Flame

Life is a fleeting flame
That is extinguished
Long before the embers
Are turned to ashes

But some flames
Shine more brightly
And some flames
Burn more warmly

If only for an instance
The dark night brightens
If only for a moment
The coldness is defeated

Eternal slumber awaits
But before we all sleep
We must ask ourselves
Have we been truly awake?

Mangingisda

Nakatingin s’ya sa malayo
Waring may tinatanaw
Banayad ang mga alon na humahampas sa dalampasigan
Kagabi lang ay pumalaot ang kanyang asawa

Nagsisidatingan na ang mga bangka
Ngunit hindi n’ya pa rin maaninag ang kanyang hinihintay
Parang kinukurot ang kanyang puso
“Huwag naman sana,” sabi n’ya sa sarili

Banayad ang mga alon na humahampas sa dalampasigan
Ang mga mumunting liwanag ng mga bituin
Ay unti-unting napaparam ng pasulpot na sinag sa silangan

Banayad ang mga alon na humahampas sa dalampasigan
Wala namang madilim na ulap
Ngunit parang dagundong ng kulog ang kanyang pangamba
Na para bagang may unos na parating...

Somewhere Around the Bend

In the gloom of the night,
Somewhere around the bend,
I saw you standing.
You were waiting for someone whom you really don’t know.

The light from the lamppost was dim,
But I can clearly see the contour of your face.
Perhaps it was the makeup,
Maybe it was the contrast of the shadows.
I really don’t know…

A cat has suddenly leaped from the trash can,
It was chasing a rat or perhaps just a shadow of a rat.
It startled you a bit.

You lit a cigarette to calm your nerves.
The smokes spiraled upwards as if they were thin, sharp appendages.
However, as quickly as they were formed, they also quickly disappeared.

Labandera

Sugatang mga daliri
Pupod na mga kuko
Kulubot na mga kamay
Sa maghapon na trabaho

Bula ng sabon
Sa maruming pantalon
May bahid pa ng lipstick
Hindi naman galing sa labi ng amo niyang babae

“Hoy, tapusin mo na yan!”
Sigaw ng misis na malaki ang tiyan

Isang daang piso sa maghapon na trabaho
Kulang pang pambili ng pulutan ng asawang lasengo

“Anak, umutang ka muna
ng sardinas diyan sa may kanto…”

Sparkplugs Sonnet

‘Twas his first time to drive a car alone
Without knowing where to go or why now
He simply rode and drive away from home
The engine roared as if choking snow

Fog engulfs, ‘twas a misty morning
The pistons churn as the sparkplugs fire
But the engine power seemed snoring
A sigh! High-voltage current seemed to ire

“Need sparkplug replacements?”-- said the sign
Without turning a glance, he passed-by
Without knowing where to go or to find
Adventures he dreamed. Was it just a lie?

The pistons churn as the sparkplugs fire
Without knowing where or understand why

Clueless

I don’t know exactly how
I don’t know exactly when
I don’t know exactly why
I don’t even know exactly where
But it simply did

Suddenly, almost without warning,
It came like surging waves
I was swept by its force

Like a ship in a stormy sea,
I was almost dashed against the rocks

Somewhere between waking and sleeping,
It entered my consciousness
From then on, I understood
What it meant to be schizophrenic and paranoid
All at the same time!