Day 70: Animal Talk

Is greed an emotion?

asked the bull to the monkey.

The monkey shook his head, saying

Why do you ask silly questions? 

The bull

munched on grass

and said, my apologies my friend,

I wanted to tame it

like my anger.

Day 69: Fashion Mishaps by Chuang Tzu

Well pressed shirt

with purple tie

dimpled at the

middle where

the knot is —

a perfection taking

years to master, then

your pen blots it all, 

a dark patch of ink

turning your outfit

no different from a rug.

Lesser men will have 

their hearts melted

But greater ones will call it 

unfortunate without stammer 

or hiccups in their voices.

Day 67/68 Nietzsche the Clerk

You should have 

told me a day before

yesterday

if it was due

yesterday.

Power is

you with the bottle

of Scotch as I

miss dinner, tv, and

sleep,

imposing on

my time

what you cannot

impose on

yours.

Day 64/65/66: I missed a poem

yesterday, as I hopped from isle to isle

first stop Bulalacao, darling town of Mindoro; 

a thrilling ride on the hills overlooking the sea 

to be at a nestled resort haven for the peace-hungry;

my father of seventy declared how blessed he was to have lived to see this day, and we feasted on roasted pork crabs, and noodles. I sang John and Paul’s In My Life on the karaoke and rode the ship for Caticlan, gateway to the famous Boracay. At one hour past midnight I waited for dawn for my flight, Visayan chill I savored over ginger tea. My plane left as I looked

at the white and silver sands.  One of these days said I, I’ll be back and do more than see. In Manila, I arrived and joined the clan of hundreds, listened to Great Aristeo speak of Nanay Irene and Mamay Isko with ten children they lived with unsurpassed unity. Misty-eyed all who heard him speak and happy they came to hear and see. And I, who pledged in January to write verse everyday, I failed; all energy spent, no sleep for hours, and worried silly.  No poem can be as good as this day of revelry.  Life happens and we know love matters more, yes love matters more than all the poems, all the poems, that could ever be.

Day 63: Coffee Talk

We entered the cafeteria

unwelcomed by that smell of cow 

innards stewed in ginger.

You asked —  is there a 

difference in the conversation

over instant coffee vis-a-vis

the kind priced astronomically 

prepared in a French press

and served in pin-lighted 

polished wood interiors 

with tall chairs?

I’ve always thought musings

over brewed coffee are superior, 

you said — they’re better, relaxed,  

if not philosophical, compared to the cheap

fuzz-free sugar, coffee, cream

3-in-1, tit for tat.

As we stood to leave the table

finishing the quick in and out talk

over our cups

getting the business done in 

what is called short term 

give and take

I was ready to agree with you,

save for the fact that we never 

had it this good

in a coffee chain or 

hotel lobby which disproves

everything so far said.

Day 62. Variation on a Prayer #2

Dear Lord,

Let Thou be the ship,

whilst I be the sea. 

Amen

Day 61: Variation on a Prayer

Dear Lord,

Let thou be the train,

whilst I be the tracks. 

Amen

Day 60. Joseng Sisiw sa Manila

Tanong ni Joseng Sisiw 

sa batang eskwela —

May tula bang makikita

pagtayo mo sa kalsada

hawak ang pansahod ng barya,

trabaho’y sumenyas sa rumaratsada

ipahiwatig parating na tren o wala pa?

Sagot naman ng bata —-

Kay hirap ngang humanap 

sa buhay na sinapit.

Maaring umawit, magbilang, sumayaw,

 bago ang tren ay dumating. Ngunit

sa malamang sa hindi

tula ay wala sa kalyeng mainit.

Tumalima ang makata, eskwela ay biniro 

—Ay huwag hamakin, 

gawaing tapat at marangal. 

May galing din namang matatawag

sa hamak na hitsura,

galing sa pagkita

ng mailap na kuwarta.