Tumakbo sa pang-Panguluhan
Nagtagal sa katungkulan
Maganda ang simula
Nagtagal, kasamaa’y lumala
Nanatili dulot ng iisang hangarin
Kapangyarihan nais kimkimin
Tayo’y naghangad ng matapang na tao
Tumayo ang iisang apelyido
Akala ng lahat kayo’y tagapagligtas
Simula lang pala kayo may gilas
Hinahamon ngayon ‘yong administrasyon
Kumilos ka ngayon, ‘wag manatiling tikom
by sulatkamay
I asked you if you love me. And you asked me if I really want to know. I said “yes”. You said you did, but I wasn’t convinced.
Tuesday
You gave me a sheet of paper, a clue to the treasure hunt game we used to play. You also said that you’ll be leaving on Saturday for a two-week vacation with your family on some country at some fancy hotel. I guess I had no choice, you have to spend time with your family.
Thursday
I honestly tried to avoid you. I was self-conscious and unsure, whether you really did love me. Perhaps it was on how your eyes looked, or how it seemed that the phrase “yes, I love you” was just forced out of you.
Saturday
You left for your family vacation. I told you I wanted a t-shirt as a souvenir.
Sunday
I decided to crack the clue you gave to me last time. I guess I should have done it earlier… I did not understand your clue then, well, I really am stupid at games like these, that’s why you always won.
Tuesday
I finally understood what your clue meant. Somehow, it pointed to my own room. But I couldn’t find anything different, nothing new.
Friday
As I were changing clothes before going to class, I noticed that my pile of shirts seemed to be bulkier than before. I was right. Of all the places you could have chosen…
It was a picture frame, but instead of containing a picture, it was a poem written by a famous writer.
I am not really good with this creative writing stuff. I guess the poem was good, it was about love, about a person confessing love to another. I got the message.
Wednesday
I saw your family vehicle pass by. I guessed that your vacation was over. I went to your house, and was called by your dad. He told me what had happened. He told me about the accident. And that you were dead. I initially believed that it was all a joke, but as I saw everyone in your house crying, I simply found myself tearing because of this stupid joke.
Saturday
It was the day of your burial. I decided to give you a gift.
I wanted to find some good writer to create a beautiful poem for me - one that shall say how much I loved you, how much I wanted to be with you.
But I thought instead to give you this diary. For you to read everything that I have ever thought. And I guess that, no matter how beautiful the poem a good writer can create, it’s nothing compared to a few stupid, poorly written lines created by the person who actually loved you.
I guess, if I weren’t that stupid, we could have at least spent nearly two weeks where we were truly in love.
(inspired by Little Wonders by Rob Thomas)
For my friend, KJB. May your soul rest in peace.
By Patalipat
Let it go, let it roll right off your shoulder. Don't you know the hardest part is over.
Everything would turn out okay. I would convince myself a million times that everything was going according to His plan. He left us, his brave soul took the lead and there was nothing more I could do about it. I shed tears a lot, cried with his family, his friends, grieved for the emptiness and the blame that was slowly eating me up inside. I was still holding his hand, afraid to forget him and to let him go but it came to the point that it hurt so much that I had no choice but to slowly loosen the grip. The hardest part is over-- grieving had always been the toughest part of moving on. But now that some time has passed, I have moved on from the pain and the guilt but not the memories of his face, his antics, and our friendship.
Let your clarity define you. In the end, we will only just remember how it feels.
I knew I had to be strong, for his family, his other friends and for myself. I needed some distraction from the fact that I, myself, was weak. I needed to make up something for me to believe in. And I succeeded. For almost a year and a half now, I made myself believe that I accepted his absence, his choice to leave us and this world that he never wanted. I blamed him at first. I was mad.
Why? How can you be so egocentric to take away your own life? Did you even think about your family, your friends that were always there for you? Did you ever think about how your Mama would be so devastated? How about your promise to your Papa that you would be a great architect one day and build a house for your family? You know your family was depending on you! But why are you so selfish to leave your two sisters crying here thinking that you didn’t love them? Are your reasons enough to end God’s wonderful plans for you?
But then, this anger melted away every time I think back on those times he was still here. He was a good-natured fellow, a leader that everyone respected, a happy person. Suddenly, all the resentment faded away replaced by this inevitable pity—for himself, for his family and friends, for myself.
You see, I had the chance to talk to him-- CHANCES to talk to him. I knew he had a plan to take away his life but I refused to believe, thinking he was not serious about it. I could not help but blame myself for not doing enough to prevent all these from happening. He would always haunt my dreams and I would always find myself crying in my sleep. I knew I could have done more but I didn’t. Now, I am left alone with this big hole in my heart and a fat lie that it was not my fault. Though I claim that I have moved on, the memories still remain like moving pictures in my head and the worse part, I remember how things were easier and happier when he was still here.
Our lives are made in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists and turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small hours, these small hours still remain.
We often measure how great our lives are through the money we have, through the number of years we lived, through our success in our careers. Sometimes, we lose sight of the little wonders that make our lives worth living especially when we lose ourselves in despair, in steadiness, and tragedies. We overlook the marvels and sensations of the familiar touch of reassurance on our skins, the warm hugs, or a kind or loving gesture, an encouragement, soft spoken secrets, an offer of comfort from friends and families. They exist to save our lives.
When he had given up in this life, he had unconsciously saved another life from giving up as well. He became our hope, the moral we all needed. He had his moments with us, those times when he had to break the seriousness of a class discussion by his usual antics, those times when we had to beg him to excuse us from CAT classes. He had been a great friend, an awesome band mate, a resourceful student, a warm-hearted son—a remarkable person. Nothing could beat the fact that he lived his life to the fullest, not even this twist of fate for him and for all of us because we all had little wonders from him in the small hours we had left with him.
Let it slide, let your troubles fall behind you. Let it shine until you feel it all around you.
A year and a half after, here still remains the hole but I am now stronger and I have learned to let go of the bad memories. I put every trouble aside and learned to live with the good remembrance because I do not want to forget that the present is a gift. Wherever he may be, he would always be watching over us with a smile on his face knowing that we are happy now.
I don't mind if it's me you need to turn to. We’ll get by, it's the heart that really matters in the end.
He was my classmate for 3 years and we have been close friends ever since the second year in high school. We would sit together in class, doodle while the teacher was discussing something, we would sing together, joke around, and get crazy about nothing, share rumors and talk about anything under the sun. He would call me during weekends and talk about the girl he liked and then I would chatter about the boy I liked. I would tell him how short he was and he would tease me by how big I was. We would tease until we get mad at each other. He was a crazy friend. He would make you angry then he would crack you up and suddenly, all the ire would be gone. He would always be the same boy that puts a smile to my face.
Now that he is gone, my mind would unconsciously make ways to see him. He would visit me in my dreams, some were happy, some were creepy. But all the while, I am glad. These dreams make me believe that I still know him, that he still wants me to remember him and to tell me that he is doing great wherever he is now. He still makes me feel that he could talk to me about anything and anytime. He wants me to know that we’ll still be friends no matter what.
All of my regret will wash away somehow. But I cannot forget the way I feel right now.
Regrets of not able to do enough will always be etched within me. But I still believe all these will pass, that one day I won’t blame myself anymore. But I am scared that if that day comes, I would still remember that way it felt to be left, to lose someone you value so much. I have never had someone close to me passed away. He was the first and it worries me that I won’t be able to handle myself and my emotions the next time something like this happens again. Time can only tell. And in this case, time healed me. Regrets became hope, and three years of friendship became a lifetime of memories.
Our lives are made in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists & turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small hours still remain.
It has been 5, 110 hours since the day I last saw him breathing and living. But in my heart, he had never been more alive. It took me so much to pretend that everything was going to be okay when all along; I never needed to fool myself. I just have to believe that someday, things will be better for all of us, that this needed to happen for God’s bigger plan to be realized. Before the truth comes back into hiding, I have accepted that he is now gone into a better place where he can see all of us. I am sure he would be doing great if he were still here but wherever he is, he is still probably the crazy little boy I have always known. With the memories we had, I offer my prayers to him along with the new stories I have to tell him.
I don’t remember him because how would remember someone I have never forgotten? Time heals and it makes regrets turn to hope and three years of friendship to a lifetime of memories.
by sulatkamay
But the goodbyes had been said,
As it is what cannot be avoided.
The heart has no other path than to accept,
-a path, perhaps, more difficult than the farewell.
People leave instantly
Without reason and time for preparations
They go onto another stage forward
And it shall appear as though they were all
Characters on a level of
The game of life you play so idly.
The boss has simply been defeated -
The ending has just been met,
And as everyone advance to their own stages,
The level where you were all once were
Shall remain a completed arena
-a memory of success;
A proof of what you had experienced
With everyone by your side.
Stupid enough
Every once in a while, you’d always think
That time should stop
That you’d never be able to defeat the boss
And reach an ending.
Afraid enough
That it is a different game without that person,
That same environment, that same crowd.
They say that perhaps goodbyes help a person
grow
But no one ever said that it would be simple.
Pain shall always occur
For no one shall finish the stage unwounded.
They may, however,
Before moving on to the next stage
Be healed with a magical potion;
-It’s the fact
That you did not just leave.
You shall go as a character who helped
Me find the perfect weapons
And armor to face the boss, and
As a person that helped me
Attain that ending.
People will leave instantly -
As though that stage is complete,
But to take the perfect score,
You’d have to find that magical potion
And perhaps, far before defeating the boss,
You may find to not have needed that potion,
Cause you’d rather retain the wounds
For at least you can say that
You played the stage,
And reached an ending.
But the goodbyes had been said,
As it is what cannot be avoided.
The heart has no other path than to accept,
-a heart that carries an unused magical potion.
ni Kiden
Amandino:
Mula sa malayo si Salimah ay matatanaw; mga mata nami'y magkatitig.
Nangungulila sa bawa't isa; napakalayo para maabot ng aking mga bisig.
Umaasang makakasama siya; kapayapaan ng puso ay matatamasa.
Ngunit sa lahat ng aking ginagawa dikta ng dugo ang nagpapasya.
Magulo ang aking pamilya; aking ama't ina ay laging tila nasa giyera.
Mula sa masasakit na salita hanggang sa mga brutal na gawa.
Sa ingay nilang dalawa ay wala ka nang madidinig;
Kanilang napapatahimik agunyas, kulintang o boses ng bibig.
Mata ni ama'y nanlilisik, tangan ang patalim na manggigilit.
Bakal na uhaw sa dugo; batid mong may buhay na mapapatid.
Hagkan naman ni ina, itim na baril sa kanyang kaliwa.
Nakaumang at may bala; handa na mag-alis ng isa pang diwa.
Sa kabila ng kanilang away sa isang bagay sila nagkakasundo.
Iyon ay ang ipagkait nila sa akin si Salimah ang mahal ko.
"Hindi iyon maaari! Makakasira sa iyong kandidatura!"
"Tsaka na yan Amandino! Sumunod ka muna sa ating agenda!"
Ako'y walang magawa, ang nagsabi noon ay aking aking ama't ina.
Habang pinagpapatuloy nila ang kanilang away, ako'y nakatulala.
Napag-isip-isip hanggang kailan ako susunod at maiipit?
Hanggang kailan titiisin ang sa puso'y mapait na kalawit?
Sana'y bigyan ni ama't ina ang bawat isa ng pagkakataon.
Tigil na sa away at mag-usap ng mahinahon.
Ngunit dikta ng dugo na ang aking nasilayan,
Dikta ng dugo din naman ang pinag-uugatan.
by Bart
The first time always hurt, they say.
But Nena couldn’t believe that it could hurt this bad, as the man above her mercilessly pounded away in her young body.
She bit her lip and forced the tears brimming in her eyes to stop.
This will end soon. This will end soon. She thought as the man’s hands roam around her breasts and his cigarette-stained lips brutally kiss hers.
She tried to concentrate on the pretty dancing lights in the wall and “Yakap sa Dilim” playing in the room.
For a price of 2,000 pesos, she had sold her body to this mysterious young man who wanted..maybe some fun time for his hormonal urges and she just became the sole target of his libido.
For her, it was merely an obligation. This was the only thing that was giving life to her siblings and mother. God knows how long her father has to stay in prison after being accused as a thief, which much to their chagrin, was absolutely false. They just didn’t have any money to fight those “higher” ones because filing a complaint would be very expensive.
And so, she became a prostitute or a “comforter” as she says. She knew that even if a lot of people say that it was such a dirty and immoral job for a woman, it will ease men’s burden which they have been carrying since medieval times. To be always the strong ones, they should never show their emotions like women. She will be there to understand them.
For him, this sex was the only thing he could think of to release all his pent-up frustration against his family for being abusive of their powers. Sure, he was the heir to their booming businesses but all the expectations, all the cruelty he had witnessed… he couldn’t bear it all. One incidence that left a mark on his mind was the imprisonment of an innocent man because he founded out that his father was exporting drugs.
He remembered the pleading of the old man not to be locked up because this job was the sole sustenance of his family. He was purely disgusted with the angry sneer of his father, as he watched them argue. Yet, he couldn’t do anything. He was a pathetic son, and worse, a pathetic human being.
Nena could feel hot tears streaming dropping down her face. She glanced up and saw the man crying.
“Shh.. everything will be okay.” She whispered as she planted a kiss on his forehead.
For her, it was a moment that she will forever remember. This seemingly cold young man who broke down, letting her take a peek in his humane side.
For him, it was a moment that will never happen again. Him, breaking down, above this innocent girl who he has ruined. But he relinquished in her arms and marveled at solace she emanated.
Breaths and gasps slowing down, goosebumps trailing in her arms, and their heartbeats matching for the first time.
For them, it was fleeting love at the most strangest times in this harsh world.
by ako si art
Begging indifference for survival
Numbness and passivity
Blindness than be hurt
All an opposition to heaven
Tears and blood flow
Nothing flows as deep
You survive but with torment
Sinking in to a forever type of sleep
Help no longer hears my call
Doesn’t reach me in time
No one else calls out
I’ve never felt more alone
You’re either too early that I don’t need you
Or you’re too late that I’m gone
ni baliw-na-payaso
minsa'y napadpad sa isang eskinita
kagyat na nabulabog ang aking gunita
madilim, mapusok, kahindik-hindik
kasaysayan ng buhay sa gulo ay hitik
ilang ulit na kinupkop ng malamig na selda
utak ay inupos ng masamang droga
pamilyang mahal ay ako'y tinalikdan
buhay ko raw ay wala ng patutunguhan
durog na durog ang puso kong sawi
di na makabangon kung saan nakakubli
oh kadiliman! pulos kadiliman!
yayao na ba ako sa huling hantungan?
biglang di mawari kung ano'ng naganap
mistulang tinangay patungo sa alapaap
paligid ay nagliwanag, ako'y nagulat
may init na dumampi sa aking mga palad
iminulat ko ang aking mga mata
sa kasamaang palad, wala akong makita
wala akong marinig, di ko maintindihan
siguro ako'y naliligaw sa kawalan!
binalot ng magandang himig ang paligid
at narinig ko ang Kanyang tinig
ako pala'y hindi naligaw ng landas
ito pala'y daan tungo sa pag-ibig Nyang wagas
ako'y hindi na magsisinungaling
namuhay akong poot ang kapiling
galit sa diyos at galit sa sistema
ang pagkamuhi'y sa puso ko'y nanuot na
ngunit heto't nasa aking harapan
pagkakataong baguhin ang nakasanayan
isa pang pagkakataon ang ibinigay
upang buhay ay magkaroon ng saysay
minsan na akong kumapit sa patalim
minsang nanirahan sa mundo ng lagim
subalit ang panahong iyon at tapos na
hinding hindi ko na babalikan pa
maaring wasak nga ang sistema
dahil sadlak sa hirap ang masa
pero, kaibigan, huwag mong subukan
na ang kadiliman ay hagkan
tangan mo ang Kanyang kamay
at ramdamin ang liwanag ng buhay
kung sa tingin mo ang pag-asa ay wala na
tumingin ka sa kalangitan tsaka sabihing meron pa...
By modra krev
Sa bawat araw na ginawa ni Bathala
Heto na lang at laging nakatunganga
Wala sa sarili, madalas na tulala
Mukhang di mawari, di maipinta.
Di malaman kung saan pupunta
Kung saan lulugar, kung saan babanda
Sa dami ng iniisip, inaalala
Di na matanto kung saan sasaya
Tatahimik, tatawa, biglang magwawala
Pati sarili ay di na kilala
Di nila maiinitindihan, di mauunawa
Dahil marami pang bagay na di nailuluha #
ni Makatambata
Isang pagninilay sa mga nakaraang makabuluhang pag-uusap sa iba't ibang maliliit na tambayan at tunguhan. Ang mga ideya, proposisyon, at pagnanais na pumapaloob sa piyesa ay hindi nagmula at pag-aari ng sariling kaisipan ng umakda. Bagkus, ang mga argumento, karanasan, ideya, at paniniwala ng mga katambayan, kaibigan, at kabiruan ang nag-udyok sa malikhaing pagtatagni ng mga kaisipan tungo sa isang tulaang akda. Maraming salamat sa mga taong pinagmulan ng katas ng tulang ito. (susundan ng pagngiti)
Sa kasalukuyan ang lipunan, nakakaranas ng pagkasira,
Sistema ng ekonomiya'y nabubulok, humihina.
Kaya't ang sigaw ng masa, humayo na ang kapitalista!
Papalit ang alternatibong modang sosyalista.
Ayon sa kasaysayan, para sa hindi nagbabasa,
(Pagkat wala lang interes o ibinaon na ng sistema)
Ang lipuna'y nagbabago, hilingin man o tutulan 'to,
Kaalinsabay ng sistema't relasyong pumapaloob dito.
Imperyalismo, Pyudalismo,at Burukrata Kapitalismo,
Ang nabanggit na tatlo, tinaguriang triyangulo ng diyablo.
O ano ang pagbalikwas, o sino'ng tatayo? Siya lamang ba o pati ako?
Ngunit anong silbi ng lakas at pakikiisang maihahatid ninyo?
Kakayanin ba nating tumindig, pagkat puso na'y pumipintig,
Kumakalabog na ang dibdib, Pag-iisip bumibilis.
Pagkatakot ba ang dama, o emosyong nananabik?
Sa paglaya ng bayan, uring api'y lumuluha sa pagkasabik.
Si Che, doktor ang propesyon, rebolusyon ang misyon,
Yaring nagsabi: Walang iisang taong maghahatid ng soberanya't liberasyon!
Ang paghihintay sa lider na magpapalaya sa atin ay gawa-gawang biro.
Ang masang api, natututo, lumalakas, lumalaban,
At inaarmasan ng sarili ang sarili sa 'di makasariling laban.
Ang proletaryan, ang tunay, ang siyang magpapalaya,
Ang hahamig ng tagumpay, kasaysaya'y isusulat, iwiwika.
Ito ang siyang dahilan kung bakit ang hukbo ng magsasaka't manggagawa'y tinagurian:
Pambansang hukbong mapagpalaya, ang marapat ay ipaglaban!
Sa pagwawakas kababayan,o ako'y kikiliti sa iyong dunong:
Una! Sa sistemang kapitalista,
Ang tao nga ay malaya,
Ngunit muling magmuni:
Anong kalayaan, at sino nga ba ang malaya?
Pangalawa! Ang kapitalismo'y episente,
Malayang komersyo kung ituring,
Ngunit sa anino ng pandaigdigang bangko't merkado,
Bakit ang U.S. aking nasasalamin?
Pangatlo! Sa gubyernong nakatindig sa konsepto ng republikanismo,
hindi ba't popular na soberanya ang umiiral dapat, katoto?
Pang-apat! Sa mga taong namumulat,
Pasismo na ang itinutugon.
Ang gubyernong manyakis, sa karahasa'y nakikiapid!
Pwersa ng armas ay siyang itinuturing na poon.
Panlima! Kung nakakamatay ang rebolusyon, at ang sakripisyong ito ay gawang palalo,
Bigkas mo'y maraming buhay na masasawi, maraming inosente na mapapasapanganib.
Ngunit noong wala pa nga ang digmaan, rebolusyo'y sanggol pa ngang sumususo,
Kundi sa gutom mamamatay, sa sakit, sa kamangmangan, sa pang-aapi!
Kahirapan nga ang berdugo, ngunit ito'y sistemiko, kaya't ano ang ugat na dapat ituro?
Ang tao, ang masa, ang magsasaka't manggagawa? Magdalawa o mangatlong-isip,
Suriin mong mabuti, ang kasaysayan at ebolusyon ng gubyernong naghahari.
Ang "indolensya" ni JR aybasahin, "dekalogo" ni Andy ay samsamin!
Panghuli! Kung hindi radikal na pagbago ng sistema,
At repormang struktural ang siyang ipupusta,
Matutulad lamang tayo sa mga naloko
Ng huwad na repormang agraryo sa lupain ng Cojuangco-Aquino.
Sa tingin mo ba'y magbabago ang tadhana sa ganitong mapayapang proseso?
Basahin ang padron ng kasaysayan bago subukang lumiko.
Reporma o rebolusyon? Liberal na demokratikong institusyon, o armadong pakikibaka?
O alin, o alin dito? Para sa anong hinaharap at para kanino?
Mahaba pa ang landas ng rebolusyon, maikli lamang ang buhay ng tao,
Marahil hindi na natin masisilayan ang pagbabagong matatamo.
Ngunit ang buhay sa lipunan ay makabuluhan, sa sakripisyong idinulog,
Pumayapa ka man, ang iyong sinimula'y may kahahantungan sa bayang iniirog.
Sa pagtatanim ng liso ng paglayang hinahangad,
Kakambal ay ngiti't ligaya ng henerasyon sa hinaharap.
Pilipino ka o ipaglaban, ang kalayaan ay karapatan!
Pandayin ang pag-asa para sa hustisyang panlipunan!
Upang tumubo't lumaki ang matatag na punong Pilipinas,
Sumasanga ng nasyunalismo, daho'y pinagyabong ng turo ng sosyalismo
Idilig mo ang makabayang dugo, buhay ay ibuwis, kamalayan ay ihandog,
Patabain ang lupang tinubuan! Ang sarili ay lipunan! Ang kaluluwa'y ipuhunan!
Ang sikat ng araw sa Silangan ay ilantad, hamakin ang kaaway, itaboy silang ganap!
Ang ulap ng kadilimang instrumental sa pagpapanggap, marapat lamang ang paghawi'y hangad
Ang liso'y madidiligan, lubos na masisikatan.
Lalaki ang punong matibay at mayaman
Mag-aanak sa kagubatan, at kikilalanin sa sandaigdigan!
Magbubunga ng prutas na walang kasing sarap,
Ang langit sa wakas, sa lupa na'y malalasap! #
