Poetic Dose: Hump Week/s

#365daysofpoetry Days 47 to 53

It's been a very toxic past couple of weeks.  Hopefully, this weekend serves as a brief respite.

At Romerberg, Germany

because, for all its beauty

the novelty of its charm

my heart is not as full ---

nor whole ---

as when I am with you.

Art By Ang Kiukok

Sky
There is so much sky
Cotton candy white
Pouring out of endless blue
When all is cold and out of skew
I thank God for the warm soul of you
Bringing me just a bit closer
To the arms I want to burrow in.

Art by Ina Inadoodles Nolasco

Squeeze hug
And sloppy kisses
Perfect cures
For the weary soul.

Art by Ang Kiukok

Oh, these days!
When there are not enough secounds
The moon gives way to the sun
Much too quicker than my breath
And there is not enough of me
To do all my master's biddings
What spell is there
That can freeze Time?
Will God answer in haste
The prayer of a lowly creature as I am?

(And, in the end, where is the Why in all of these?)

Art by Inadoodles

This, too, shall pass,
I say
As I crawl towards Feb's end
Into March's faint light
Saving each tiny breath
Mustering my remaining strength
Let this not be
The slow death of me.

When I am overwhelmed

I tug at His helm;

I ask to be lifted

And then all is well again.

Garden Design by Jerry Araos

i close my eyes for five deep breaths ...

first, the whisper of the breeze

then the rustling of the trees

as their green emerge

with the scent of damp ground

and, finally, the still glass waters

occasionally disturbed by dragonflies.

Poetic Dose: Germany

#365daysofpoetry Days 42 to 46

This will have to do

For Day forty-two.

And I thought to myself,

Flowers rushing towards the forest

As if wanting to be part of it

I wondered then,

What lies beneath this canopy

That even flowers clamor to see?

Aaachoo!

Oh, shoots!

Damn this runny nose

No verse nor prose
Just a few zzzzzzs

For Day 44 that breezed.

No Mass for me

This Ash Wednesday

Just a glimpse of a church

And a silent prayer.

The square is empty

Yet it is not

What do you see?

Do you see them too?

Are they soldiers on guard, or

Winter solstice worshippers?

No, no! I see dancers

Gaily dancing on Mardi Gras.

Poetic Dose 39, 40, 41

#365daysofpoetry Days 39(ish) to 41

Cheating here just a bit

Yesterday was just hectic

So, for Day 39

On the 40th, I write.

Masungi GeoReserve

For there is no reason

What for is the waiting

When eyes have grown dim

And black have turned to silver

To sit under the same blue sky

Sipping coffee or lemonade

Looking out into a vibrant garden

Running into a bed of lush mountains.

What for is the waiting?

There is no reason.

None.

Only the illusion of busy.

Art By: Lyra Garcellano

A week of overlapping days

Just gone by in a haze

But if I rest here for just a second

Shall I regain a bit of my life that has gone?

Poetic Dose: How to Grow Mountains / Lead Me Home

#365daysofpoetry Days 37 & 38

Masungi GeoReserve

How to Grow Mountains

For every little thing

Adds up to something great

And what once was beneath

Can rise up in magnificence

For a constantly stumbling human

There is an endlessly patient God

Indeed, Time is short

But it is also eternal.

Lead Me Home

Light my path

Lead me home

Give me strength

To keep the faith

I walk through this tunnel

 Into your waiting arms.

Poetic Dose: Excited / Happy Tired / Greatness

#365daysofpoetry Days 34, 35 & 36

Painting By:  BenCab

i should sleep
i cannot sleep
if i do,
will tomorrow leave me slumbering?
if so, then ...
sleep, forsake me please!
in just a few hours
i will rise before the Sun.

At the Masungi Geo Reserve

Sore body

Sun-kissed nose

Full heart

Blessed soul

Sculpture By:  Luis Ac-ac

She hides behind her veil
And speaks not a word
But with each passing second
Her soul slowly shines through
For Greatness cannot be tamed
In due time, it always reveals itself.

Reflection on Readings: Kids Say The Darndest Things

I like having my niece and nephew over.  Their chaotic presence demand my full attention, which is often a much-needed distraction from my list of  to-dos and big and petty worries.

A couple of weeks ago, they stayed over for the weekend.  I missed them so much, I brought them out on a road trip to BGC (Bonifacio Global City) where I work.  But, more importantly, where our favorite ice cream shop is located.  It was much like any day out with them with all their crazy antics and, before we knew it, it was time to go home.

On the drive home, though, my son showed my nephew my photo from our high-school reunion.  My nephew gasped (in awe and mild surprise), "Wow! Ninang, you look so beautiful!  Why don't you have a husband?  Nobody fell inlove with you?  Why?!" In one breath. (Kids say the darndest things ... and they always manage to throw it at you like a curve ball).  To which my son, my knight in shining armor (bless his heart), promptly replied, "I'm inlove with her!" 

I looked at my son in the rear view mirror and just smiled.  "We both know that's not what he meant.  It's okay." My nephew, sensing how my son switched to defense mode, decided to let it go. "I love your car, Ninang".

The rest of the way I kept thinking:  How do you explain love in the context of marriage to a five-year old? 

How do you explain, that falling or being inlove is different from loving?  And that people who fall inlove sometimes just fall out of love?

How do you explain, that the role of beauty in an honest and loving relationship is overrated?  That, while beauty makes one stop to look, it is not what makes one stay?

How do you explain that falling inlove with someone is never the reason to get married?  That marriage is the decision to continuously and actively love someone: in full knowledge of the person's current imperfection and recognizing that he/she is changing and growing everyday - just as you are. That, sometimes, it means bumping heads and screaming battles.  And, still, you choose to stay.

How do you explain that love has many forms, each one fulfilling in its own unique way?  And that everyone is capable to give and receive love in all forms?  That his kisses and hugs, given so thoughtlessly and generously, can fill my love tank to overflowing.  That, sometimes, not being married means I am free to love more.

2nd Reading:  1st Corinthians 7:32-35

32 I should like you to have your minds free from all worry. The unmarried man gives his mind to the Lord's affairs and to how he can please the Lord;

33 but the man who is married gives his mind to the affairs of this world and to how he can please his wife, and he is divided in mind.

34 So, too, the unmarried woman, and the virgin, gives her mind to the Lord's affairs and to being holy in body and spirit; but the married woman gives her mind to the affairs of this world and to how she can please her husband.

35 I am saying this only to help you, not to put a bridle on you, but so that everything is as it should be, and you are able to give your undivided attention to the Lord.

Perhaps one day, when he is much older (with a much longer attention span), I will sit him down beside me and talk about this.  But, for now, I will need more experience to further refine my answer/s.

Poetic Dose: Love Transcends

#365dayofpoetry Day 33

Sabel by BenCab

Hush, my heart, hush

Calm my trembling soul

I feel the void growing

Powerless to cease it

I fear it turn to a blackhole

My life slowly fading in it

Hush, my heart, hush

Calm my trembling soul

For there is no loss in death

Merely transformation

Love once felt by senses

Now love that transcends being

Hush, my heart, hush

I pray, her soul my Lord to keep

Ever near me

And cradle me to sleep.

(For my friends who have lost their mothers or important women in their lives)

Pondering Motherhood

#365daysofpoetry Day 32

Today is Thursday.  Math day.  Typically the day when Monster Mom comes out to play.

Yet, after a full day of juggling work and Math coaching (mixed with affirmations and a good bit of exasperation), my son tiredly declares, "My answer's correct, Mom" and then, "I think it was a good day.  We finished a lot and I was able to do PBR (Percentage, Base, Rate) on my own. Thanks, Mom." (Tear) We only managed to finish the review and not the actual new lesson I scheduled for today.  But you just have to count your blessings.

Having a child is a double-edged sword: a source of stress and stress-relief;  extremely challenging and immensely fulfilling at the same time.  I realized that early on as I traversed the road of motherhood (a role, I think, I take too seriously for my sanity's own good) and even more when I decided to homeschool.  The responsibility to bring up my son into a God-fearing, loving, Earth-conscious and useful member of society is both a blessing and a burden.  It requires me to always be on my toes in terms of how I act, how I speak or even think; the decisions (especially the split-decisions) and choices I make.  Moreso the choices, as these do not affect just myself, but also my son.  (And I refuse to blame this for my singlehood. If anything, having my son forced me to be more thoughtful and to make wiser decisions.  Heck! He just probably saved me from a bad marriage).  That is why, when I saw this Ivatan artwork over the internet (Thanks to #jotarofootsteps for stopping by the art shop and finding this) , I was drawn to it.  It is a perfect representation of my sentiment as a mother.

Yaru nu Artes Ivatan

That I may be ...

Your shelter against all storms,

Your source of comfort in difficult times,

And your strength at your weakest.

That I may ...

Be firm on values and principles (your Life compass), 

Have the courage to stand for them (for your sake),

And find the strength to discipline (when needed).

That you may ...

Know always in your heart

Everything I do 

I do out of love for you.

That I may be, to you, 

God's loving presence in this life.

Poetic Dose: So much to do / Stomped / Bella Luna

#365daysofpoetry Days 29, 30 & 31

so much to do
so little time
my list of to-dos
is a mountain to climb
a thousand thoughts in a queue
spilling out of my tiny mind
i scramble to pick one or two
but "goodbye" together they chime
oh, well not much i can do
let tomorrow wait for now it's bedtime.

what to write

when the brain is cramped

too many thoughts ... sigh!

tonight, i'm honestly stomped.

My Bella Luna

At its rising

Majestic, always

You take my breath away

How many pledges of love have you witnessed?

How many still remain true?

While I, in solitary, enthralled

Pledge my love to only you

Night after night

As I gave upon you, forever unknowing.

Poetic Dose: Mayari / Home / Tomorrow

#365daysofpoetry Days 26, 27 & 28

Art by:  LittlestPersimmon

Mayari

Keeper of the night lamp

Lay me down to rest

Against your safe bosom

Hush this desperately tired mind

Breathe gentile life upon this weary body

That tomorrow shall find me

Renewed and ready for its challenges.

Dream Tonight by Paul Hilario

HOME

But for tonight I sleep
Under the same stars where you lay
Drawing comfort in the knowledge
That there is You in my universe
And no matter where we are
The heart knows its one True North
Hold fast, stay the course
Someday soon we shall find Us.







TOMORROW

Toil Today by Paul Hilario

And I look forward
To the promise of tomorrow
When I shall bsk
In the Sun's glorious warmth ---
Feel its glow
Coursing through my being;
Feel it breathe life
To my poor soul;
Feel it strengthen my spirit
Infuse it with courage;
I look forward
To the promise of tomorrow
When everything is once more new
And so am I.

Poetic Dose: Days 24 & 25

 #365daysofpoetry Days 24 and 25

Blown Away

Take me far

Far away from her

To verdant fields

Of golden sunrises

Where the wind dances

To songs of children's laughter

And I, in full surrender,

Shall be blown finally home.

Art by Noel Mahilum

Increments, however marginal,

are increments, nonetheless;

A single step, however small,

if towards the right direction,

is progress, nonetheless.

Art by BenCab

I Wait

And I wait for the dream of you
In the ordinariness of my reality;
To finally find you
Or be found;
And when that day comes
I pray I might ---
Know your hand
With just a touch
Know your countenance
Even with eyes closed
Know your kiss
With a mere brush
Glimpse myself within your heart
From the windows of your soul.

Poetic Dose: Sisters / Mind Wandering

#365daysofpoetry Days 22 and 23

(Art by Lydia Velasco)

Sisters

Blood or chosen

Guardians of the heart

Safekeepers of sanity.

(Art by Ina @Inadoodles)

There is no rest

Only eyes closing

A silent captive to

The mind's endless wandering.

Poetic Dose: Stars / Take Me Back

#365daysofpoetry Days 20 and 21

 Stars

My thoughts number as the stars

Raing through the universe of my mind;

I close my eyes and hope for silence

Wishing to spill them all amongst the stars;

And if I do, I wonder,

Will they find their way home to you?

(Will I finally rest in Sleep's embrace?)

(Art by Caitlin Leigh; IG caile_98)

Take Me Back

Take me back to days ...

Of laughter and mischief; 

Of long idle days with friends;

Of daydreaming and just being;

Of tangible curiosity and surprises;

Of learning from endless possibilities;

Of running carefree, noses runny;

Of salty sweet mingled sweat;

Of the sadness of dusk

And the joy of tomorrow.

Take me back today ...

(Arts by Jose Vistan)

Poetic Dose: Fear / Escape / Weekend

#365daysofpoetry Days 17, 18 & 19

(Art by:  hoche_art)

i turned around to face it,

hand firmly outstretched;

and in a blink of an eye

it sat cowering in a corner;

i realized, then, it was

nothing more than a reflection of 

my own fear.

and i had conquered it

 Just two years shy of a decade (#somuchfeelsformyescape)

How does one begin to let go

Of a partnership so silly yet so real?

How does one even consider parting

With one that has given so much?

My Knight in Shining Armor;

My constant and silent confidante,

My one final promise ...

To set you free

Into the arms of one who will

Love you much better than I ever can.

(Illustration by:  Mia Togle)

Cheers to the weekend

And all the hoops we jumped to get here;

Finally time to shed the frustrations,

Park the stresses for another week;

Rest the shoulder and back knots,

Recharge the weary spirit and the broken heart;

Here's to partying all weekend

Out with friends, amongst nature or just on your bed;

Own the weekend, make it count!

For Monday we grind again.

Poetic Dose: Sleep / Speech

#365daysofpoetry Day 15 and 16
#myfacelessseries

(Art by INA #Inadoodles)

Sweet Sleep, take me back into your embrace;

Let me dream of my love for a few more brief moments;

Keep Wakefulness at bay until he kisses me awake.

(Art by:  Pablo Baen Santos)

Hold fast, my heart

Take courage, my spirit

For as long as this breath lingers

Truth shall not be silenced

Let my legacy be

That I fought on the side of Freedom

For the love of country

And its generations to come.

Poetic Dose: Love Is ... / Splendid

#365daysofpoetry Days 13 and 14

 Love is ...

Passionate yet gentle;

Formless but definite;

Expanding yet secure;

Playful but respectful;

And love ...

Surprises in the most random moments,

Creating a vibrant rouge from blanc.

   (Art by Ina #Inadoodles)

(Art by Michael Cacnio)

What a splendid mess, the room is now,

As if a whirlwind just happened by;

In between giggles, my son and his cohorts take a bow,

Amidst a million toys and pillows piled high;

One steps forward with a battle scar worn proud,

Another one raps with an original genius rhyme;

I look at my anxious son with a heart that is stout,

Silently amazed at his capacity 

   to create such Splendid Time. 

Poetic Dose: Her Time

#365daysofpoetry Day 12

And she wakes to softly 

   falling stardust upon her cheeks;

She blinks and rises 

  from her eternity of darkness;

She gasps as she gazes all around

  before her, an astounding landscape;

Every color, texture and sound

  so strikingly familiar;

She tentatively raises her hand

  and the stars yield to her every thought;

With a start, she realizes, 

  she had dreamed this place into existence;

Finally, finally ...

  Her Time has come!

  

   

(Art by:  Dan Elijah Fajardo)

Poetic Dose: Shadow Monster

#365daysofpoetry Day 11

(Art by Hoche_Art in IG)

Trudge through each day, aimless,

Zombie-walking amidst the chaos around you;

Trying to understand images, textures and sounds

Of this world you move in, so undecipherable;

Everything bright and bold to your senses, 

Yet meaningless;

Retreat into the deepest corners of your mind

Where the Shadow Monster breathes and grows;

Can you hear me knocking?

See me through the windows of your soul?

Let me into this doorless Secret Chamber,

Break with you the code of this tangled mess;

Hold my hand, fear not

And I will pull you through ... into soft clear light.

Poetic Dose: Wrinkle

#365daysofpoetry Day 10

(Art By:  Ina #Inadoodles )

Wrinkle

Today I walked into a Wrinkle

Circling back to that space in Time ...

When there was just you and me;

When I knew and felt your every thought and feelings;

And I was your only known Universe,

Your infallible Hero;

What I would give to remain here

For just one more moment with you;

But Tomorrow is another day

And I am forever grateful for Today (and its kisses).

Poetic Dose: Galit Ka Pa? / Still Upset?

#365daysofpoetry Day 9

(Photo By:  Mimi Cleverfrogs)

Galit ka pa ba?

Naglakad kasi ako sa dalampasigan

Kay lamig ng buhangin sa aking talampakan!

Galit ka pa ba?

Ang tataas na ng tubo doon sa umahan!

Pumutol ako't kita'y dinalhan.

Galit ka pa ba?

Di kasi masaya kung wala ka ...

Bati na tayo.  Sige na!

Still upset?

I walked along the coastline

And felt the cool sand under my feet!

Still upset?

The sugar canes in the farm have grown so tall!

I cut a stalk just for you.

Still upset?

It's just not fun without you ...

Let's be friends again, please!

Poetic Dose: Core / Day 8

#365daysofpoetry Day 8

(Art by Ina "Inadoodles" Nolasco)

Core

I am safe in my Core

Secure in His Love;

There is nothing you can do

That will faze me;

Not your words

Nor your labyrinth;

"You have

No power over me."

(Art by Jef Cablog)

Day 8

My, my, what a mighty long day

2018's day 8;

Early to bed was the plan

It's 5 am, the moon has gone;

There goes my New Year's Resolution

When will I ever find the solution;

This terrible terrible habit

That has stunted me like a hobbit;

I sorely need stop

And just shut my laptop.

Poetic Doses: MS '93 / Light

#365daysofpoetry Days 6 & 7

MS '93

Just for tonight,

Away from prying eyes;

We frolicked in the lights

To tunes only we understood;

Telling tales of old

That seem like yesterday;

and, in that Twilight Zone,

For the briefest of moments,

We were kids once more

And infinite. 

(Photo By: Tina Yacat)

Light

For it is true
There is darkness that engulfs us;
But there remains
An inextinguishable flame within;
Let go! Release!
First a spark, then a fire;
Be the light
That will shine light on
--- and magnify the good.

(Art By:  James "Vellumed" Yap)