Day 59: Usapang Lasing

Walang rebolusyon,

wika ng isang namundok

sa kanyang dating

kasama sa kilusan.

Ang kapangyarihan

ay kakabit ng

katakawan; ang 

bayani noon,

punong malupit ngayon,

sabay lagok ng 

isang basong serbesa. 

Sagot ng kasama,

bakit ka pa umasa sa 

mga pangako ng libro?

Sa ‘king buhay, nakamit

ang pagbabago,

nang maging ama at

nag-alaga ng mag-ina,

tuloy tagay ng baso

at lagay ng yelo.

Tumahimik ang nauna,

Bakit nga ba, isip niya,

mas mahusay makinig

sa kausap na lasing

kaysa sa politiko sa Luneta?

Day 58: The Wrong Thing

Said the Master 

to his pupil,

Superman dying

is not a possibility 

any one likes to imagine.

The glory from saving 

the little child trapped in a fire

or Lois Lane captured by Lex Luthor’s

machine, even the cat stuck

in a tree — they too perish as their 

memories. What foolishness 

to believe that power 

is not fleeting, that order will not lead to 

disorder. Superman’s death is 

no different from that of a seedling;

Only time and space will

tell his bitter end. 

And the pupil replied,

So, what are we to do?

The Master answered,

Disengage your desire

to be like him. 

And the pupil shook his head,

All his life he dreamt 

of the wrong thing.

Day 57: The Man Who Cried Wolf

There is no wolf he cried

when asked about

the dismembered body

of the boy of four

his heart missing

his clawed face

all bloodied.

The villagers said,

the boy must have been 

a thief in his past life,

the witches came for

reckoning and took

his evil heart as offering.

Not long after, they found

a woman pregnant with a child

sprawling naked on the earth

her eyes gouged, the marks

of a beast’s great bites on her chest.

The man declared,

there is no wolf, I say.

It must have been the vultures,

the villagers declared,

this woman of ill-repute, dead like

her bastard child, must accept

her karmic fate.

And months since then,

the man confessed to the villagers

I’ve spent sleepless nights

my soul cries every moment

for the boy, the pregnant woman and her child —

I am the wolf.

But the villagers they said,

why should we believe you

you lying crap?

Leave us alone,

There is no wolf.

Day 56: Why your Dad is not in EDSA

Imagine if General Tadiar

channeled your Dad,

“Tadjak” they called him

fierce marine, trained to kill,

a sea of people barricading his tank

nuns holding flowers and rosaries

and on the radio -- 

Artemio, this is your Uncle Fred. Your Aunt Florence and I and all your cousins are here in Crame. Now, Boy, please listen to me

Make the right decision on the basis of evidence and intellect. Bear in mind, the future of this generation is at stake.

Ukininam! Your Dad would have said

The tanks roll, and he would 

have flattened them all,

heads, bodies, arms, and legs

the road glistening red

as he enters the gates.

Blood is his water, remember?

But the General knew better,

as he got out of the hatch

and embraced his uncle,

Yeah, he made a lot of uncles,

cousins, brothers, and sisters

that day. And your Dad,

who fondly calls the dictator his idol,

I bet he calls the General

bayot.

Day 55: Fr. Gomez Contemplates Sen. De Lima's Arrest

Dawn in the month of February

I walk uncertain 

what lies ahead

A leaf, I say,

doesn’t move without 

the will of the Creator; 

Zamora’s gone mad, 

Burgos rages.

I smiled to bless 

the children who 

kneel on my path. 

145 years hence 

and people remember 

the man who walks 

calmly to his death. 

The curse of tyrants it is 

to be the heroes of newspapers 

but the evil men of memory. 

Poor victims who suffer

their names be whispered fondly.

So, walk sweet Leila, 

Today, you go to jail;  

Forever, the best seat in history!

Day 54: Wika ng Maestro

Wika ng maestro—

Ang galing ng tagak

kung magtungo siya

sa tabing-dagat

hindi maaring wala

siyang huli

kung sumablay

man sa una

walang kiyemeng

susubok, babalik,

at muling tutuka

parang kinakatam

ang pandama 

sa bawat tuka

at sa ilang sandali

nadali na

ang agahan,

panlaman ng

tiyan.

Bakit ka matatakot,

kaya mo namang

maging tagak?

Day 53: Solved is the Mystery

Ay! Ay! Solved is the mystery!

The Mayor, the Mayor,

Lord and king  of the 

great city

who’s no way a sissy,

became our prexy

because God wants

us to see

you and me

what the Mayor

has done yeah

what the Mayor

has done yeah 

to God’s people

God’s poor people

of His beloved city.

It's God’s trap,

a Divine trap,

you give the Mayor

the country,

yeah crazy country,

so he will leave,

leave the city

Oh wow pearl city

God's precious one

of the parable,

Wow, great wisdom 

The city is free!

The city is free!

Bow down our heads

the great hand of God

the mighty hand of God

of history!

Day 52: Tatay Tatay

Tatay, tatay

huwag papatay

ng lamok

ay, ay, 

ay, away

insekto

Ay dugo 

palit buhay

Why? Why?


Why Tatay?

huwag papatay

ng baboy

Oy, oy, 

oy, gutom

ng tao

Di na lang 

maggulay

Why? Why?


Why Tatay?

huwag papatay

ng tao

O, o, 

o, init

lang ulo

Gago man 

ay tatay

din di ba?

din di ba?

Ha, ha, 

ha Tatay?

huwag papatay

Please. 

Day 51: My Wife, the Painter

My wife, the painter, 

says as she whips the

canvas with her brush — 

In Bhutan they fear the 

empty; evil creeps in &

fills it up the way 

darkness conquers

the sky as the sun

sets in the unsuspecting 

world. 

Entropy it is — I said, 

matter combusts

and scatters, the spaces,

like silence, mark the blasted.

And so, she continues --

to take up the palette

and draw on the wall

a castle on the mountain

the dance of the takins

a weave of colors,

is the act of the

free and righteous.

I bit my lips as I thought,

without speaking,

it is not like

the poet who

shelters the good

in silence.

Day 50: Judas phone

Your android won’t betray you

like the call that never came,

pm that denied your request, or

email that promised millions

from Nigeria. It is what it is.

Like the boyfriend you thought

was your boyfriend, turns out to be

a playmate who sends you a text that

you should separate just like that,

and the dream is over; 

so you turn to Instagram, 

a picture of you sprawling naked,

no scars from that episode. No lies. 

How can you accuse your 

android of such a thing? 

The palm-size gadget with no heart, 

but a traitor it is not.

Day 49: Ang Mananayaw ng Harlem

(Salin ng The Harlem Dancer ni Claude Mackay)

Tumawa ang nagpalakpakang kabataan kasama ang mga batang puta

At pinanood ang kanyang perpektong

katawan, may kalahating saplot sa pag-indak

Kanyang tinig ay parang tunog ng timpladong mga plauta

Hinihipan ng mga itim na manunugtog sa araw ng piknik

Umawit siya at sumayaw ng kaaya-aya at kalma

Sukbit ang kanyang magaang na gasa ng kanyang hugis

Sa aking tingin wari siya ay mayabang na umiindak na puno ng pawid

Na lalong gumanda sa paglisan ng unos

At sa kanyang malakayumanggi, 

abot-leeg, itim, at makintab na kulot

Ang marangya ay nahulog, naghagis ng barya bilang papuri

Ang mga namula na sa alak at laki-matang mga binata at kahit mga dalaga

Nilamon ang kanyang hugis sa sabik, madamdaming pagtitig;

Ngunit sa pagtingin sa kanyang mukhang may huwad na ngiti

Batid kong ang kanyang sarili ay wala sa kakaibang lugar na iyon. 

Day 48: Starts with the letter "G"

I am concerned about

the mangoes, I said

as my daughter 

lunged a spoon 

on its yellow flesh for lunch, 

why do we have them 

all year? We used to

have them from March to May

and they start to vanish

in June. How come 

they are sweeter than

before, not that I complain,

but are we allowed to 

do this - mess with the

fruit because we want

them more often or sweeter

than they can ever be?

Should somebody think

of turning them into blue,

do we still eat them,

call them mangoes?

She said, “Oh Tatay, 

It’s called technological

innovation. The great modern

work of genetic engineering.”

I smiled at her answer as she

left the table, and proud how

smart she’s been to reply to

my question. But I knew 

Chuang Tzu has a word for it, 

she would not like to hear.

DAY 47: How do you solve a problem like Regina

who walks the talk, and

talks and walks some more

a privileged life she left

to do her yoga

and teach poor children

in the slums of Kenya

where the toilet was awful

and water was scarce;

But she saved some

to clean her undies

You can’t fake 

that kind of life.

No you can’t.

No you can’t.

And then she came

to task big media

— protect the

planet where we live,

a losing cause for government

traded money for the mountain

and more money to let miners 

take what they can, do as they please.

But Regina she told miners

you’re going to die soon,

what are you going to do with your money?
Yeah, what are you going to do with 
your money when you’re dead,

so 

very 

dead?

You can’t fake 

that kind of life.

No you can’t.

No you can’t.

Then Duterte put her on the spot

in the office where they steward

this part of the planet, and she

asked them to clap as she came

to shoo away the bad vibrations.

They tried to bribe her like the

ones before her — How do you bribe

the one who volunteered for life 

in Africa instead of Forbes? How do you

bribe a yogi? Ha ha, Duterte gave you a puzzle you can’t solve. 
She’ll close the mines. She’ll cancel the contracts to protect our water, 

oh so very precious water getting scarce, 

leave some for your undies like Regina.

You can’t fake 

that kind of life.

No you can’t.

No you can’t.

How do you solve a problem like Regina?

”How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?”

 

Day 46: My Headache

with no name,

comes with

chilling sweat on the forehead,

thudding on the left temple

comes and goes, with

the rhythm of heartbeat,

sends a ripple

near the skin a few 

inches from the spine;

An amazement how

one part is connected,

like a boat

on a river on a holiday

with stations and stops.

The Greeks blamed Algea

for all their headaches

The Romans called them Dolores

But these folks surely missed,

only the living feel pain. 

Day 45: The monks were singing

The monks were singing

in the middle of Matins

some heavenly

howling in ancient language,

as the last of the Garganeys

came flying and

sunlight beamed

on the tower —

there you arrived,

the monsoon wind blowing 

away the seams of your dress.

I took my hanky to wipe my eyes

as a voice whispered

”Love is to be eternally

with all that is good.”

I held your hand as we marched

thinking I have not done enough

to deserve this blessing.

Day 44: Kierkegaard is an All-Star

Put on your game face

like Kobe when his Achilles

snapped and he had to

take free throws

There is no tomorrow 

No what other people would say

No Facebook

No ESPN

No PS4

No pain

No pleasure

No fame

No fortune

No husband

No mother

No children

No Duterte

No Trump

No global warming

No duties

No perks

No heaven

No hell

Summon your life 

upon this moment. 

Time is a basketball

or the hoop 

where you shoot it 

over and over

and over

again.

Day 43: Kung Limutin Mo Ako (Si Tu Me Olvidas)

(Halaw at salin sa tula ni Pablo Neruda)

Ibig kong malaman mong

isang bagay.

Alam mo kung paano ito:

kung ako’y tumingin 

sa  kristal na buwan, sa pulang sanga

ng mabagal na taglagas sa aking bintana,

kung aking hawakan

sa tabi ng apoy

ang di masalat na abo

o ang kulubot na katawan ng kahoy

inihahatid nila ako lahat sa’yo,

umiiral  ang lahat ng bagay

samyo, liwanag, bakal,

na parang maliliit na bangkang palaot

sa mga pulo mong naghihintay sa akin

Bagama't

kung unti-unting tigilan mo akong mahalin

titigil din kitang mahalin unti-unti

Kung bigla

mo akong limutin

huwag mo akong hanapin,

dahil nilimot na rin kita.

Kung isipin mong mahaba at baliw

ang hangin ng watawat
na dumaan sa’king buhay

at iyong piliin
na iwan ako sa bingid
ng puso kung saan ako nag-ugat
alalahanin 
sa ganung araw
sa ganung oras
itataas ko ang aking mga bisig
at ang aking mga ugat ay kakalat
upang maghanap ng ibang lupa.

Ngunit

kung kada araw 

kada oras

madama mong 

ako ang iyong kapalarang
may tamis na walang tinag
kung kada araw ay sumibol
ang isang bulaklak sa iyong labi upang ako’y hanapin

Ay! aking sinta, Ay! akin,
sa aking kaloooban lahat ng apoy ay uulit
sa aking kalooban walang pumanaw o nilimot
pag-ibig ko'y binuhay ng iyong pag-ibig, giliw,
at habang ikaw ay buhay

ito’y na sa iyong bisig 

ng di lumilisan sa akin.

Day 42: Goebbels was a blogger

Nice of you

to cheer for those

who lend their voices

to peddling lies

for likes and shares;

they who think

your fart is fresh

and savor the

rotten words you

spew like the smoke

from your gun;

they call it music

the way you juxtapose

bitch and country,

they way you point

to the heavens like your

finger is a dagger,

conductor to the

symphony of cannons,

Will they ever mind that blood

is your water?

You have truly made them happy.

And for you, forever they will sing,

Power to the power!

Day 41: Panaghoy ni Darth Vader

Hindi maaring 

lumaking ganyan

ang bata

ang puso kung saan 

ang sikmura 

wika ang dalit ng diablo

takot sa kislap ng tala

awit ang alingawngaw 

ng lupa

kapalaran niya’y

tulad ng turo sa atin

malayo kung saan tayo

nilamon ng halimaw

Day 40: Trapeze

Mine is the struggle

for rhythm

to mimic the 

pulse of sunrise 

and sunset,

the happenstance

of the osprey

on the pond

as it lands and flees,

my heart hanging on a

string.

Day 39: If Lenin had a limo

Comrade

Prasteete

It doesn’t make a difference

To ride it to the square,

walking achieves 

the same purpose

people might think

we’re enjoying it,

that our coffee is better

in the Kremlin

our pork much sweeter

Simple minds do not know

it’s when we cross out

a person’s name 

and he vanishes forever

that, that is our joy.

Day 38: Foucault Plays Monopoly

You will never find a 

“Get out of Jail” card, 

inspired by the Parker Bros game, 

as you cast the dice and land

on the square with the police who

sends you to the corner 

with the man behind bars, 

holed up for a couple of turns 

as everyone gets by 

with this business of winning. 

That card has long been picked by those

who started the game before you did, 

and so poor fellow, never believe

the game is fair, 

take the consequence

of your moves, 

obey the will of the dice. 

Some people are born to win the game, 

and others to die just playing it. 

Day 37: Middle Age Blues #1

You won’t admit

this business

has gotten into your head,

like a trip to Divisoria we took once

and we hunted for the jeepney called “Highway Star” because  it had a pile of tapes on deck, 

and only a splint of light to see the road,

and its speakers were blasting

the bass lines which you claimed

came from Thin Lizzy, but you only

knew that because your dad was

working in Saudi, and he sent you

this heavy metal stuff along with his

voice tape because he was too lazy

to write you a letter. So now, I’m offering you a ticket of Air Supply  for my son’s fund-raising, and you say how dare I offer you a ticket for an Air Supply concert even if it’s free? Even if it’s not going to be a date? Yeah, how dare me offer you? You who cried when I left you, and the radio was playing, “I can wait forever.”

Day 36: Nietzsche Proposes to his Girlfriend

If my love 

is like a mirror 

you hold against 

another, how

much time

would it take as 

that light comes

and goes, before you

decide to put it 

down and 

cease this 

repetition?

Would you know for

that brief moment

you held eternity

in your hand?

Day 35: Dalawang Dilang Latay / Two Tongue Lashing

Hindi bagay

sa taong masalita

parang nagkikilo

ng karne, wala naman sa

palengke, tawaging

bayot ang tumangging

sumali, makabuka lang ng

bunganga, maging bida

uli, mapangiti ang mga bungi 

na hindi naman makaiyak

dahil kailangang sumipsip,

kaya namang nagtityaga,

tango, yuko, palakpak,

sa taong hindi bagay.

It does not suit people

to be quiet; someone

speaks of the heads

he blasted, and we

wish he’s kidding,

that he might

be speaking of the

Clint Eastwood movie

we might have seen

from youtube, 

so we decently

smile or feign a short laughter.

No. Hindi.

It’s not suited

to pretend

Hindi bagay

magkunwari

our tongues are tied

nabuhol ang ating dila.

Hindi bagay sa atin.

Hindi bagay sa atin.

Day 34: The Ghost of NVM

Last night in my sleep

my departed mentor 

spoke of his last book

that he didn’t finish 

but started with the epigraph 

from a Chinese sage

that to be human

is to constantly deny

reality. 

I asked him then

what is the key,

for like that  Borges 

poem about limits,

there is no hope?

”No, not courage, my child"

he said,

"but imagination.

That is why,”

he added

“I appear in your dreams.”

Day 33: Nothing better

than a headache

when I wake up 

and the dog is barking 

because it's hungry 

and all I have is bread

moldy and sour

which I've ingested

so now my stomach is grumbling 

and I'm out of tissue

and I'm out of water

and I'm out of coffee

But you arrive from jogging

and the dog gets cuddled

so it shuts up.

Nothing better

than you

nothing better to do

but be here

this nothing better day.

Day 32: Let them

out in the wild

these little ones 

whose footsteps gather 'round you

like rain in June,

their reach no greater than 

circles of bubbles 

that burst at the sound 

of syllables,

their scent like lilies.

New friends, myths, and places

they will find

their spirits soaring

like dragonflies 

crawling out of the water.