New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve--
deafening sound from
the neighbor's sterio

Rain Forest

rain forest--
seeing the future
in your hands

Keeping Her Nipa Hut

grandma--
sweeping away cobwebs
in her nipa hut

After Christmas Day

the morning after Christmas--
the streets rest
from footprints

Kinayog nga Paeay

kinayog nga paeay--
ag kita tanan hay paeay
matimgas man o upa

After Ten Years

after ten years
I again embrace
the giant acacia tree

Sa EDSA

Sa Edsa
walang
"Sandali lang!"

Ro Botong

paghawod it botong
ro adlaw
naghayag

Full Moon

full moon,
on a cloudless night,
not sliding anymore in Iloilo River

After Typhoon Labuyo

after Typhoon Labuyo
oriol
finally flips its wings

Sa Ibabaw It Bilbord

ro tatay ag anang ungang maisot
sa ibabaw
it higanteng bilbord

Sa Ibabaw It Sanggutan

ginpatik it oman
ni tatay Jose ro saeod
kon abu ra sueod

Caged Pigeon

caged pigeon
the chicken wire
slices the skies

Ilang-Ilang

soon someone
will pirate your fragrance
Ilang-Ilang

Sanggutan

sa saeod--
sa kada tueo it tuba
may rebolusyon

Stepping On Somebody's Net

dawn--
he steps on
somebody's fishing net

Revised: February 1, 2010

After The Burial

after the burial--
mourners look at the prepared merienda
at the cemetery gate

Mosquito

mosquito, do not worry--
my swatting
is my way of loving you

Crossing the Highway

late afternoon--
an old woman crosses alone
a busy highway

July

He lifts me
from the curling
sea

Late Afternoon

a red ant
moves out
of a chicken's shadow

Gathering Grains

white moon--
father gathers scattered grains
in the street