Windshield

I feel like I am driving against the rain
while the downpour smashed
against my windshield like mad.

If only I could take that right turn
onto a road of rain-less sky,
that ascends to a safe hill.

I miscalculated. Instead,
the heartaches are rising like floodwaters,
there is no point to clear the windshield.

Like a Blanket

The last thing I recall was the bright light shining on my face.
I was scouring through the virtual filers in my head for lines or tunes
but darkness covered me like a thick blanket.

It was like the last time I hurtled into space. I remember
the windshield glass colliding on my face. It was painless
and darkness covered me like a blanket.

How is it when the life-force leaves  and shuts the door behind?
Could I wake up straight from bed to catch my breath
but the room has gone dark as if covered with a blanket.

Doorpost

I was at your doorstep the other day

Knocking gently at your wooden door.

There was only silence.

I just had to knock a little louder each time

Maybe you are in some corner of this house.

But nothing happened.

The dark clouds caught up with me

and the rain poured.

Now, I am all wet and dripping.

All I want is to break the news-

You know my mom, she died today.

A Magazine

The early morning sunlight spreads its rays over them, the black umbrella held over him by his partner, and under its shade he opens his Bible exposing it in the sun. Beside him the old man stared at the page, squinting his eyes, his white-grey hairs glowing in the sun some sweat sliding down his sun-baked, half-dressed body, pausing from the day's toils, from news of another human being found dead in some forgotten corner of everybody's mind, while others walked by carrying their poverty in public, as some women clustered around a nearby seat where a child was crying, unmindful of another death in the neighborhood, killed with gunshots that woke them up to another day. The preacher gave him a magazine, yellow as the sun with the cover title asking, 'Angels- Are They Real?'

Flickering Afternoon Light

I should not have looked your way
your head bowing as if to pray

I did not see the tears leaking from your eyes
because mine blurs my own-

what a joy to see how they glisten
in the flickering afternoon light.

Ang Totoo, Oo

Malay ko ba, isang araw mag-eyeball tayo

at hayun parang nag-stop ang aking mundo,

ang panahon nag-fast forward, naiwan ang lahat,

ako, kasama ka, nag-punta sa future natin.

Masaya at hindi ko mapigil ngumiti pero parang

plastic balloon na tinusok ng pin heto uli ako 

sa ngayon. Nasa harap kita, nagtataka.

Bingi ba ako? Nakikipag-usap ba?

Sorry naman. Narinig ko, sinabi mo ngalan mo.

Feeling heaven lang ako. Hindi ko pa masabi, 

sinama kita sa future natin. Maganda, masaya siya.

Sana sa susunod, talagang kasama ka na.

Pasensiya na, iniisip mo ayaw kong bitawan

ang iyong kamay. Hawak ko pala kanina pa.

Pero ang totoo, oo.