World Poetry Day 2016

I'm late. Again. What can I do? I procrastinate.
And it's not like I have followers, so it won't make any difference if I'm on time or not.

Anyway, as the title promptly provided, this post is for World Poetry Day--which was yesterday. But since it's still March 21 in some parts of the world, I think this tardiness isn't such a grave offense. Anyway, no use explaining. Here are the links to the poems I made in the days preceding World Poetry Day: Of Supernovas and Parallel Universes, Merong Alak at Pulutan, and Tanaga Para Kay Lara. The last one is dedicated to my ate and guru/sensei in the workplace, Lara Francheska. She's leaving for a new company soon. TT

I also tried spoken-word poetry for the first time! Yay! It's titled This Is What I Think When I Talk to People. Please be kind when watching my piece. :)

So, I guess that's it. Hope my pieces have touched you somehow. <3

Merong Alak at Pulutan

Kapag ika'y may dinaramdam,
Sakit sa ulo o ano man,
Wag na wag mong kalilimutan
Merong alak at pulutan.

Masakit ba ang iyong likod
Sa buong araw na pagkayod?
Kahit wala na atang natira sa sahod
Dre, sa isang bote ng alak, 
Tiyak mawawala iyong pagod.

Sa bawat hapdi at pighati
Na dulot ng pusong sawi,
Wag na wag mong ikukubli;
Pait na damdami'y sa alak ibahagi.

Kapag kailangan ng kasama
Sa pagharap ng mga problema,
O tila alak ay di sapat para sa pagluluksa,
Ako'y nandito, kaibigan; Wag mag-alala.

Bibili tayo ng alak sa tindahan
Gabi'y mapupuno nga tawanan at usapan
Haharanahan natin ang marikit na buwan
At uubusin ang kukurampot na yaman

Kaya wag nang malungkot, kaibigan.
Ano man kalaki ang iyong pinagdaraanan,
Lagi mong tatandaan---
Merong alak at pulutan.

Of Supernovas and Parallel Universes

You know how the forces of the universe
Are so powerful they can compel stars
To explode into blazing supernovas?
Then transform them into endless black holes -- 
Ominous, mysterious, beautiful?

Those are the same forces that pull me to you.
The same energies that push you to someone else.
So, tell me, What can I do against such raw power?

Braver souls may have fought.
May have raged with tears and blood.
May have pulled their guts from the inside out,
Placed them in front of their shields made of bones
Tied together by bloodied heartstrings,
And charged forward, challenging fate to break their conviction.

And they may have succeeded.
Or perhaps they may have been destroyed in the silly war they have waged.
But they would have fought hard,
Until there were no bones left to break.
No blood to spill.
Is love a worthy prize for such terrible sacrifice?

Alas, I will never know.
For I have the courage of a worm;
I have the strength of a bubble floating in the wind.
Fragile.
Unable to defy the limits of my circumstance.

I will never be able to stop you from going to her.
After all, who am I to you?
You live in a universe that revolves around her.
While I'm here -- in my messed up, wretched world --
Forever haunted by the ghost of your smile.