
stress enslaving one's person,
softens and melts...none can
stop the flow of joy when we
see new twigs, new leaves,
and new flower buds.

That soothing, peaceful silence
in plants growing, enfolds the
gardener, who understands and
lets God's humble creatures
quietly live their lives.

Pine trees grow taller ,wider,
spiders spin their webs,
grasshoppers hop and feed,
dragonflies, butterflies mature
in their hidden spots...while
gentle breezes make leaves
softly rustle...no sharp noises,
no shrills, no poundings heard,
just whispers  of  the gardener's
relaxed  breaths  and  sighs,
while taking in, enjoying the cold
feel of the soil, the clay pots, and
the tap water flowing.

In the upper sphere of the garden,
dreams, thoughts, and sentiments
that dwell in the mind, form a dome,
an arc, like a rainbow after the rain.
the gardener gets lost in a chasm
of thoughts...forgetting the burdens
of life..........forgetting about time.


sally b

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 25, 2021
248 · Jan 2017
I Do Not Wish...
Sally A Bayan Jan 2017
.....to ask, for more
than what this current moment offers...
it's enough to know, to feel anew
this experience, that seems so new,
to hear, how a voice emits a tone of confidence
that is so contagious, makes me oblivious
of the miles....the distance that separates...
to talk about common choices, over and over
to recall the past, with a different perspective...

i saw a row of flags in red, blue, yellow and white,
and, i chose the green one...
..............fear must not interfere...
i now look ahead...

i'd rather not think of, "what ifs" this time around
i'd rather be pleased........and be content
there are more reasons to  smile
more moments to look forward to...

words have been writ, i have read
words have been uttered, i have heard
and so...i open my arms
peacefully...willingly
in accepting these miracles....

"...i see myself here...right now,
content............thankful
i'm no longer there,
where i had been,
yet...glad........i'd been there...

i am filled with gratitude..."

Sally

Copyright January 18, 2017
Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
248 · Jan 2022
Grass
Sally A Bayan Jan 2022
On new year's eve, i watched my five
granddaughters having fun on the front
lawn, bright with Christmas lights...their
sparklers, turned into fencing swords.
they took pictures and videos, laughed a lot
while they sang and danced on the grass.

Youthful innocence...being carefree,
are the most wonderful times in our
lives...exploring, discovering truths
about ourselves and people around us,
dreaming, building goals...when love
conquers our young hearts, the waters
in our world, turn crystal clear...every
scene sparkles...is etched in our minds.

Time brings changes...nothing remains
except our memories...but, we can
remember, we can savour our youthful
years...no space for despair...there is
beauty and inspiration found, even in
the most ordinary things and situations,
like, unknown plants suddenly growing
in the garden, bearing colorful flowers,
those shy weeds with leaves that close up
like clams when treaded upon.....and, yes,

there's the lowly grass, freshest of green
in the summer and during the rainy season,
blades are dulled by wetness...humbled
by heavy rainfall, kissing the ground, yet,
how easily they refresh our tired feet,
our world-weary eyes and minds.
my heart leaps as soon as my feet get
to feel their cold, soothing touch.

I look forward to more Christmases and
new year's eves...more fun times with
the girls on the grass...the grass, which
to me, will always be so splendid!
:::::::::::::::::
:::::::::::::::
(Seeing my five granddaughters having fun on the garden grass
  on new year's eve, reminded me of one of my favorite poems.)

           Splendour in the Grass

"What though the radiance which was once so bright
  Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;

In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.


.......(by William Wordsworth).....


sally b

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
New year's eve, December 2021
242 · Nov 2022
Coffee…and Journeys
Sally A Bayan Nov 2022
☕️☕️☕️

Awake still, a few hours
before sunrise…and yet,
every morning, rising early
is a hard habit to break.

Dry thirsty mouth awaits
the morning’s initial cup
of steaming fulfillment.
caffeine's instantaneous effect
goes beyond waking hours,
working it’s way through the
day’s unfolding inspirations,
born from uncertainty, as
well as predictability, and
through deep concentration
and cups of hot refills.

One gets rapt in the hours of the
day…regardless if it’s a win or lose,
five-thirty…six pm approaches...
Mooned…or moonless, night comes,
to pause, or otherwise…our bodies,
our circumstances, the horizon speak:

‘Enough’ is a decision arrived at,
the dark sky leads to a new dawn,
to new journeys, once again, to be
enriched, inspired, and sustained by
countless cups of fresh coffee.

So, if it’s already four, or five am,
no more dilly-dallying..get up now,
have your first cup…take the first sip,
be driven………….be inspired.
☕️☕️☕️

sally b

©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
242 · Oct 2019
We...
Sally A Bayan Oct 2019
.....live in a huge immovable circus,
we...are acrobats...
we do the trapeze...walk the tight rope
taking chances....risking our lives....
catching....grasping swinging bars
learning when to not let go...and
when it's time to release...
we rise from being upside down,
we learn how to hold reins...to survive...
:::
we tame lions, tigers, wild horses,
even people.....even situations...
we have mastered the art of
controlling...our grips, becoming
tighter, through time....making those
under our charge feel chained...with
spiked leashes......some fight the fear...
and those who accept powerless-ness,
bow their heads...they lose their voices,
imprisoned in body and mind...as good
as dead.....and add up to the avalanche...
:::
we got more than enough mountains
.............crumbling upon us....
:::
we forget...in the eyes of God, we are ALL
equal: AND, WE ARE NOT really in control,
we are given chances, choices, and free will,
it's really up to us...we either walk straight,
....or stray.....yet, we know very well,
................we reap what we sow...
:::

Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
January 11, 2016
239 · Jun 2021
Etcetera, Etcetera...
Sally A Bayan Jun 2021
At sixty plus
       a series of scenes from a life past
       started flashing back...swaying,
       like soft organza curtains, giving
in to forces of the wind...blowing,

recalling...things that used to be,
       places, faces i no longer see,
       people i haven't met and long to meet,
       words i meant to say....but didn't,
       things i failed to do, but still meaning
       to, given fresh starts...it's tiring,
       counting "should haves," so i'm saying,
etcetera, etcetera.....the list is unending.

At past seventy,
       sunrises are lovely as ever...and bolder,
       sunset moments are quieter...and holier,
       old days seem nearer,
       with poetry-writing, the call is stronger
         while still dabbling in beads-making,
       designs pour over me, when stringing
moonstones, sodalite, and lapis lazuli.

I am in a different zone.
       when mixing poetry and natural stones
       to me, a word is a crystal, a gemstone
it's merely a word to some...a stone unknown.

I guess...at late seventies,
       i'll still be in white shirts and blue jeans,
       creating unique, interesting themes for poetry,
       say, a big bus with travelers, seated hesitatingly,
       or, finding a bright tunnel's end, serendipitously,
       or, unrepenting souls sinking deeper, regretfully,
more silly love poems?  i'd indulge willingly

my frame may turn fragile...i pray, not my poetry,
       not my judgment, nor my decision-making,
not my courage, especially, when i'm past eighty.


sally b

©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
June 18, 2021
239 · Feb 2020
Diff'rent
Sally A Bayan Feb 2020
Don’t be mad...hate not,
when works are badly thought of;
you have your own mind,

diff’rent...from the rest;
you think, you create diff’rent
as they......do diff’rent...

your style manifests
your values and opinions,
your words mirror them...

your free verses and
haikus...earn their own sparkle,
draw their own audience...

tinged with black humor,
or mild sarcasm...it's YOU!
your style defines.....YOU!

we’re a world of poets
diff’rent folks with diff’rent strokes
we sting......stoke..........we touch...


Sally

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
Decmber 12, 2019
Sally A Bayan Dec 2019
On the table, my cup of hot coffee
sits on a saucer comfortably,
spreading steam stirs my serenity
there goes my list of priorities
and today's unknown destiny...

breakfast voices bring airs of diversity
contrasting minds present complexity,
in our world, any ancestry, or sovereignty
some, have become used to sophistry

one thing i've learned: caffeine and disparity
in opinions, break the ice of a new morning

this morning's issues overwhelm me
topped by fallacy and political travesty!
i'd rather be stuffed with bread and peppery
scrambled eggs, or peanut butter so crunchy,

but....served cold, was our coffee
and there were no fries, so skinny
disgruntled, disappointed minds realize
we're no longer in our known paradise

on my home table, a cup of bitter coffee,
sits on its saucer....comfortably,
while sipping, i recall and ponder patiently
its wakeful scent takes me to a known serenity
away from alienating airs of diversity...



Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
May 14,  2018
234 · Dec 2020
Lanterns and Lights
Sally A Bayan Dec 2020
Rows of multi-colored lanterns
and lights brighten the streets,
while frosted and glittered *****,
silver bells, stars and trimmings
on Christmas trees, paint our
gloomy perspectives with hopeful
greens, reds, blues, and golds...

life is never fair in the midst of all
these crises, we may have been
disheartened...yet, here we are,
trying to survive, finding wisdom
in sufferings...we manage to start
over, and prepare for the coming
celebration...even silent corners
in our houses and gardens, now
speak of festive thoughts...despite
difficulties, we find time to rejoice.

we prop ourselves physically, and
spiritually...eyes, heart and soul
are filled with joyful anticipation,
traditions bring cheer here and there.

a wooden diorama of the Nativity
reminds me that, all these lanterns
and lights...all these preparations,
lead us to but one path:..to the manger,
where lies....the Baby Christ Jesus,
the reason for this holiday season...

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

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!


Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
December 23, 2020



#joyfulanticipation #nativity #reasonfortheseason #lanternsandlights
(My love and warmest hugs to everyone...if only I could see you all.)
231 · Dec 2020
Cornucopia
Sally A Bayan Dec 2020
(Reflections after Thanksgiving)


All the things that happened
in the past, and the ones that
are about to happen,
all flowed out/all will flow
out of life's huge cornucopia:
good and bad harvests in food,
health, career, even relationships;
could be bitter, too little, too much
of sour, salt, spices, and of sugar

We make choices from what flows  
out...some are promising, others turn
disastrous...some are happy with
just enough...there are those who
opt for a spill over their rims, and
get inebriated......or overdosed.

We've lived through poverty, wealth,
trials and tribulations, triumphs,
failures, birth and death, as well.

They say, a blending of spices, of
bad and good...of black and white,
of positive and negative energy,
brings out a certain balance...
angels, demons in human clothes
trying to claim each other...trying
to claim the populace....diseases
plague us...distorted minds distort
the true essence of democracy,

we end up conquered...or conqueror;
we may mellow down, or get worse.

Such a diverse horn of plenty!

Yet, we got free will and discernment,
so we may not be duped by lies
wrapped in bright white satin,
it's really up to us.

Also, it won't hurt to be grateful
more often...not only in November...


Sally

©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
  December 1, 2020
229 · Aug 2020
Rainy Evenings
Sally A Bayan Aug 2020
_____
/\\\\\\\\


When alone
on rainy evenings,
mirrors surround me

it's when i see, i acknowledge
the colors of my person...the
black, white, the streaks of red,
blue, green and purple in me;
my indecision, my weaknesses,
my temper, my moods;
lamp-lit nights magnify my truths...

mirrors don't lie...in their silence,
they speak in volumes, flashing
scenes, of what could have been,
had i been stubborn...and persisted
on some choices and decisions then...

they remind me of stories behind
my wrinkles, scars, and gray hair...
they stay with me, when i feel, i am
levitating between sky and earth,
when overlapping doubts assail me--

did i take the right path?  
am i where i should be?

will i still be treading other paths?
or will i just deep-fry in this boiling,
restrictive atmosphere?...am i close
to that impending tunnel? or, will it
be a hot, muddy marsh for me?

on rainy evenings,
my thoughts start from puddles,
slowly turning to rivers that keep
me awake 'til early hours of dawn...
_______
/\\\\\\\\
Sally

©Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
August 18, 2020
224 · Sep 2023
September Night
Sally A Bayan Sep 2023
🌑🌑🌑

Overworked fans
give out warm air
this uncomfortable
early evening.

Just a few sparkles
in the sky, no moon...just
a humid silence that hovers.
outside, silhouettes are
quickly gobbled up by
a great dark.

There's a slight wind
whirring....while
pink lightning
slashes the sky.

Finally, slow, persistent
showers tap on the roof,
September rains cool
this super hot night.

On the table, i see peanuts,
an empty wine glass, and
a chilled bottle of Rose...the
aroma of steamed pompano,
stuffed with onions, tomatoes,
ginger and pepper.....invade
every corner of the house.


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
    September 8, 2023
222 · Aug 2020
Moonglowed
Sally A Bayan Aug 2020
(me and my shadow)

<o>  <o>

The evening air was cool
that rainless night in June
on the street, i looked around
my backward steps were measured
i needed a right spot,
i needed a good shot
for, up there, a creamy full moon
hung above the neighbor's roof...

the pavement was moonglowed
whence stood me and my shadow,
no noise, not even a soft wind's blow
as if God had stilled the world,
a finger on His lips, to stop all sounds
and movements...to call my attention,
...........to waken my perception...

then, i heard a hurried crash in the dark,
i thought, perhaps, a bat made its mark
in my mind, and up my spine, fear sparked
a cold wind swayed the branches
followed by thumps on the ground, a crunch
of footsteps, confirmed all my hunches,

God, both my feet refused to cooperate,
'til i felt something in my pocket vibrate

thank God for my phone, it shook my limbs,
until.....fear no longer kept my mind dim

i whisked...away from the pavement,
enough of these moonglowed moments!


Sally

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
July 30, 2019
(Friday thoughts)
219 · Aug 2022
Wayward Fingers
Sally A Bayan Aug 2022
A misty breeze…the birds’ songs,
the aroma of coffee brewing,
easily disrupt a new day’s
diaphanous veil of quietude,
to give way to morning rituals.

Stubborn, newly-woken arthritic
hands start to stretch...it takes
longer now for tight fingers to
uncurl or straighten each sunrise.

Palms open and close gently, and
then abruptly...fingers move in a
circle…clockwise, counter clockwise,
blood must flow, even when they hurt.

Some of these hands have worked
through water and soil…through
pen and paper…through rain and
sun…building, creating, moulding,
withstanding fire, getting burned,
toughened by time…..honed by
nature’s elements, and life's
many implements.

Veins are protruding,
knuckles are lined and wrinkled,
swelling with the many sketches
of life…good and bad stories,
lessons from daily existence.

It's sad, these wayward fingers
will one day…care no longer,
will turn stiff and cold...their
untold stories, kept forever.



sally b

Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
August 17, 2022
215 · Nov 2021
First Line
Sally A Bayan Nov 2021
* * * *

My eyes can't possibly roam tonight,
tonight is my night to gaze at the sky,
the sky is decked with milky areas,
milky areas that connive with the clouds.

the clouds, however, can't hide the moon,
the moon, it surely rules this starry night.

this starry night... i am left distraught,
distraught, with labored, strained eyes
strained eyes are unable to wander,
to wander? how? with a limited view?
a limited view of tonight's show of stars,
of stars and moon, with no pouring rain,
no pouring rain on this monsoon night!
::::::::
this monsoon night, a poem is lethargic,
lethargic, floating on spiritless waters.
:::::::::::~~~
it ceases to flow beyond its first line,
its first line...refuses to expand tonight.
::::::::::::::  :::::   ::::::::::   :::::::::
tonight, poem and i will take a break.
::::::::::::::::::::  *    ::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::­:::::::       *      ::::::::::::::::::
::::::::::::::       *     *       :::::::::::::::
:::::::::::     *     🌕 *  *        ::::::::::::
::::::::           *    *        *         :::::::::
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
::::::::­::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
(That starry night from years ago, caught
  my eye through a small kitchen window.
  My view of said night was like my poem
  then...limited, uncooperative, stubborn,
  it refused to go beyond its first line.)


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
  October 31, 2021
215 · Oct 2019
Home
Sally A Bayan Oct 2019
/    \
                            /        \
           ---------  / HOME \  ------------  
    
  
                                (  )
                           ­    ) ( (
                            (  (  ( )
                          )  (  )  )  )    
                   ­    )   ()  (  ( )  )  ) (  
                  )    )  )       )     ) (  )
              ( )    (  (      ( )    )  ( )  ( (
              )  (  ( ( )        )  ) (      ( (  )  (
             )     )  (    )      )    )       ( ( ) ( )
           ( )  (  )    )  ) (  )  ) (    (  (  (     )  )  )
   (  ).    )   (  (          )  (    )   )   ))    (  (    ) ( ) ( (
:Some::days:::mind:::travels:::to::faraway::lands:
:chasing:wind­s:sailing:restive:waters::roaming:
:fields:caves:dark:skies::land­ing:on:dying:red:
:fire:trees:i:see:wilted:jasmines:bowed:lilies:
  :dark:faces:::i­t's:tiring:like:a:recurring:bad:
   :dream:but::it's:not::i:take:a:deep::breath:
    :prepare:hot:noo­dle:soup::fresh:brewed:
     :coffee:::toasted:ciabata:bread:::gouda:
      :cheese::white::wi­ne:is::ever:ready:a:
       :warm:bed:and:blanket::awaits:me:
        :hug:close:soft:pillows­::::i'll:grasp:
         :a:feather::afloat::in:the:air::then:
          :set:it:free::as:­::i:lie:on::the::bed:
           :safe::snug::in:my:own:space:
            :my:heavy:eyelids:give way:
             :my:known::freedom::calls:
              ::I:::am::::HOME::::am::­:I::      
              [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]
                ­        
        

Sally


Copyright Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
August 16, 2015
214 · Aug 2020
A Republic of Letters
Sally A Bayan Aug 2020
<~>

People become
prisoners
in diff'rent ways,
lucky ones
free themselves,

exhaling lumps
from their throats,
getting out
of their prisons

sharing their
life experiences
via prose and poetry,
metamorphosing
into,

diverse poets,
ranting...narrating,
gathered in one
common space...like,

Hello Poetry,
a Home
to a huge
republic of letters...

<~>

Sally

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
209 · Jul 2021
Chaos
Sally A Bayan Jul 2021
A low-flying helicopter
took minds off
a fiery mountain
about to collapse

tempers,
were restless volcanoes,
on a simple issue, dared explode
precious serenity crumbled.


brushes of April winds, fanned
dying embers of bonfire-d days,
revived, and turned them into waves
of red and orange.

hours passed so slow,
silent fires, brightly glowed
all day long......in the mind,
chaos was resurrected.

it was evening in the living room
windows were widely opened,
yet, the whole house was an oven,
everything was hot......hot words,
hot temperature...hot eyes...hot heads
the heat conquered...dwelt in the heads.

soul, became a still life next to the wall
heart rebelled.....vowed never to fall.
:::::::
:::::
:::
:


sally b

© Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
   July 5, 2021
207 · Sep 2021
Neighbors
Sally A Bayan Sep 2021
🏃‍♀️ 🚶 🚶‍♀️  🚗

The lawyer neighbor daily inches
his car past its designated spot,
eating most of my front area,
my own parking space.

In my circling anger, i forget,
i come out to pick up the newspaper
without a face shield, not even a mask.

The other neighbors go on with
their daily tasks...cleaning cars,
sweeping frontyards, eyes and
ears are open...watching people.

None neighbors pass...walk, jog,
one after another, followed by cars,
all headed some place...like a trail
of crawling insects when rocks are
dislodged.....confident.....patient
in finding new hidden corners.

Upon some neighbors' treetops,
yellow warblers lament the ruining of
their nests...as the hacking of bamboo
trees continue, to clear the vacant lot.

I claim a few cut bamboo trees...fallen
on our yard...to prop growing vines.

The rolled newspaper defends me from
flies, bees, or mosquitoes, but none dare
touch me.....just a light shower and
a cool, caressing monsoon wind.



sally b

Rosalia Rosario A. Bayan
September 21, 2021
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