Total Pageviews

Search This Blog

Monday, December 31, 2007

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve
busy doctors and nurses
at the emergency room





Photo credit:
http://www.pcij.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/arjay-punay.jpg

Santa Claus

Sunday, December 30, 2007

No Coins



no coins
for his music--
Christmas chill in Baguio

Sweet Talks



sweet talks
at Baywalk--
Christmas breeze

Morning Bath



morning bath
at a free-flow faucet--
Christmas carol in Pila, Laguna

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

The Doughman






the doughman smiles
as he prepares the dough--
Christmas at the Mall of Asia


Glitterfy.com - Glitter Graphics

At Baywalk



the flags
fly freely at Baywalk--
Christmas Day

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Igorot



tasting
the heritage of the Igorots--
Christmas in Mine's View Park

Christmas in Baguio



thinking
of my home--
Christmas in Baguio

Farther and Farther Away




farther and farther
away, the swan boat goes--
Christmas in Baguio

Santa Hangs



Santa hangs
on a tree--
Baguio holiday

The Mansion



The hedges separate
The Mansion from its people--
Christmas Holiday

Baguio Chill



Baguio chill--
a blind man
tests his portable organ

Ro Batang Paea-away

Ro batang paea-away
Ginatubua't sungay.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Christmas Chill

Christmas Chill in Baguio--
free straw
for a strawberry flavor tahu

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Lunch Time

Professional Regulation Commission--
at 11:30 a.m.
the employees start eating their lunch

Monday, December 17, 2007

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve--
Santa goes to Dr. Juan de la Cruz
to check his high blood pressure

Christmas Day

waiting
for Bing to return from Ayala Center
Christmas Day

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Amat-Amat

amat-amat
nagamartsa ro mga mangunguma it Sumilao--
nagakilo-kilo ro paroe

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Tahu Man

Christmas morning--
Sean Marie still waits
for the tahu man

Friday, December 07, 2007

Early Morning Rush

early morning rush--
a passenger jeep
in upside down

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

November Departs

November departs--
my boss clings
to her chair

House Fire

house fire--
the first fire truck arrives
without water

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Atop A Santol Tree

atop a dead santol
an antiyamis
keeps on singing

Saturday, November 17, 2007

New Year's Eve

New Year's eve--
atop a dead santol
an antiyamis sings

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Mariannete Amper

Sos, ano eon lang ra?
Naghikog si Marianette
Bangod indi makatuon,
Bangod owa't makaon.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Friday, November 02, 2007

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Boracay Beach

Boracay Beach--
the blue clouds
cover the setting sun

Thursday, October 25, 2007

At The Park

at the park--
a Pinoy picks up
a fallen cherry blossom

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Truadlaw


truadlaw--
ro hangin it amihan
gapanihoe sa likod it sunflower

Maeara
October 23, 2007

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Thinning Fog


thinning fog--
a crane calls
for her mate

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

A Hen Crows Twice

A hen crows
twice--
a moonlight night

I Miss Bing

I miss Bing--
I remember her scrabbing my back
when I took a bath

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Ati-Atihan


Ati-Atihan--
all roads end
in Kalibo
Text: Melchor F. Cichon

A Setting Sun



a grandfather at dusk

watches a setting sun

at Boracay Beach



Thursday, October 11, 2007

Forced Retirement

retirement day--
bundles of memo receipts
still waiting for inventory

Sunday, October 07, 2007

After A Day's Toll


After the day's toll
a smile from her
a bark from Bantay--Melchor F. Cichon




Title: After The Day's Toll
Painting by Vicente Alvarez Dizon
Thanks to Inquirer.net
Retrieved: October 7, 2007



Friday, October 05, 2007

Crane

thinning fog--
a crane calls
for her mate

Rainbow

Photo: Edna L. Faral
Text: Melchor F. Cichon

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Afternoon Shower

afternoon shower--
a rainbow appears
in full color

Friday, September 28, 2007

Evening Traffic Jam

evening traffic jam--
the jeepney driver
keeps on scratching his head

Lunar Eclipse II


Text by: Melchor F. Cichon
Photo by: Edna L. Faral

Lunar Eclipse

Lunar eclipse--
a pregnant mother
refuses to see the moon

Text by Melchor F. Cichon
Picture by: Edna L. Faral

Deal Or No Deal

Roadband scam--
P200 M
deal or no deal?

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Between Her Ears

between her ears
an empty
shell

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Eve of Erap's Decision

Eve of Erap's decision
still the rain
pours into our room

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Ro Gera Sa Basilan

Ro gera sa Basilan
Owa it katapusan,
Parero it bueang
Sa mga bueangan.--Melchor F. Cichon

After The Ambush

after the ambush in Basilan--
each one blaming
each other

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Libagon Bridge


Clearing Skies 2

clearing skies--
Sunflower walks along
the Boracay Beach

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

A New Bamboo Sprout

a new bamboo sprout--
a sparrow sings
a new song

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Body Bags

Basilan--
when will body bags stop
coming?

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Still Leaves

Friday, August 17, 2007

Tangos Ilong

Kon ako mag-asawa
Pilion ko ro tangos-ilong
Ay kon maubusan ako't hamon
Imaw ro akong pritu-prituhon.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Sunflower Field


Sunflower Field--
Conrad lifts her
to Cloud 10

Monday, August 13, 2007

Only in Australia


I take this as an exception.
I wrote a poem upon seeing a picture of a kangaroo inside a supermarket.


Only in Australia
by
Melchor F. Cichon

May forwarded message akong natanggap
Mula sa dati kong guro.
Isa sa mga larawang pinakita
Ay larawang ng kangaroo
Sa loob ng supermarket.
May tali ang leeg na hawak-hawak ng isang misis
Katulad ng kabayo.
At ang dalawa niyang paa ay may kadena
Katulad ng isang bilanggo.
Kawawang kanggaro ginawang pushcart.
Ang biniling tsukolate, hamon at kape ni misis
Ay linagay sa kanyang pouch sa tiyan.
Peru de bale, nakapasok naman siya sa supermarket
At nakakita ng iba’t-ibang tinda.
Baka kumain pa siya ng halo-halo
Sa lamesa pagkatapos ng grocery.
Nakita pa siya ng libo-libong tao.
Di katulad ng Ati.
Malayo pa sa main gate ng megamall
Ay tinataboy na siya ng blue guard.

Heat Wave

visiting again
my old town--
heat wave

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

After the Fishing Season


after the fishing season
the cry
of the coral reefs

Friday, August 03, 2007

First Full Moon

first full moon--
the brightness
of Sirius

(for the people of Trinidad and Tobago)

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Loving Her Again

loving her again--
re-reading
her Valentine's card

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Sunday Mass

Sunday mass
the cry
of the baby

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

windy afternoon--
she kisses
a painting on the wall

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

New Cycle

new cycle--
her hand
reaching His shoulder

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Johnson's Blue


please turn to me too
bee--
Johnson's blue

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Offbeat

even the sound of the tide
in Libagon Bridge,
offbeat

Sunday, July 08, 2007

gabunok ro uean--
gapinanilong man ro mga namok
sang batiis

Maeara
July 8, 2007

rainy Sunday morning--
mosquitoes take shelter
on my legs

Friday, July 06, 2007

Cash

cash--
the wind comes
the wind goes without notice

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Nanny

early morning shower--
Nanny looks at me
wherever I go

*Nanny is the name of a dog of a Japanese haiku poet, Etsuko.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Sa Ana Nga Pagtaliwan

Sa ana nga pagtaliwan,
Nag-inuean ro kalibutan;
Mayad eang ay may tindahan
Nga puno't uga nga bantaeaan.

Diwata Ng Dagat

Diwata ng Dagat
knows that a fig leaf
is not enough for her

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Sawa

Nag-agto ako sa banwa,
Nakadakup ako it sawa;
Ginbaligya ko kay Lola,
Si Lolo ro nagsumsuman kana.

Wild Fire

wild fire--
a woodpecker
still pecks on an old trunk

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Beyond The Bridge

beyond
the broken bridge
another broken bridge

I Sing

I sing
the lullaby
my mother used to sing
for me. But my daughter is still
awake.

Maeara
March 27, 2007

After Her Kiss

early Sunday morning--
after her kiss
another kiss

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Nanga Bridge

one year after--
Nanga Bridge still looks at the sign
"Sorry for the Inconvenience"

Nanga Bridge

Nanga Bridge after one year--
the notice: "Sorry for the Inconvenience"
still hangs on the post

Nanga Bridge

Nanga Bridge--
one year after,
still unbridged

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Edge of Summer


edge of summer--
the smile
that brings in sea breeze
*The model is Ms. Elsa Surmieda, Iloilo

Monday, June 18, 2007

Brown Out

brown out--
outside the window
the leaves stand still

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Ob-Ob Hill

Ob-Ob Hill--
wishing the fishermen
to be in the seas

Blue Skies

blue skies--
the calm seas
still wait for the fishers

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Listen

listen...
the white lilies long
for your whisper

For Jenny Laurente

Early Summer

early summer
Bing's smiles
bring in a sea breeze

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Kalamansi Juice

kalamansi juice--
a black ant
still moving around

Friday, June 08, 2007

Lilies

spring dawn--
on top of a broken aquarium
white stargazer lilies

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

After Sundown

after sundown--
she picks up
the broken pieces of sun rays

Monday, June 04, 2007

Mossy Fountain

mossy fountain--
slices of a moon
in ripples

Shamrock

Sunday morning--
I kneel to kiss
the shamrock

Friday, May 25, 2007

After Katrina

after Katrina--
sunset creates
sky ripples

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Beneath a Forest

beneath
a thick forest--
a pathway

Sunset

sunset--
he looks out beyond
the rolling waves

Sunday, May 20, 2007

My Eyesight

misty morning-
no one passes this pathway
but my eyesight

Misty Morning

misty morning--
still no shadows
on the pathway

Friday, May 18, 2007

Cool Breeze

cool breeze--
faint Sirius
beneath Pasig River

Falling Star

falling star--
she finally grips
my hand

After Sunset

will you smile
with me
even after sunset?

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Bulol

sickbed--
a man pours pig's blood
on the bulol

Linger On

after sunset--
will you linger on with me
till moonshine

Humid Noon

humid noon--
nobody stops by him
but the house fly

Morning Funeral

morning funeral--
the mourners
prefer to walk

Early Dawn

early dawn--
I woke up smiling
again, I saw my parents

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Passing Clouds

passing clouds--
the puppy in the barrel
peeps at me

Elections Over

elections over--
candidates' pictures on trees
still smiling

After Elections

after elections--
no quarrels
on money for votes

Crescent Moon

crescent moon--
passing by
my arm-length skies

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Mother's Day

Mother's Day--
father does
the laundry today

Friday, May 11, 2007

Election 2007

election 2007--
all trees at the highway
wear propaganda materials

Thursday, May 10, 2007

I Kiss the Sun

I kiss the sun
in my room--
summer noon

Monday, May 07, 2007

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon--
the church bells
keep on ringing

Preserved Turtle

a preserved turtle
looks at me
wherever I go

Sunday, May 06, 2007

18 Cakes

18 different cakes
wait
for her 70th birthday

Friday, May 04, 2007

Free Jackfruit

a slice of free jackfruit--
a homeless man eats it
including the seeds

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

This Christmas

this Christmas Eve
nobody sings
but the lizards

Monday, April 30, 2007

Can't Carry His Spoon

he can't carry
his table spoon anymore--
setting sun

Monday, April 23, 2007

White Mountains

125, ooo feet above the skies--
white clouds like mountains
and valleys

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Swimming Over


This picture was taken in Guimaras in April 2007.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Casher's Office

blue skies--
they only have eyes
for cash and figures

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Calm Day















calm day--
the rock waits
for the waves

Monday, April 16, 2007

Heron

summer--
the heron thinks
she is bigger than the carabao

        

Sun Bids Goodbye

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Manny Pacquiao-Solis Fight

Manny Pacquiao-Solis fight--
again
no recorded traffic violations today

Friday, April 13, 2007

Two Long Nights



two long nights--
your answer freezes
like the moon in Maeara*


*Maeara is a man-made lake in Lezo, Aklan, Philippines

After Summer

after summer--
brown flood water
rushes to the sea

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Cherry Blossom

a cherry blossom falls
in front of a young couple--
a worm wriggles

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Philippine Summer

Philippine summer--
raging fury
dry fire hydrant

Monday, April 09, 2007

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday--
Words from the Empty Tomb
for the empty hearts

Friday, April 06, 2007

Penitensya ni Magdalena

Holy Friday—

sangka gabii ro penitensya
ni Magdalena sa tong-itan


Holy Friday

Holy Friday--
Mary meets her only Son
on the Cross

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Lone Tombstone

blue skies--
blue mountain smiles at
the blue tombstone

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Blue Skies

blue skies--
sparrows tweet while picking worms
from acacia blooms

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Line by Line

line by line
the waves erase my letter
on the sand

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

After The Rain

after the rain--
the butterfly flips its wings
and flies again
© Melchor Cichon

Brown Out

brown out--
a firefly
enters our home
© Melchor Cichon

First Quarter Storm

First Quarter Storm--
the leaves in the university campus
keep on quivering

© Melchor Cichon

Full Moon

full moon--
dark clouds
move closely to the moon
© Melchor Cichon

Gray Morning

gray morning--
creaking sound
of the bamboos

© Melchor Cichon

Angelus

Angelus
praying time...
a nun sleeps on the Abbot's lap

© Melchor Cichon

I Sing

I sing
my mother's lullaby
but still my daughter is awake

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Early Morning Check-Up

early morning check-up---
the touch of
your healing voice

Sunset

the sun kisses
the edge
of Manila Bay

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Low Tide

Low tide--
I hear the first cry
of my first child

Boracay Beach

Boracay Beach--
the setting sun
waves in the sea

Homing Herons

homing herons--
the streets of Kalibo
still filled with dancing tribes

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Alitaptap II

tangan kong alitaptap
'yon lumilipad
hindi ako umiyak

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Alitaptap

Tangan kong alitaptap
'yon na sa gulod--
muli siyang lumipad

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Round Table

a cat looks at me
while a rat eats sauted pork
at the round table

Bush Fire

thick smoke from bush fire
wants to catch the passing moon--
a mongrel dog howls

Monday, March 19, 2007

Morning Star

Sunday morning star--
a boy digs in the lahar
that buried a home

Golden Snails

two golden snails stare
at the two-leaf rice seedlings--
dark clouds loom eastward

Passing Moon

passing full moon looks
back at the golden rice fields--
a spider quivers

Sunday, March 18, 2007

March Raindrops

morning rainbow--
March raindrops
cling to the windowpanes

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Sueat Sa Baeas

amat-amat nga ginapaea
ro sueat ko sa baeas--
primero nga uean it Mayo

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Cracked Ricefields

cracked ricefields--
thin clouds smile
at them

Monday, March 12, 2007

The Spring

late afternoon--
the river
looks back at the spring

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Jawili Falls

full moon--
two lovers frolic
under Jawili Falls

Sunday, March 04, 2007

Town Swells

after a mountain rain--
the whole town proper swells
like the river

Saturday, March 03, 2007

Hangin it Tigsililak

hangin it tigsililak--
banjo ni Lolo
ginatukar kang apo

Waving Heat

a young lady
in lettuce bikini--
waving heat in the street

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Ro Tulalay

hangin sa tag-eaeamig--
ro tulalay
ginkanta sa kato-anay nga dila

ni Billie Wilson
Gin-Inakeanon ni
Maeara

Asiong Aksaya

early misty morning--
Asiong Aksaya encodes ten records
of the same file

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Showering Summer

showering summer--
shooting a star
with a bow without an arrow

A Blind Leads

cloudy summer--
a blind woman leads
a normal woman

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Your Shadow

high noon--
your shadow
does not touch my shadow

Sun Sets

sun sets--
my misty eyes
seen in your eyes

Monday, February 26, 2007

Fresh Dews

Valentine's Day--
fresh dews
on a fresh red rose

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Coffee Break

coffee break--
smell of fresh coffee
in a cup of hot water

Batan Waves

First Night--
the soothing sound
of Batan waves

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Election Period

election period--
posters now cover
a clean wall

Thursday, February 15, 2007

White Tulips

white tulips--
I closed my eyes
to see your purity

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

I Face My Shadow

mid-afternoon--
I face
my shadow

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day--
her red t-shirt
is inside out

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

My Guitar

after planting rice--
I tightened
the strings of my guitar

My Frayed Belt

August--
I tighten
my frayed belt

Misty Morning

misty morning--
all my thoughts
point to my parents

Monday, February 12, 2007

Dawn

dawn--
Sirius lights
my cold bedroom

Moonbeam

moonbeam--
I touch the shadow
as if yours

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Sunset

the sun refuses to kiss
the edge
of Manila Bay

Villa Beach

Villa Beach--
rotting plastic bags
waving in the sand

Friday, February 09, 2007

Sangka Pisok

sangka pisok--
ro hueot ku hugom mo
kato ag sa makaron

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Sunbathing

sunbathing--
the crooked shadow
of an open umbrella

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

My Hair

my hair has whitened
while waiting
for your return

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Bueak It Tigbaw

bueak it tigbaw--
nagisi ro buesa ni Tatay
sa pagbinakae it antibiotic

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

January Breeze

January breeze--
again she tells me
she will retire

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day--
wishing your lips
were kissing mine

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Typhoon Seniang

Typhoon Seniang--
Boracay bites back
to neon lights