--
There are so many words to describe me,
none of them is B.A.M.E.
I've got a foreign name, exotic.
Try to read it before you modify it.

How long have I lived in the UK because
my English is so good, where did I learn it?
My accent is American, it's confusing.
or my accent is too Filipino, quite embarrassing.
How can we come from so far
and be so fluent-- so bizzarre.

My rice cooker is an enigma,
more so the amount of rice I eat, huh?
My spoon and fork don't make any sense to you
But your table knife achieves nothing for me, too.

Why do we dye our perfect black hair?
why do we want our skin to be fair--
why don't we just embrace our God-given tan?
Your president seems like a smart man
Fighting your country's drug war like no one else can
Lastly, "are you a Manny Pacquiao fan?"

It's quite difficult to be a P.O.C.
in a world that doesn't understand our P.O.V.
Why we've immigrated and not always assimilated
Why we've flown thousand of miles away from home
Only to stick with our own
but sometimes there is just some comfort
in not having to explain the way we are
or who we are
and why we are
the persons we are
without having to feel subpar.

Higit isang taon na rin ang nakalipas
Nang lisanin ang bansang Pilipinas
Upang subukan ang buhay
Sa lugar na kung tawagin ay Dubai

Naalala ang galak ng pagpunta dito  
Nang sa kalaunay puro na reklamo
Paano naman kasi ang mga Arabo
Minsan lang maligo sa isang linggo

Dagdag pa ng klima na sobrang init
Pawis mo'y abot hanggang singit  
At kung taglamig naman ay pumasok
Gusto mo na lng mamaluktot sa isang sulok  

Pagkain na amoy pa lang aayaw ka na  
Kahit gutom mawawalan ka rin ng gana
Babae nila'y nakasuot ng itim na bestida
Pati lalake rin ay nagsusuot ng palda  

Pero kahit ganun ang katulad nila
Gusto ko ang kanilang pananampalataya
Sa diyos na tinatawag nilang Allah
May oras talaga pag nagdarasal sila  

Akala ng marami buhay dito ay maganda
Di lng nila alam kami'y nangungulila
Sa pagmamahal na ipinabaon  
Ng mahal na makikita lng pagkatapos ng ilang taon

Tila ang bilis ng mga pangyayari
May mabuting resulta kaya sa bandang huli
Lahat ng sakit, pagod at pighati  
Mapagsilbihan lang ang mga ibang lahi

Kung lahat ng ito'y isang panaginip
Ayoko na talagang maidlip
Hay... buhay Dubai nga naman
Sana nga may patutunguhan...

Sutla ang iyong kutis,
Ilang inches na heels
iPad ang hawak
Ayan pa’t naka-Rayban
Kahit taglamig –
Ganyan dito sa abroad
Pasyal dito
pasyal doon
Higit sa lahat
Hindi barya ang sahod.

Padala sa Pinas,
Lahat ay winaldas
Dami pang pasakalye
Datong din pala
Palaman ng inyong mensahe.

Aba’t bida pala si bunso
Sa tropa’t sa eskwela
Hindi ba’t astig?
Pang-party nila’y
Siya ang laging taya!

Ang binata ko’y
Malaki na talaga
Kapapanganak lang daw
Ng bespren nya
Anak, tanong lang
ba’t sa handa nila’y
Ikaw ang itinoka?

Ang ilaw ng tahanan
Na siyang aking iniirog
Sabay sa uso
Nakasisilaw ang alahas
Inubos ata ang bawat perlas
Buti’t nakaahon pa’t
Ayan, kay kumpare pa
Siya’y nakakapit!
At ang nararapat
Na panglamang-tiyan
Kulang pa pala
Kanyang sinapupunan
May bagong buhay
Mahal, saan siya nanggaling?

Puso ko’y nalurak
Ako’y inahas na
Pinagsamantalahan pa
Akala nila’y ok lang
Akala ko’y may babalikan pa
Yung totoo,
Lata’y hiyang-hiya na
Humihikbi ito
Makatikim lamang ng barya
Wala na ang sahod,
Awitin ko’y “Palimos.”

(12/2/13 @xirlleelang)

Oh, Lady I do understand.
With all that I am,
To love someone like me is wrong.
Even if our heart's singing a song,
A song called love and affection.
It's condemned in your religion,
And you are very religious person.

Just go away from me,
I will set you free,
And I hope and pray,
That you'll find him and be happy.

If only reincarnation is true,
I wish my soul will enter to a man's flesh.
The day I die, I will find you.
I will bring the love for you still fresh.

It won't go stale...
Because my love for you is like a legend story,
It is not a Tale.
Forever... it's you and me, Lady.

I've got love as high as the stars,
And strong as the Sun.
I've got love as deep as the Trench,
And pure as the air in the highlands.

As the time goes by so fast,
It got wasted and turn into dust.
My love is like a water that went dry in the well,
A dramatic change of weather.

Now that summer is near,
Love in my heart grows.
From a seed that goes along with the wind,
I don't love you anymore as a friend.

If you only open up your eyes that been blinded,
On loving someone who didn't love you the way you do.
Open your heart's door and let me enter,
Let me stay inside as long as you wanted me to.

Just give me a chance,
This time it will be perfect.
I will return your love much more than your feeling...
I will keep the love sparks and flickering,
Not just today but all the coming morning.

She gave her all to him,
Her heart, body, soul and dream.
How many times she caught him lied,
But when he reasoned, all the doubts died.

Her heart's melted when he said "I love you"
All the fights and misunderstandings were gone.
But he keep on doing this whenever he wants to,
When he's angry, he said the words that hurts you to the bone.
You know this is not right,
But you got blinded by your love's light.

If only I can dictate your heart,
I want it to push him out.
So you can make a brand new start,
If only you'll be OK by belting a shout.

You don't deserved all these heartaches and pain.
Why he's treating you this way, I'm aching.
He didn't realized how lucky he was to got you,
If I were him, I will show your real value.

As a friend to you, can you please hear me?
Leave some love for yourself,
It's just not meant to be.
Don't give up hope, cos it's not too late.

Dedicated to: Corrine B.

I fully understand what you feel,
We're the same, kinda martyr.
Our love story is like a film on a reel,
Our heartache's can't be filter.

I heard your voice over the phone,
You cried while you told me your problem.
My heart's aching absorbing your voice tone,
I think of my own situation and I'm overwhelmed.

I visualize your face wet in blood,
For many nights you cried so hard.
Someday...I will pray to God.
We found ourselves inlove.

I will catch your heart, next time.
When he break it again, you're mine.
I will let you reign inside,
I want to offer you love that will never subside.