Thursday, June 6, 2024
What is Death?
Friday, February 16, 2024
This Far
I am grateful to have the strength
to reach out to your hand
and hold it,
to power my legs and knees
while walking leisurely on
the beach, sunset-lit.
I am thankful to have the
clarity
of vision to still witness
your smiles,
and with ears sensitive to
your laughter
while the sea keeps coming
back to our feet.
How I love our memory that
goes a long way
back from where we began,
and every now
and then ask if you still
recall the feeling,
the thrill of confession!
Oh how we have come this
far,
like a precious Chinese bowl
with gold
in all its cracks.
Saturday, August 5, 2023
To love you imperfectly
I may not be the best man
you have ever met
amidst the downpours
of your life's trials
because all I can offer is
to love you imperfectly.
I may not be your knight
in shining armor
come to slay the dragons
that trouble you
because all I can offer is
to love you imperfectly.
Your memories of me
maybe full of failings
but forgiveness is
a sweet potion to my soul
because all I can offer is
to love you imperfectly.
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
The Things to Miss About You
How about the eyes that found me, and lingered
within the radius of my stare, locking eye to eye,
unembarrassed by the moment?
Or, how about the smile that dented your cheeks,
breaking out like a new day, teeth white as the sun?
What of the hands that served coffee brewed
on my table, the aroma sweet like your scent,
floating in the air, your hair close to me?
Or that glaze in your skin, when my fingers slide
from your shoulder down to your fingers?
How about the warmth of your lips,
lingering, swirling, sniffing, sipping,
and I savoring them like fine wine?
Oh, your body so close to me,
I, selfishly consuming its heat!
(written for the occasion of our 37th wedding anniversary)
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
The Roots of my Next Poem
Will I find the poem from someone's eyes
Friday, February 18, 2022
Para Tayong Mapulang Alak
Mayroong saya na masilip ang iyong tingin
mula sa iyong mga mata na nagbabalik
ng mga ala-alang noong una kang tanawin,
mga sulyap na naghagis ng mga salitang di nabigkas.
May hiya na nahayag sa sabay na pagsulyap,
mga pagkakamaling nagdala ng tuwa sa puso
na pilit na naglilihim, nguni't sa lakas ng tibok nito'y
pinupunit ang dibdib.
Bakit pilit pa rin na inaabot ang mga kamay
na gustong haplusin, mga brasong ayaw bitawan,
hindi ka naman umaalis, narito lamang tahimik,
at may pilyang ngiti sa kapiling.
Para tayong mga pulang alak na sa pagtanda
ay lalong tumamis, na noong tangan na ang kopa
at nasimsim ang kaniyang lasa, may pagsangayon
na sasabihin, ito ang pinakamagaling!
Itago pa natin nang buong ingat ang mga ala-alang
parang alak, hayaan pang lalong tumamis, at ilayo
sa init ng mga pagaalinlangan, upang patuloy
na magsanib ang mga ala-ala at ngiti.
Saturday, February 5, 2022
We Were Like Red Wine
There is bliss to catch a glimpse
from those eyes bringing back memories
of the first day I saw you.
We would not let go of our false timing
in the turning of our heads,
bringing joy in my heart.
Why do I keep holding on to these hands,
when you are not going away,
with those eyes and smile?
We are like aging red wine
that has grown sweeter still, whose cup
is full of your glances and my memories.