A Poem

I read this poem from the book entitled “Ang Gintong Habihan” its a compilation of Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award-winning stories and poems. This poem reminded me of my Mama, Mamang, my Lola Eling and Lola Pilar and so I dedicate this poem for them.

Papel de Liha

ni Ma. Corazon Remigio

Ang nanay ko ang imis-imis.
Pag may duming nakadikit, kiskis ditto, kiskis doon.
Pag may mantas sa damit, kuskos ditto, kuskos doon.
Pag may sebo sa kawali, kaskas ditto, kaskas doon.

Dakdako siya sa sala at mag- aayos.
Pag may diyaryong nakakalat, ligpit ditto, ligpit doon.
Pag may turnilyong maluwag, higpit ditto, higpit doon.
Pag may kutson na maumbok, pitpit ditto pitpit doon.

Papasok siya sa kusina at magbubusisi.
Pag may ulam na malamig, salang ditto,salang doon.
Pag may isda na sariwa, sigang ditto, sigang doon.
Pag may kalan na tabingi, kalang ditto, kalang doon.

Tutuloy siya sa silid at titingnan and aking gamit.
Pag may sintas na maluwag, tali ditto, tali doon.
Pumunta ako sa tindahan ni Aling Epang
at bumili ng papel de liha.

Magaspang ito. Mahapdi sa balat.
Gasgas ang kahoy sa isang kaskas.
Nisnis ang damit sa isang isis.
Ganito nga ba kagaspang ang kamay ni Nanay?

Minsan, nilagnat ako at napilitang mahiga.
Si Nana yang tumabi sa akin.
Nang tumaas ang lagnat ko, punas ditto, punas doon.
Nang sumama ang pakiramdam ko, lunas dito, lunas doon.
Nang sumakit ang mga buto ko, himas ditto, himas doon.

Pero bakit hindi mahapdi ang himas ni Nanay?
Bakit hindi nagasgas ang balat ko nang
humimas at humaplos siya sa akin?
Lalo akong guminhawa sa bawat himas ni Nanay.
Mali si Tita Maring.
Hindi papel de liha ang mga palad ni Nanay.

Nang magaling na ako, nakita ko nanaman
si Nanay na umiikot sa bahay.
Pag di pantay ang laylayan ng kurtina, lilip dito, lilip doon.
Pag may bubuwit sa silong, silip dito, silip doon.
Pag may palay sa bigas, tahip dito, tahip doon.

Pag may laruan nagkalat, kipkip dito, kipkip doon.
Pag nabukulan ako, kapkap dito, kapkap doon.
Pag may ligaw na kuting, kupkop dito, kupkop doon.

Minsan nakita kong magkahawak-kamay sina Nanay at Tatay.
Ang sarap tingnan.
Mali talaga si Tita Maring.
Hindi papel de liha ang mga palad ni Nanay.

Hindi papel de lihang isis dito, isis doon.
Kiskis dito, kiskis doon.
Kaskas dito, kaskas doon.

Pero di ko parin matiis na tanungin si Nanay kung bakit
nasabi ni Tita Maring na papel de liha ang mga palad niya?

“Anak, makapal at magaspang na
ang mga palad ko dahil sa kakatrabaho,”
ang sabi niya.
Inisip ko, pinalambot ng magaspang
na kamay ni Nanay ang unan sa ulo ko.
Ang manok na nilaga.
Ang kutson sa upuan.
Ang medyas at kamiseta ni Tatay.
Ang lupang batuhan.
Pati lumang pandesal, lumambot din.

Pumunta ako kay Nanay at
humawak sa kamay niya.
Pakiramdam ko, kahit kailan,
ayaw ko nang bumitaw pa.

Read More

My Little Star

My Little Star

(im. Dacanay-Liston)

Twinkle, twinkle,

My little star.

Twinkle, twinkle,

How I wonder and sigh.

Up above the midnight sky...

Twinkle, twinkle,

You’re like my diamond...

Both near or far.

Twinkle, twinkle,

My sweet little star.

You make me wonder...

You make me smile.

based on:

josh’s fav rhyme

Read More

Before I was a Mom

Before I was a Mom
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom
I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -
I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom -
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,
the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

Send this to someone who you think is a special Mom.
I just did!

source

Read More

Spiced Thoughts

Here are some poems me and my husband have written when we were not yet married:

AND THERE WAS NIGHT

(im. Dacanay-Liston)

How do we see…

the beauty of light,

when there’s no darkness?

How do we see…

the star studded skies,

when there’s no night?

How can we see…

the beauty of the sunset,

when no night begins?

How can we see…

the flashing city lights???

But only through the darkness of the night.

Now can you see...

the beauty of it all???

Yes, when God separated darkness from light.

Love Is Not Red

(g.Liston Jr.)

Love is not red

But jet black

Like the inside

Of a moaning cello:

Dark but warm, Secluded

and safe,

Secure

But trembling on

an everlasting note

Sliding through an endless thrill.

Love is not red

But ultramarine,

An ocean of immeasurable strength,

Pacific,

At times blustery,

Deep, mysterious,

And beautiful.

Love

Is silver-gray

Like the color of the sound

Of a clock’s secondhand

Chipping its way through

Eternity.

BAKIT

(im. Dacanay-Liston)

Bakit ako nandito?

Bakit sa eskwelahang ito?

Bakit ito ang kurso ko?

Bakit ako naririto?

Bakit kita nakilala?

Bakit kita nakita?

Bakit sa’yo pa?

Bakit ako naririto?

Bakit may problema?

Bakit may lungkot?

Bakit may saya?

Bakit ako naririto?

Black

(g.Liston Jr.)

I meant it to be funny

But it did not come out that way,

It caused the road to fork instead,

My sense of humor must have died along the way

And I have been too preoccupied

With dragging its carcass.

Sorry.

Now the sun is dead

And a raindrop splashes on my forehead

Like a tear from heaven.

Is the sky mourning for the sun,

Or for me who killed it?

Is it mourning for you?

Tonight I will be alone in my bed

So I will sleep with dirty feet

And I will not care to brush my teeth.

I will also close the window

To shut out the quarter moon

That months ago

Looked like a marshmallow

Melting in coffee

But now looks like a tired smile

Pasted on the sky,

Very much like the smile

You wore the last time I saw you

Read More