Christmas 2008

Christmas 2008
I say goodbye
to Hospital Room 306

New Leaf

new leaf sprouts
after sunset

Hindi Nakikita

hindi nakikita
Ang Pasku
Sa bahay ni Aling Alma

The Rising Sun

The rising sun
In Tacloban City
Keeps me thinking
Thinking of what the color of the western skies,
Of the setting sun in Cebu City without my wife

Weathered Coffee Cup

weathered coffee cup--
emails still waiting
for sun breaking
----Maeara, December 19, 2008

Paeupok Nga Botong

paeupok nga botong--
operahan kuno rang ilong
ay may nagapugong
owa abi't alibyo ro mga bueong
nga akong gina-inum

Amihan Breeze

Amihan breeze
now engulfs the Philippines
a headache to most parents
a fiesta among doctors
and drug stores

Tigmaeais

tigmaeais--
owa't mahapunan
ro sangpanong nga maya

After Typhoon Frank

After Typhoon Frank
The streets of Kalibo
Look like Payatas--
A child looks
For her mother among the debris

Show What You Got

Show to your countrymen
What you have got
Isolation cell
Unknown grave
Sto Niño Shrine in Tacloban

Discovery

The day I learned
That they are not my parents
I could not sleep
Wondering how cold my bed would be
Without them beside me

I Wonder

I wonder
what the owl
would think
the rat gnawing
the snake crawling

Frank's Memories

After Frank left Panay
Everyone shared experiences
While shifting out
The debris Frank
Left behind

To Confirm A Dream

I woke up
to see if you were still
beside me
to confirm
my dream

Danog

danog
magueang ako
ikaw eang!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve
alone, alone
with these stars

Agagangis

agagangis
amat-amat
rang euha gatiurok sa anang tagipusuon

cicada
little by little
my tears penetrate her heart

Christmas Parade

Christmas Parade
free airplane tickets
from a book dealer

Lantern Parade

Lantern Parade--
aba,nagpakita eon ka handong
ro kapaya

Misa de Gallo

Misa de Gallo--
malinong ro palibot
pero owa pa gihapon
si Sta. Klaws nag-abot

Christmas Party

Christmas Party--
she prays unity
she talks of hatred

December Breeze

December breeze--
she gathers
olive for his martini

(for Hope Sabanpan-Yu)

Shining Morning

shining morning--
her eyes follow
the flying herons

April Moon

April moon shines
before the sun
set

Paskua Eon Man

Paskua eon man--
ro mga unga
galibot-libot eon man sa barangay
agod magkaroling

Hailuwa

What is hailuwa?
This is a combination of haiku and luwa.
This is a new form of poetry which I invented.
Here is an example:

Hangin it Amihan--
Sa pag-agto ko sa baybay
May napueot akong sigay
Ginbaylo ko it kaeamay.

Maeara
December 14, 2008

Rainbow

the rainbow
an inverted rainbow
above the other rainbow

Great Day

Great day
after
I received your email

Ay, Saeamat

Ay, saeamat
ginlingling eon man ako
it ugsad