Tagu-taguan,
Maliwanag ang buwan
Munti kong tula,
Inyong pakinggan

Ito'y patungkol
Sa kabataan
Na inaakalang
Pag-asa ng bayan

Wala sa likod,
Wala sa harap
Ano ang kabataan
Sa hinaharap?

Handa na ba kayong
Malaman ang totoo?
Pagbilang ng sampu,
Malalaman na ninyo

Isa, dalawa, tatlo
"Tara, pre! Dota tayo!"
Isa, dalawa, tatlo
"Kyah, pa-like ng DP ko"

Isa, dalawa, tatlo
"Naka-hithit na ako"
Isa, dalawa, tatlo
"Tara, shot na tayo"

Mga kabataang nakikiuso
Mga kabataang lulong sa bisyo
Kabataang imbis na ang dala'y libro
Ang palaging hawak ay sigarilyo

Apat, lima, anim
Wala nang ibang alam gawin
Apat, lima, anim
Kung hindi gadgets ay pindutin

Apat, lima, anim
"Babe, walang tao sa'min"
Apat, lima, anim
"Babe, pwede na nating gawin"

Mga kabataang napapariwara
Mga kabataang sa tukso'y nadadala
Kabataang tinuturing na Maria Clara
Na ngayo'y mas kilala na sa Maria Ozawa

Pito, walo, siyam
Nasirang kinabukasan
Pito, walo, siyam
"Aking pinagsisisihan"

Pito, walo, siyam
"Ako'y nanghihinayang"
Pito, walo, siyam
"Ibalik niyo 'ko sa nakaraan"

Totoo nga ang kasabihan
Ang pag-sisisi'y nasa hulihan
Ang ating nakaraan
Ang siyang madidikta ng kinabukasan

Ngunit hindi ko naman nilalahat
Ang nais ko lang, kabataa'y mamulat
Ang buhay natin ay parang aklat
Tayo ang gumagawa ng sarili nating kwento at pamagat

Hindi ko tatapusin ang bilang sa sampu
Dahil hindi ako ang magdidikta ng kinabukasan niyo
Ngunit sa pagtatapos ng munting tula ko
Sana'y makapagsimula kayo ng panibagong kwento

Kwento na kung saan kayo ang bida
Kwento na kung saan kayo ang pag-asa
Salamat sa pakikinig mula umpisa
Ngayon ang tulang ito'y tinatapos ko na

They told me to wait,
So wait I did,
Until weeks turned into months turned into years.
Then she came along
And I said, '**** it.'

Worst time to be so flippant.
The result was a three year roller coaster ride
That ended like the Hindenburg.
Nice.  

Next, I turned to the nocturnal comforts,
Selecting hour-long companionship
With a click of the mouse
That ends with the closing of the window
Tossing of the damp tissues in the bin
And stepping out for a smoke,
With Jay Chou crooning in my ear
Singing of love new and lost.

Closing my eyes
My memory summons my gramps.

Those Japanese devils
My grandfather would tell me,
Lighting up another Marlboro
Before launching into another rambling tirade
About the misery of post-war China.
I'll ******* **** you if you get with one--
Disown you, even.
Rest his soul.

Does Maria Ozawa count, gramps?
Would you **** me
Or give me a high-five?
(I'd get smacked for being insolent.)

Bamboo switch in hand
Grandma would sit me down
And tell me how they used to fight over sewer rats
With other refugees for dinner.

Grandma, you'd shake your head
If I tell you about the rats
I have to work with
On a daily basis.
Your move.
(Oh wait, you're dead.)

The wisdom of my forefathers
Fossilized in ancient Chinese tomes
Extolling the virtues of patience

There are gem fragments to be found in the waiting.
One perfects oneself as one waits
For the time to ripen.
Life passing you by
Is naught but an illusion.

In the meantime
I've resigned myself
To wherever the mercurial turns of life
Take me.
I'm happy with the status quo.

Aside from New Year’s Eve specials, it’s a lean week for original programming. Still, there are a few stand-out offerings. Here’s what caught my eye on television this week:

Sunday: “Undercover Boss” 7 p.m., CBS: Yeah, it’s just a reality program, but it’s one of the only new network offerings tonight, so we’ll take it.

Monday: “Happy New Year, Charlie Brown” 7 p.m., ABC: The ol’ blockhead hunkers down with some choice Tolstoy during these Peanuts’ festivities.

“******: Cape Cod, USA” 8 p.m., HBO: This documentary explores the grip of addiction through the stories of eight twenty-somethings.

Tuesday: “The 38th Annual Kennedy Center Honors” 8 p.m., CBS: Host Stephen Colbert pays tribute to Carole King, George Lucas, Rita Moreno, Cicely Tyson and Seiji Ozawa; James Taylor, Janelle Monáe, Yo-Yo Ma and others perform.

“Almost Genius” 9 p.m., truTV: This new reality comedy series looks at folks who fall just short of their goals. They should be knocking on my door any day now.

Wednesday: “The Twilight Zone” 6 p.m., Syfy: The annual marathon features 156 episodes of the acclaimed anthology series and ends on Jan. 3.

“In Defense of Food” 8 p.m., PBS: Michael Pollan trots the globe in search of people who eat for health.

Thursday: “The Simpsons Movie” and New Year’s marathon, 5 p.m., FXX: The animated motion picture kicks off a back-to-back showing of 56 episodes.7 p.m.

“**** Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2016” 7 p.m., ABC: Whew! That title was so long that it’s almost 2017. The special breaks for local news and resumes at 10:30 p.m.

“Pitbull’s New Year’s Revolution, Part 1” 7 p.m., Fox: Jussie Smollett, Shawn Mendes and others help the performer ring in 2016 from Miami.

“Live from Lincoln Center” 7 p.m., PBS: Alan Gilbert leads the New York Philharmonic in a Parisian-themed New Year’s Eve special.

“NBC’s New Year’s Eve Game Night With Andy Cohen” 9 p.m., NBC: The Bravo star hijacks the prime time portion of Carson Daly’s annual holiday event.

“NBC’s New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly” 10:30 p.m., NBC: And again, Daly is relegated to late night.

Friday: “Sherlock on Masterpiece” 8 p.m., PBS: It’s practically the only non-rerun programming on tonight, but it’s really the only programming you need. The special finds Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman’s Holmes and Watson solving a case in 1895 London.

Saturday: “Galavant” 7 p.m., ABC: Four episodes of last season’s surprise hit musical comedy air back-to-back-to-back-to-back.

“Austin City Limits” 7 p.m., PBS: Alabama Shakes and Vintage Trouble perform.

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