Sofia Paderes: Favorites

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

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Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

Jedd Ong

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Am I not my Father’s son,
who too, touched sky and stars
and sat atop moons gawking at the
world’s birthright that tomorrow
would be his if he had only
asked?

Am I not He, who walked too
upside down shrubs, and skies,
and bushels of wood and fire and
swam through soil, digging through
water, marvelling at the glorious
ruin of His creation, how he’d
one day bring it towards light
again?

Am I not He, too of Joseph,
father of dreamers, closing
his eyes and feeling stars crackle
beneath his feet despite the Earth
burrowing his neck further beneath
desert?

Am I not He, son, of Solomon,
who worshipped in temples of gold,
robed in purple and gifted with
brilliance - made to plot, sow
stitch and reap the fruits
of fragment kingdoms at sceptre’s
will?

Am I not He, Son of God,
nailed to crosses and sprung from
stone graves, body light as air,
heart white as snow, skin
made to glow glorious, guiding
those who wished only to see,
blinding those who thought nothing
of sight?

Am I not He, God, Your son,
who was knit bones at your
suggestion, made to stitch soul
to flesh, knelt as your soldier,
became one amongst they:
ruinous, crumbling, blinded, they,
split, and crooked, and
broken?

Am I not of You, God?
Am I not You, God?

Am I not, God?

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

Old Crows:

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

Jedd Ong

Old Crows:

An old crow does not fly;
        dark, lopped wings un-sing.

His straw men long’d fought,
        are now with stuffing wring.

A lone branch holds his feet,
        claws scratching at its folds.

His caws now echo hoarse,
        his weak legs too grow cold.

His wings yearn but to spread,
        but spread yearn they to die;

To straws he cannot cling,
        hence trust put he to sky.

For my old volleyball coach, and my old volleyball team. (May you never see this.)

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

When You Wonder What Is Out There, Remember

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

Dominique Espiritu

When You Wonder What Is Out There, Remember

I hate that you look at the galaxies
and are overwhelmed with a feeling of
dull insignificance,
because if anything,
you are not just a speck of dust scattered in the cosmos.
you are the very substance
that this universe is thrilled to be written about.
you are its incandescent gas,
you are nuclear fission,
you are a galaxy's lifeline,
it's reason to celebrate living in the darkness,
baby, your every breath is intergalactic motivation,
that if you were to stop smiling
I'm almost certain that a star dies as well.
and in the magnitude of spectacular phenomena this universe will never cease to offer,
somewhere out there,
I promise someone notices.

some late night mind ****, so raw, so rough.

#love #stars #worth #significance #galaxies

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

it is done.

Oct 2015 Sofia Paderes

Marge Redelicia

it is done.

you told me that you were
just playing it safe,
careful to keep your perfectly powdered face from grime
and getting dirt under your manicured nails.
you try to maintain that posture with poise and grace,
while others break their backs and crawl
on the ground on their knees and bellies.

you told me
that you are playing nice.
you said that you are loving, caring, kind, and generous
and all those pretty qualities.
that's true,
but
one glance at your eyes
is enough to know fully that
you are also
fearful and terrified.
you are a coward:
a prisoner of pride
playing god as you place your trust on yourself.
taunted by questions of rejection, ability, and sufficiency,
you cowered in your high tower
instead of joining the frontlines in the fight.
frozen by fear
your heart has gone too numb and cold, for
the doubt and anxiety has put out your fire.

you said that you have won it all.
but actually,
you know nothing.
nothing!
about triumph and victory
for though the world has plunged into calamity,
you were never one with the army.
your bright eyes has seen death
but only from the sidelines.
you defile the purpose of your armor
by keeping it perfectly polished
when it is meant to be stained by mud and blood.

you told me that you were just playing it smart.
you said that it's only rational, logical,
the normal human response
to take every measure to avoid pain and harm.
you behold the chaos
and cry
"they are fools!"
and
you are
perfectly
right.
they made themselves
into proud and shameless fools
for they know well that
the fools are the ones chosen to shame the wise.

darling,
just
stop
playing it nice, safe, an smart
for this is not a game,
this is
war.
strip off the crown and ball gown and
pick up your sword and armor.
from your high tower,
run
to the mountains and fields
to the homes and cities
run
to the trenches and frontlines.
for it's either you lose your self or lose the fight

soldier,
warrior,
get ready to pour out sweat, tears,
and even blood.
though you have yet to see
still,
claim victory:
the war has already been won
before it has even begun.

*it is
done.

#war #fight #christian #tragedy #chaos #calamity

Aug 2015 Sofia Paderes

Pag-Buhos

Aug 2015 Sofia Paderes

Marlo Cabrera

Pag-Buhos

Siya ay parang ulan
Kay tagal **** hinintay
Sa panahon ng tag init,
Na sa pag dating nito
Ay maiibsan ang sakit

Na dala ng sunog
Sa iyong katawan.

Na dala ng init
Na nang gagaling sa kaniyang mga halik.

Tandaan mo, siya din ang sumunog sa iyong dibdib
Pero siya padin ang iyong hinihimig.

Eto ka nanaman, nakatayo sa kalagitnaan ng bagyo.
Nakayuko, sinasalo ang bawat patak ng ulan.
Umaasang na siya'y iyong mahahawakan.
Pero wag kang magpaka tanga.

Siya ay tubig, lumulusot sa mga singit ng iyong mga daliri. At humahaplos sa bawat sulok ng iyong mga sanga. Pinararamdam kung anong piling ng kasama siya.

Sige, pwede kang umiyak, walang makaka halata, sa bawat pag bagsak ng mga luha na nanggagaling sa iyong mga mata. Iyak lang ng iyak. Maghihintay ako sa iyong pagtahan

Pero tandaan mo, wala kang karapatan magselos. Kase hindi mo naman siya pagaari,

Siya ay pangpataba ng lupa.
Wag kang maging hadlang,
Sa pagtubo ng mga bunga ng kanilang pag mamahalan.

Pero wag kang magalala.

Hindi ko ba nasabi sa iyo
Na ikay isang puno,
Na paparating na ang tag sibon.
At ngayon mo lang mapagtatanto
Na sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, siya ay nasa tabi mo lang, patuloy na binubulong sa iyong mga tenga,

"Mahal, nadito lang ako. Akap akap ang iyong mga braso. Hinding hindi ako kailanman maglalaho"

"Halika tayo'y muling mag simula."

Ang ulan ay para sa mga halaman na atin ng nakalimutan, at inakalang patay na, pero mayroong pang tutubong bunga. Parang puno ng kalachuchi.

#tagalog #tula #ulan #halaman #bulaklak #simula

Aug 2015 Sofia Paderes

departing (part 1)

Aug 2015 Sofia Paderes

Marge Redelicia

departing (part 1)

it was a rainy day.
no,
actually it was a stormy day.
not as ravaging as the hurricane in my heart though.
however, i don't understand why
though the winds howled and the thunders crashed
inside my chest,
not a drop fell from my eyes.

lunch break rush
it was surprising and nostalgic to find
that all the tables were filled up except
the one
where we sat together
exactly a year and a month ago.

nothing has changed.
the restaurant's still crowded and noisy,
same old wobbly chairs,
same view of the the high-rise buildings
and kids playing around in the flower shop.
the only difference is that
you are not there
sitting in front of me.
i am alone.
in place of your smiles and stories
there is just
absence,
silence.
and that's how it will be for 5 years
as you board the plane in 3 days.

i sat there staring at my reflection
in my cheap cup of coffee that has gone cold.
i'm pondering
how should i knock on your door one last time?
how could i make my lips turn upward
despite all these feelings that's bearing me down?
i'm asking
where is the good in goodbye?
what now when you're gone,
and all that's left are these sweet memories
that now sting
because these fragmented thoughts
are all i'll ever have of you?
i'm questioning
why?
why do you even have to leave?
why of all the people in my life
it had to be you?

it was a rainy day.
no,
actually it was a stormy day
and the sky is weeping, wailing
in my place.
i find it ironic though how
the sky is where you will be
in the next 3 days.

did i even use the word ironic right? i don't know anymore.

#love #crying #rain #nature #goodbye #sky #questions #storm #departure #weeping