Wondering Turns To Wandering

Maghihintay Muli ang Orasan Para sa Manggagawang Pilipino, lalo na sa mga Guro [Written in June 2025, this poem came after I cleaned my classroom with my first batch of SPJ students—a space I had barely called my own for a week before I was assigned to a new workstation.] (Since pasukan na bukas, MANAKIT MUNA TAYO NG DAMDAMIN) Maghihintay muli ang orasan sa titig mo bago ka magmadali. Hahalikan mong muli ang baso, o gagawing salamin ang plato— tanging saksi sa paulit-ulit na pag-alis nang wala pang laman ang tiyan. Gagawin mong baton muli ang kutsara’t tinidor, na para bang armas sa digmaan ng araw-araw. Magtitiis ka na naman hanggang kinsenas, magtatyaga ka na naman hanggang atrenta, habang ang talampakan mo’y nagmamakaawang huminto. Magpapanggap kang masigla sa kabila ng nananakit mong mga paa, tatawa ka sa mga batang hindi mo anak, habang tinuturuan silang mangarap sa mundong halos ayaw silang paniwalaan. Lalanghap ka muli ng simoy ng pagsusumikap, amoy chalk, alikabok, pawis, at pa...

The stars that you see are dead The sky you stare at does not lie Your eyes see the light's sparkle But not the years it travelled by You wish and hope for music You long for some sweet melody "The song needs your poetry" That is what was told to me But The song needs words I cannot weave My poetry is not the sword To the shield of your melody The stars do not shine at all And oceans do not have a line I could just write you a poem But I can never write you a song (Because suspicions and doubts always thrive on the surface)