No. 22 | Nalilito

Nalilito o niliito
Nanginginig o kinikilig
Isip ay gulong-gulo

No. 21 | Sulat

Nais kitang isulat

Istorya mong maganda ay ikalat

Pangalan ay bigkasin

Mukha’y ilathala sa pahina ng magasin

No. 20 | Sarangola

Ipikit ang mga mga mata 

Sa mga ayaw makita

Takpan ang tainga

Sa mga naririnig na di kaaya-aya

Imanhid ang katawan

Sa mga bagay na ayaw damhin

Buksan ang puso

Nang tukso ay lumayo

Paigtingin ang damdamin

At pagmamahal ay sariwain

Kasabay ng alon sa dalampasigan

Ng puting buhangin

At diwa'y paliparin

Gaya ng saranggola sa hangin

No. 19 | Sail Away

To find your happiness.

And to have the courage to pursue it.

To realize what really matters.

And to let pass what wounded you.

No. 18 | Imortal

Paano nga ba maging imortal?
Sa totoo lang, malabo yun.
Singlabo yun ng smog sa EDSA.
Imposible ata yun, kasi nga lahat halos ay pwedeng magbago
o maglaho na parang boto.
Yung pwedeng palitan o takpan
sa isang iglap nag hindi mo man lang namamalayan.
Habang ika'y himbing
hindi mo alam na ika'y nilalansing
ng mga gagong balimbing.
Aakalain mo may mahika.
Hindi marururok ng iyong lohika.
Sa balis ng pangyayari,
walang makakapansin.
Parang yung kanta ng Rivermaya
na pinamagatang "Kisap Mata".

Paano nga maging imortal
at mabuhay nang habambuhay?
Paano pipigilan ang pagdating ng oras
para mamaalam nang walang pagaatubili at agam-agam?
Kailan ka magiging handa?

Ang pagiging imortal ay wala sa kung ano
o magkano ang iyong salapi.
Hindi bibilangin kung ilang tropeyo ang naka-display
sa iyong tukador o chinese cabinet.
Wala rin papansin kung gaano kakinang
ang mga medalyang ginto't pilak na isinakbit sa iyong leeg.
Walang halaga kung ika'y naging pabling o chicks noong iyong kabataan.
Ang pagiging imortal ay kung ano ang nasa puso mo.
Ang pagiging imortal ay nasa isip ng mga taong
minsan ay iyong nakasalamuha.
Ito ay nasa puso ng mga hinipo mong kaluluwa.
Ang pagiging imortal ay nasa kanta,
mga tula at bawat titik na iyong isinulat.

Ito ay nasa mga iginuhit mong larawan.
Nasa mga ngiti at pag-asa na iyong binitiwan.
Ito ay nasa mga salita na iyong sinambit, ibinulong o ipinaghiyawan.
Ito ay wala sa kung ano ang mayroon ka o kung ano ang nagkaroon ka
o kung ano ang iyong pangalan.
Hindi ito huhusga sa kulay ng iyong balat,
yari ng suot mong baro o lugar na pinanggalingan.
Ito ay susukatin sa kung ano ang iyong naibahagi,
sa kapwa, sa mundo.
Ika'y titimbangin hindi sa kung ano ka o kung sino ang iyong ninuno.
Simple lang,
babase ito sa kung paano ka nagpakasino.

No. 17 | Surprise Me

What if someone hands you a weapon?
What are your choices?

Analysts would use questioning.
The practical would check for bullets.
Cynics would doubt the sincerity.
The proud would decline
even if he knows that he needs it.
Fools would simply accept it
even if he finds it useless.
Fearful ones would feel unworthy.
A traitor would shoot you in the head.
While a free thinker would show gratitude
and would find a hundred or  a thousand ways
to make the most out of it.

Who are you?
What are you made of?
I'd like to meet you.

No. 16 | Parke

Noon, madalas sa parke ang puntahan ng mga magkasintahan.

Kapag araw ng linggo, napupuno ito ng mga bunton ng masasayang pamilya,

bitbit ang kani-kanilang mga anak

na malayang nagsisipagtakbuhan sa kawalan.

Naging kanlungan din ito ng mga kabataan

na maingat na tinahi ang kanilang mga mumunting pangarap.

Napupuno ang lugar ng hagikgikan at mga kwento

na minsa'y may pait at tamis

na bubuo sa isang napakagandang larawan.

Habang ang mga puno at bulaklak

ang nagsisilbing saksi sa matatamis na mga panagakong binitiwan.

N0. 15 | Paalam At Mga Mura Na Pabaon Ko

Naalala ko lang nung unang gabing ika’y magpakilala

Animo ay kay bait, mabubulaklak na salitang binitawan sa ilalim ng mga tala

Ang imahe mong ipinakita – mabait, lugmok, malungkot madalas ay nayayamot

Ako ay iyong yinaya ang sabi ay tutulungan mo akong lumimot

Ayaw noong una hindi dahil sa walang tiwala

Ito ay marahil sa hindi pa rin pagkalimot sa isang pagkawala

Lahat ay tutol, sa iyo ay may ayaw

Ako'y kinutya, sa bago kong kanta at sayaw

Unti-unti ika’y pinatuloy sa pintong nakakandado

Ipinangakong hihilumin ang puso kong baldado

No. 14 | 9 Mornings

Uumpisahan ko itong aking tula

Gamit ay isang panalangin sa ilalim ng mga tala

Dear Lord, ibigay ang hiling

Ng pusong lasing

Pangakong magpapakabait, 9 mornings kukumpletuhin

No. 13 | THE DAWN

I have dreamt a hundred nights,
couple of them were the usual
while too few have turned into nightmares.
At some extent, I allowed the experience.
Then at the bottom of the dark,
while the moon lit the space,
I was awakened.
Everyone is struggling with their own nightmares, I know.
And it is either you hate or embrace the horror it proposes.
But the Supreme promises a peaceful dawn.
The night is over.
Be startled no more, you'd be fine.

No. 12 | MASQUERADE

                                                                                                                          

Have you ever caught yourself so lost?

Or dreaming and when thinking doesn’t make sense?

Have you ever been so helpless?

Or weak, deteriorating like a rotten roach?

Have you ever felt too much energy?

An ounce more of giddiness and you’ll explode.

Have you ever felt lonely despite the crowd?

Or felt at ease and found peace on your own?

Have you ever wished time would stop?

Or rewind a past then be thrilled to your future all at once?

No. 11 | INCOMPATIBLE HARMONY

Do you want me to tell you a story?

Someone, somewhere in my past, I cannot recall.

Turned me into a horror fiercer than my fears.

At once, I was at my kindest too!

Much softer, surpassing all sorts of scales.

To show or tell you how it's all written,

I am not certain.

For it was filled with thrill and sorrow

or ecstasy beyond measure.

It was disruptive yet too beautiful.

.. indescribable.

But I can sum it up with these

- worth it..

No. 10 | UNFAMILIAR REVERIE

Going back to the place I have never been

Saying words that were never concluded 

Whispering fancies I never imagined

Believing into something that was never seen

Feeling you, whom I have never needed

- Lovely, eternal and I love you.

No. 09 | REDEMPTION

He was confident yet unassuming.

He was my enemy but the only best friend I ever had.

He brought joy yet almost drowned me to sore.

He was honest and kind but knew how to fuck back.

He refused to give a shit but he was very observant.      

Sometimes he blows my mind and leaves me mystified with things hard to fathom.

He was a protector yet he had always been a child.

Maybe he was a little too selective but always decisive and just.
He could be scary and unpredictable but has chosen to be gentle and comforting.

Maybe he was difficult but I understood him.
He was just one of the puzzles we all try to figure out but he remained intangible.

From the profundity of my insanity, he tried to save me but somehow missed the path.

He may have lost his way and me the courage to stay

but I anticipate his redemption, and me, resolution.

For what it’s worth, it isn’t a fight without the bleed.

Manigong Bagong Taon

For the longest time, the last day of the year never fail to excite me. It is not because of the fireworks nor because of the festive gaze at the dining table.It is somehow the anticipation for the great year ahead.