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)

Poetic Doses: Brave Soul / Cold Shoulder

#365daysofpoetry Day 5

To the brave soul ...

Who scoured the hidden
Chambers of my heart;
And charted my unknown scars
In the pale light of a single dusk ---

Thank you.

I am much braver because of you.

Cold Shoulder

Who knows what lies
Behind her eyes' dark wells;
Or why there is palpable strength
Lurking in her veiled silence;
How those pursed lips cut
Deeper than the sharpest tongue;
That many have retreated
With barely a flick of her finger.

Poetic Dose: Finding You

#365daysofpoetry Day 4

(Mt. Batulao pic by Elmer Gabini)

Finding You

For in this vastness
There is You
And in my heart
A void only You can fill;
Here
In this wide open expanse
Is Your embrace
Liberating in its closeness;
In my heart are echoes
Of ghosts Past, Present & Future
You tame them
And I am calm in the silence.

Poetic Dose: Giggles

#365daysofpoetry Day 3

(Art by Romeo Tabuena)

Giggles

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Spare me some of your precious time

And sing with me some silly rhymes.

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Lay to rest that buzzing laptop

And nuzzle me upon your cushy lap.

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Pick me up and hug me tight

To set your furrowed eyebrows right.

Giggle me this, giggle me that

Together let's fly to Neverland

Where, for you, I'll stop Time's swift sands.

Poetic Dose: Tapestry of Life

#365daysofpoetry Day 2

(Life in the Forest by Trisha Co Reyes)

Show me the poetry 

In everyday tapestry

In the bright yellows

And the gray that mellows

Whether joyful or tearful

This tapestry of Life is beautiful.

Poetic Dose: She Knew

#365daysofpoetry Day 1

Mary, Mother of God

(Art taken from Internet)

Growing up, I always felt a special bond with Mama Mary.

This is probably the influence of my maternal grandmother who taught us the discipline of praying the rosary daily (promptly at 6 pm, after playing outside).  She was, in many ways, a lot like Mama Mary:  a woman of few words with a quiet strength about her (and especially in her embrace) and the ability to find humor and laugh uncontrollably even in the most difficult times.  

I realize only now, that the dynamics of my relationship with Mama Mary is much the same way.  We do not really need a lot of words.  When I feel troubled, lost or heartbroken, I find a quiet spot and wait for her to come.  With just a touch of her hand or her arms around me, I feel my soul speak in torrents, unburdening.  Sometimes I don't even realize how heavy my heart is until she touches me.  And in ways only a mother can, she makes everything alright.  No fail.

Today, at Mass, she gifted me with a warm hug that I didn't know I needed. (Needless to say, it took everything not to bawl my eyes out.  I didn't want to have to explain crying over something even I don't fully understand yet.  But it felt good).

I wrote this to honor her today - the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

Mama Mary

kneeling down

i groped for words

that would not come

yet she came

touched her forehead against mine

and held me

pulling at my heart

drawing feelings undefined

lifting burdens long untouched

while i sank deeper

surrendering to the rain

in the comfort of her embrace

and then she whispered

her hand upon my chest

"He has not forgotten you".

(Art by:  Megan Hagel)

#365daysofpoetry Day 1

A New Year Blessing

Let us welcome the New Year with arms open to God's blessings; and heart opened wider  to His love and gentle proddings. 

May you and your families be mediums of God's love to everyone whose lives you touch in 2018!

Sharing God's blessing below to kickstart the New Year.

Numbers 6:22-27

22 The Lord said to Moses: 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 The Lord bless you and keep you! 25 The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! 26 The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! 27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Family is Heart

(Holy Family II by Jason Jenicke)

Yesterday was the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  At Mass, while the priest gave his sermon, I rode on my train of thoughts that took me to a place of gratitude for my lovingly-always-on-each-other's-nerves family.

Like any family, ours is made up of an eclectic group of imperfect individuals; each with their own unique set of quirks (a lot of them annoying) that come with the (thankfully redeeming) perks.  Yet, somehow, we work.  And, actually, we wouldn't have worked any other way.  I consider this, in itself,  a miracle and a testament to God's wisdom.

We complement each other.  Where one lacks, another is abundant or strong.

• My parents are staunch Catholics, strong in faith; continuously growing by studying Scriptures and the Catholic Catechism, and through fellowship with their communities / groups.
• With us, siblings, one is the prayerful conscience of the family; another is the everyone's-sounding-board peacemaker; another is the mighty bond who is also the embodiment of charity; and one is the cheerleader with a heart constantly expanding.
• We all enjoy eating.  It's our primary bonding medium.
• We all cook (except for Mama), but we have different specialties.  We can actually put up a cafe and have everything covered from soups/salads/starters to main entrees and grilled dishes to dessert and coffee.

The quirks?

We are a good mix of crazies:  impatient, given to anger, super sensitive, drama king/queen, sleepyhead, nocturnal, terrible at communication and coordination, immensely fluid, stringent, and a good range of OC-ness (obsessive compulsive traits).

But it is this family that saw me through my lowest and darkest moments; and rejoiced with me at my most meager triumphs.  And, most especially, they are the ones who saw me through my early single-motherhood phase, when it dawned on me that I bit off more than I could really chew.  I am grateful that they were (and still are) my strong support system.  Without their constant "reality check" and concerned reminders, the many times they filled in for me while I was on business trips (to the point of taking my son to client calls --- which he thoroughly enjoyed, by the way), and the ranting air times they afforded me, I probably would have had a mental breakdown by now.  Because of them, my son is turning out fairly-normal-and-mildly-amazing despite my shortcomings. 

We have climbed amazing heights and kept each other afloat during our wildest storms.  So, on the Feast of the Holy Family, I bless God for giving me this crazy bunch I call Home, where my heart always will be.

Reflection on Readings: Not Forgetful, Just Time-Sensitive

"You shall have your sunset.  I shall command it.  But according to my science of government, I shall wait until conditions are favorable."

(Antoine De Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince)

We ask like children, always wanting our wishes to be granted promptly ... even though we know there is a proper time for everything.  

I understood this even more when I became a mother.  I held off treats just before meal time to ensure that my son does not spoil his appetite.  I pushed him to finish his school work on weekdays, so that he can do more fun stuff during the weekend.  But it took a lot of ruined weekend plans before he finally got it; that cheating on his daily schedule will, in consequence, result to school work spilling over the weekend --- which means, no time for having fun.

I imagine God shaking His head right now ... because I am still stumbling over this one, pushing for what I want when I want it (NOW) and inevitably dealing with the unfavorable consequences.

And then, when I do wait (patience is not my strong suit), I often find myself frustrated at the silence or the delay.  I lose faith and fall into despair. (God must have forgotten me! Waaahhh!) But I shouldn't.  I should hold firmly onto His promise that: "He did [will do] for her [me] as He had promised ... at the set time that God had stated". 

I will have my sunset ... when conditions are favorable.

Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3 (or Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14)

1 The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” 3 Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” 5 The Lord took Abram outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” 6 Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. 21:1 The Lord took note of Sarah as he had said he would; he did for her as he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him.