PAPABOLS

we walked around
with cotton balls last night.
smiling, laughing at
each other's past mistakes.
jesting each other and
making fun of little nothings
that seemed something -
somehow.
i have crossed over.
bridges, arches, highrisers, skyhuggers.
what have i for you -
swooning,love, longing -
seemingly gone.
(but has it?)
(or was i in denial?)
all tucked in someone else's bed
waiting for that beloved bedtime story
but heard not while waiting
all night.

cottonballs you clutched
while walking.
not minding the dust, the smoke.
remembering on the sound
of each's voice
and what we told our hearts.
ev'rything felt like it had ended.
no more hurt, no more angst.
no more love.
but woest me, in disdain -
constantly in din with
our crazy hearts -
and bamboozled by smiles that hid
behind masks that told us
to not die in each's arms again.
we followed fervently.
but ev'rything has a price.

we held cottonballs
while walking last night.
held lives. held love.
held sight.

let go of ev'rything.
but for how long?

pretty much forever



baliw

o mapag-imbot na langit-
tanda ng kabataang minsa'y aking nabitag-
anong sumpa ang daratal
sa ligaw kong maskara?
anong kahibangan ang namamahay
sa aking guniguni?
at aling alaala yaong pagyayamanin?

makailang siglo ng pagtatanong
subalit walaa ring kasagutang nananahan
sa aking mga gabi.
matamang nakatitig sa karimlan ng gabi,
nangahas muli akong magtanong sa kanya-
umaasang may kahit munting liwanag
na iingaw mula sa kanyang pusod-
subalit bigo ako.
bigo akong muli.

paanong huhupa ang pagtatalo ng damdamin,
kung hindi muna huhupa ang unos
na siyang dulo?
o mapag-imbot na langit, anong luit
sa ligaw na maskarang minsang
iyong pinakaiibig!
paanong malulunasan ang sinadyang
magdugo magpakailanman?
at wala ni kaunting akundangan
sa makailang pagbabakasakaling
makawala sa sumpa ng langit.
kahibangan!

anong kahungkagang rimarim mayroon ang bawat isa?
langit, lupa, apoy, kahoy, maskara.
wala.
tanging pag-ibig
na di maaaring uminog.