51.
My 8th Leaf
Picked thee from high place
Meters from its base
Now the longest one
Note’s page overspan
It’s a bamboo leaf
Students – sports players
-And stage performers
From InterCapSU
Just said “Bye, bye you”
Towards Home-Sweet-Home
September last day
While bus on delay
Road’s bit so rocky
Blurred air was dusty
Sun has just set
On bus “Marienelle”
Beside window sill
On Sigma somewhere?
A highschool near there
Dumarao coming
Processed Salingsing
Papers to Ma’am Bing
Bought books, inks, CDs
Went to Ma’am Gomez
Somehow busy day.
-09/30 – 10/01/2011
(Dumarao)
*My Toladas Collection
---
52.
My 9th Leaf
Got thee from small vase
Old décor replace
Host plant of 1st Leaf
Thrown away no grief
Diff’rent “fortune” plant
Planted by father
Installed there after
I was there when placed
A little so fazed
First leaf’s host no more
Third day October
Sunset was nearer
While feeling not well
I’m under cold spell
Drinking I fruit juice
Just inside our house
Living room, oh browse
On vase first leaf was
‘Lil water still has
Buddhas adjacent
Simple day only
Not planned – truthfully
Just went to Passi
Withdrew some money
Wilted 1st Leaf host.
-10/03/2011
(Dumarao)
*My Toladas Collection
---
53.
My 10th Leaf
Culled thee from a bunch
Of décor for lunch
Pinned on half plant trunk
With flowers in rank
Another “fortune”!
Students & teachers
Servants & masters
Congman. Haresco
Gov. V.A. Tanco
CapSU guests, members
October Fifteen
29th Foundin’
Dumarao’s CapSU
And Gov’s Birthday too
Luncheon at noon
On Tanco Resort
No food was short
Ten long tables
Skirtings on ripples
Drinks here & there too
It is memorial
I hope not final
Almost one year here
First shake hands Gov. dear
Onwards Thirtieth!
-10/15/2011
(Dumarao)
*My Toladas Collection
---
54.
Ode to the Flower of October 2011
Got thee on Foundation Day
Twenty-nine years our school stay
Worth to remember indeed
It must be something to heed
One year past, I was there last
But joined event, not yet must
Because on that time before
I was not yet a member
But this time can’t imagine
This occasion I’m now in
Last year I was also there
CapSU-Dumarao dreamer
On that time just applying
Too Gaisano opening
Oh this flower’s memorial
My bio’s historical
First shake hand with Gov. Tanco
Saw Congressman Haresco
Got thee just after my lunch
At Tanco Resort – from bunch.
-10/15/2011
(Dumarao)
*Ode to the 7 Flowers of 2011
---
55.
My 11th Leaf
Rended thee from herb
Released from thy curb
Curative floral
Sure medicinal
“Kalamantigue”!
Our neighbor nearest
Uncle for me best
Tatay’s next brother
To me godfather
Nice Dudoy Etic
This night near nine, ten
This day – eleven
This month – eleven
This year - eleven
Brown-out, full moon bright
Dudoy Etic’s fence
Outside adjacence
Rare luminescence
Utter silence
Almost front gate’s door
Enroll I finish
MAT English
Salingsing polish
Begin fitness wish
Saw Iglot first last!
-11/11/2011
(Dumarao)
*My Toladas Collection
---
56.
My 12th Leaf
Picked thee from a vine
Name unknown to mine
Hanging on the air
To passersby bare
What plant are you? Tell!
Men on middle age
Girls looking teenage
Those men were standing
The girls were walking
Strangers on the road
Nineteenth November
From class just after
Fine day – sun was high
Filamer bye bye
Was about to climb
Overpass school zone
Traversed all alone
Trellis – on school side
Opposite – trike ride
And novelty store
Sat. class first time me
English MAT
Night – Ante Mily
Came from UAE
Twelfth Leaf memory.
-11/19/2011
(Dumarao)
*My Toladas Collection
---
57.
My Prayer Against the 7 Deadly Sins
Lord, abet me put aside
The vain and frivolous pride
I nurture within me inside
Lord, do not allow to seed
Vicious barnacles of greed
Eventhough I am in need
Lord, erase the vanity
Revealed by mask of envy
Searing me to atrophy
Lord, shield me from glaring gust
Of humid, temperate lust
For it taints my soul with rust
Lord, allow not to gather
In my heart and mind anger
Make it lag, take it faster
Lord, let me not be clumsy
Due to frisky gluttony
Horror of obesity
Lord, shun me from insolence
Brought by putrid indolence
Rip this slough of negligence.
-11/20/2011
(Dumarao)
*reflective mood
---
58.
Pag-asa ng Tanga
Inulo ang bato
Nabasag ang bungo
Lumukso sa laot
Pating humablot
Sa bangin tumalon
Kalansay umambon
Naglaro sa apoy
Napaso, tumaghoy
Humawak sa kidlat
Nalitson ang balat
‘Yan ang napapala
Ng tulad kong tanga
Dulot ng tadhana
O tangi mang likha
Maibalik pa kaya
Katawang luray na?
Diyos lang ang pag-asa
Ng tangang buhay pa.
-11/24/2011
(Dumarao)
*sentimental
---
59.
Muni-Muni ng Guni-Guni
Wala nang piglas sa bakal na gapos
Gigil na pangil ‘di pigil pagyapos
Poot ay lubusan kong natatalos
Kahit patuloy paring minumulto
Ng anino ng pumariwarang pagkatao
Huwag pong ikukubli mahabaging puso
Kahit ako’y salat na sa lakas
Dahil sa mga sugat ng nakalipas
Huwag po tutulutan na tuluyang malagas
Ako’y nakikinig sa pagbasa ng sentensiya
Mga tenga’y bukas, piniringan man mga mata
Dustain man sa yamot, sa away Mo’y tiwala
Talim ng ‘yong dila sa puso tusok
Mga aral nito’y pinapapasok
Sa bulwagan ng diwang ‘di pa bulok.
-11/26/2011
(Dumarao)
*sentimental mood
---
60.
Ode to God the Father
Almighty God Creator
Only You whom we adore
Other gods – there is no more!
When everything was nothing
Already there existing
Beginning of beginning
And when everything was born
Then nothingness Thee adorn
Thy sake was never forlorn
As civilizations thrive
New generations arrive
Alongwith them, Thee survive
While everything continues
Thy omnipresence subdues
All existence it imbues
Thy prowess shall still extend
All faults and flaws, still Ye mend
Until Thy creations end!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
61.
Ode to God the Son
Almighty God our Savior
You deserve our great honor
Your mercy is Thy splendor!
Human form of God up there
Teacher, doctor, messenger
Manifest divine power
Like us, He eats, walks and sleeps
Laughs, gets angry, even weeps
Feet get hurt while tending sheeps
Being listened to and mocked
Believed, received, deceived, knocked
Driven-delayed, hastened-cocked
Subjected to mortal loss
Whose bones, flesh and blood compose
Sweat, tear, pain and timed repose
While Satan here still survives
With us to whom he connives
We’ll wait ‘til Jesus arrives!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
62.
Ode to God the Holy Spirit
Almighty God our Watcher
We bow to You forever
You’re alone our prime master!
Thy breath is source of our life
Thy light spurs our sacred strife
Thy grace eternally rife
Thy wings spread all throughout
The universe which Thee clout
Against prying evil’s snout
Thy eyes constantly watchful
On everything deem sinful
For Thy righteousness must rule
Thy words are like swords of fire
Striking pain on wrong desire
Useful virtue we acquire
God’s manifest of control
Fill with goodness every soul
Steer us, Your faithful people!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
63.
Three Charms of Luz-Vi-Minda Against Spain
She’s Luz-Vi-Minda
Priestess of Asia
When incubus harms
She takes out her charms…
Behold! Jose Rizal
Our hero national
Poet, doctor, researcher
Farmer, herder, school-builder
Fought Spaniards with paper and pen
Luzon’s charm – noblest of our men!
Behold! Lapu-Lapu!
Defender of Cebu
First terror of invaders
Famed Magellan’s death renders
Rammed Spaniards with native bolo
Visayas’ charm – quaintest hero!
Behold! Purmassuri!
Awesome Muslim lady
Wise heroine of Sulu
Foreigners cannot subdue
Disturbed Spaniards so tribesmen won
Mindanao’s charm – enemies thrown!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
64.
West is Blue, East is Red, Philippines is Yellow
Go out when the sun sets
Watch birds return to nests
When fishermen end quests
And farmers leave harvests
The time everyone rests
So now face to the West
See and feel where it’s best
Comfort is its behest
Blue – wall stars of U.S.
Blue – sea and sky conquest!
Go out when the sun rises
Witness birds begin quests
When fishermen cast nets
And farmers ready chests
The hour of work begets
So now turn to the East
Human faith melts mist
Red – motif of China
Red – worker’s insignia!
Go out when the sun’s highest
When shadows are shortest
Temperature’s hottest
Celestial lights brightest
Festive moment its best
Yellow – Philippine Sun
Yellow – EDSA One!
Philippines – now behold
People – not blue and cold
Culture – not red and bold
Our nation’s not that old
New age ‘bout to unfold
Glaring – yellow – sheer gold!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
65.
The Path of Our Nation
Hey foreigner!
Search the world map
Find shapes, don’t nap
Dog’s sitting there!
West – Pacific
Orient facing
Seems West guarding
Though Asiatic.
Blacks – first people
Browns – main settlers
Whites – once rulers
Peopling simple.
Asia’s old friend
China, India
And Arabia
But West to rend.
Heel Islamized
Yet, Spaniards came
And made it tame
Rest Christianized.
America’s
First Asian pet
New rule beget
Foreigners pass.
When the dog’s free
From charms of boss
Suffered weight loss
Makes self hungry.
But, its puppies
Away from thee
Fills their tummy
Return booties.
When stocks will store
Wisely by host
Future’s not lost
New things explore.
Filipino –
The “World’s Servant”
Role’s important
Yellow halo!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
66.
Plants and Animals of Earth
Earth is evergreen
With plants surrounding
Often medicine
To flesh corrupting
Earth is always round
With faunas roaming
Free, settled, bound
Eco they’re balancing
Plants and animals
Without them we’re gone
They’re here before us
They must not be gone.
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
67.
The Elements of Life
Earth – this solid mass
Eversince holds us
We’ll never escape
From its tightened rape
Water – this solvent
Makes life sufficient
Cleans and occupies
Dwindles, fall and rise
Air – this loosened gas
Fills empty areas
Allows respiration
Triggers production.
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
68.
I Want to be One with Nature
I want to be in paradise on earth
Free from all disgusting man-made dirt.
Roll on grasses
With no itches
Soak in water
‘Til I’m cleaner
Breathe the fresh air
Shun all despair!
Make me one with God’s prior creations
Filtering all worldly pollutions.
Sleep with the beasts
Feel them at least
Swim with fishes
Cleanse blemishes
Fly with the birds
Clouds we traverse!
Because I want to be one with nature
Making slower my mortal rupture.
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
69.
My Memories of Las Piñas
Las Piñas - memories sweet
Soul was innocent and neat
I miss the friends of childhood
The closeness of neighborhood
It’s where I learned ABC
Twinkle Stars and 123
I miss the townhouse playground
My afternoon hang around
With Jay, Fritz, Toto, Len-Len
Yobi, Cyrene…more than ten
It’s nice when night was brownout
My friends and I would play out
After church mass, family
SM Southmall was hobby
When Holy Week was around
Night film showing on playground
Also on time of summer
Neighbors resort together
When it’s Christmas eve and night
Flood the gifts from left and right
Best is every New Year’s eve
Night’s merriest street party
Visit kin both side parents
Those another excitements
Oh Casimiro Townhomes
I should have never left you!
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
70.
My Life in Dumarao
Dumarao – teen and adult abode
Where memories are both good and bad
My gratefulness when I received from thee
School honor garnered unexpectedly
But in exchange I got few friends only
Who later dwindled ‘til I was lonely
Our improved house resembling a prison
My routine changed, I was in derision
The field not ours was developed further
Without buying it from the landowner
Father’s money were quickly exhausted
Everynight’s like party – glasses toasted
Foods that we should eat – to animals fed
Chickens, pigs, pigeons, goats…later were dead
So there emerged our sari-sari store
Which I needed also to take care for
Time for fun, highschool gimmicks – missed a lot
To redeem my lost school honor I plot
Yet, all in vain, worse, my batch had fallen
In school competitions where we should win
After all, tragic OLSI memory
Taught me never again to be bossy
And when I was already in UP
My vow in life was full humility
On class days, I learned a lot in Miagao
On weekends, I went back to Dumarao
Where life was still and moving in slow pace
So when I thought I was behind the race
Worked even before I marched from college
On government office even low wage
Not disappointed, but discontented
To Metro Manila I bravely fled
Tutor in Korean Academy
Not fired, not resigned, left job abruptly
At those times of blatant stupidity
To home once again with my family
Maybe fate wants me to be here
Dumarao’s love for me may be sincere
And I think I’m also loving thee now
If our love fails again, there’s broken vow
Now, your weakness I slowly understand
My test of faith I patiently withstand.
-11/27/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
71.
What I Missed from School
If I’ve been not in school
Surely I missed a lot
Not only the brain tool
I’ll point to the people
Whose influence could make
Life more valuable
Were they my teachers?
And/or my classmates
Or other superiors?
They could be among them
Those whose passion, talents
Skills, likes – with me the same
They were also the ones
Whose dreams and ambitions
Could be also my wants
Was afraid to reveal
What are truest in me
Harder still to conceal.
-11/28/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
72.
My Father
My Father, like the usual other
Wants to show he is a hardowrker
I know his rags-to-money story
And money-to-rags tragedy
When I began to be world conscious
His presence I consider precious
When still a child I never sleep
When he’s not yet hope from work and trip
I even used to take a night bath
To welcome him back
And I’ll smell good when he kisses me
Shaved beard, moustache – my cheeks make itchy
Yet, I was always excited ‘coz
There’s always a pasalubong dose
Gatorade, Chokolait, other drinks
Canned Bear Brand – we chill and drink contest
After Sunday Mass in Five Wounds Church
He would buy me goto and Yakult
I missed too his ‘pinapaitan”
While in Las Piñas was the last one
When Angel and SM Southmall born
Jollibee was Sunday hour sojourn
What I only hate during weekends
I was tasked to pick his white hair strands
Once he told me tales of Dumarao
And when we’re already here now
I felt a little bit of jealous
To my cousins whom he seemed so close
Worse, I was annoyed of his hobbies
Which for me, costly, can cause disease
I succeed not to follow his flaw
Thanks God who understands I forgo
Whatever bad things I have in me
Have done to others and/or Thee
It’s not my father’s fault anymore
So God please save him from dishonor
For I still love Tatay with all my heart!
-11/28/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
73.
My Mother
My Mother, maybe like the others
Is conscious in family matters
I know her rags-to-money story
And money-to-rags-tragedy
When I began to be world conscious
Her presence – I was sometimes anxious
For she used to be irritable
Making my simple flaws terrible
Occasionally, she shouts at me
Eventhough I am not far from thee
Yet, my mother’s ever generous
She’s the one who used to buy me toys
Like Tatay, she’ll not make me hungry
That’s my parents’ greatest legacy
Besides that, to her I attribute
My college institute
She worked for almost twenty-four hours
Burned too much her delicate eyebrows
I regret I still can’t compensate
Everything she had done for me great
If given chance to reincarnate
I want for myself to be a straight
So that I’ll not be again her guilt!
-11/28/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
74.
My Sibling
When she was born, they think I’m jealous
I used to pinch her skin like pillows
Maybe I am really abnormal
Her screwed up face sometimes makes me smile
Since a baby until she’s teenage
I fill her days with frivolous rage
I hope her misery would end soon
I think to her I am not a boon
In deep reality I feel sad
Everytime when Angel’s not around
Although I cursed her million times
I never regret her birth sublime
She’s God’s blessing whom I should cherish!
-11/28/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection
---
75.
Myself
What makes me happy
Is in the end to see
Everyone happy about me
What makes me angry
Is still unclear to me
I need more self-scrutiny
What makes me sad
To quench somehow also hard
Of course – things that are bad
This is simply me!
-11/28/2011
(Dumarao)
*First Incubus Collection…I composed these 16 poems while paranoid, thinking that I’m going to die the next time I sleep for it was made after a night of terrible nightmare which I thought I couldn’t be awakened. This series of poems was done in one sitting! I was even absent from work because I felt ill.