a pilgrim’s trace

para sa mga yumakap na sumugal sa walang katiyakan
silang may mga pinakataimtim na panalangin
silang may pinakamalagkit na titig sa mga butuin

Lea
Buklod

May ningning pa ang mga bituin
Nagbangon na sila’t handa nang salubungin
Yaong mga mangingisdang nagpalaot sa magdamag
Katulad ng marami pang kabiyak      naroroon si Lea, naghihintay

Kilala nya ang kilos ng dagat
Kilala niya      ang mga awit ng habagat
Saksi ang mga alon sa wagas ng pagsuyo
At sa tuwing      pagdating ng sinta
Panglaw sa puso’y dagling naglalaho

Wala mang katiyakan,      muling pagsasama
Natutunan na niyang mahalin ang pangamba
Natutunan na      niyang mahalin ang paghihintay
Wala mang katiyakan, Naroroon si Lea, naghihintay

May ningning pa ang mag bituin
Nagbanong na siya’t handa nang salubungin
Ang mahal na asawang lagi’t laging lumilisan
Ang tubig sa kanyang mga      mata
Maaring luha ng tuwa o pagdurusa
Wala mang katiyakan…

putting LitCrit aside.

SUDDEN COLDNESS
18 November 2006

Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
   Thy song, not ever can those trees be bare;
       Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal — yet, do not grieve;
   She cannot fade, though thou has t not thy bliss,
       For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
- Keats

Chills coming from the spine after it was poked
crawled to the breathing carcass until it reached the hollow heart.
The heart became ice-frozen on the surface till it cracked;
the water gushed forth — they were tears that dropped deep
down the bosom, after the mighty-head shattered into pieces.

Water gushing from the heart gave more chills, for it is
now mixed with the sad breath of a dead chimney.
Now there’s but black and cold to fill the space of what
was once bright and warm.  Flame and chilled water are both too
difficult to hold: one would be too hot, the other would be too cold.

There’s nothing to look at and nothing to hold dear.
For everything that is sudden will all be gone and done.