The Third of a Dozen Verses (November 27–December 8, 2004)

*Melt*
How a voice could melt a heart
How words could conjure a smile

How sighs could tease a tear
How goodbyes could pull some tears

*Sometimes*
Sometimes I'm hopeful
Many times I'm hopeless and fearful

Sometimes I'm happy
Many times I'm sad and lonely

Sometimes I feel loved and belonged
Many times I feel solitary and alone

Sometimes I'm prolific
Many times I'm pathetically moronic

Sometimes I'm a real eLf
But most of the times I'm only human

*Mulí*
Amputi-puti ng ulap
Ang hangin ay anunglamig

Halos lahat ng punò ay hinubaran na ng dahon
Subalit sa aking paningin sila'y maririkit pa rin

Di na 'ko galak sa muling pagbagsak ng ñebe
Dahil alam ko na ang kapalit n'yan

*Ulít*
Mga salita ko'y paulit-ulit na lang
Tila nagamit ko na ang lahat ng 'yan

Subalit hindi na bale
Hindi na bale kung paulit-ulit
Kahit ang buhay nama'y paikut-ikot

Hindi na mahalaga ang bawat salita
Sapagkat bagong emosyon naman ang hatid nila

Panibagong mga pangarap at mga mithiin
Panibagong mga tulang iluluwal ng aking damdamin

Madilim na ang hapon
Palamig na nang palamig ang simoy

Halos ubos na ang nagsasayawang dahon
Animo'y dasal at panalangin
Ang pahiwatig nila sa akin

Nu'ng aking kabataan
Napakalapit ko sa simbahan
Kung ako nga'y manalangin
Akala mo'y wala nang kinabukasan

Subalit sa paglipas ng panahon
Paniniwala ko'y unti-unting nagbago

Di na ako ang dati-rating
May kaluluwa at relihiyoso

Ngunit wag kayong mag-alala
Ako pa rin ang kilala n'yong busilak ang damdamin

Nagbago man ang aking pananampalataya
Ngunit hindi ang aking adhikain

Kabutihan pa rin ng nakararami
Ang pinakamahalaga sa akin

*Disappear*
frustrated
exasperated
disgusted
disappointed
I want to disappear for good

stubborn
apathetic
condescending
tactless
I want to disappear for good

sleepless
prideless
voiceless
penniless
I want to disappear for good

alienated
uncomfortable
misunderstood
unappreciated
I want them to disappear for good


*Lilà*
Sabi nila, pag puno ka ng pag-ibig
Nagiging kulay-rosas ang paligid

Sabi nila, pag busilak ang 'yong damdamin
Nagiging lapitin ka ng pag-ibig

Bakit nga ba lilà ang paborito kong kulay?
Matagal ko na 'yang pinag-isipan
Ngunit di ko na talaga maalala ang tunay na dahilan

Ah, basta, hindi na mahalaga 'yan
Hindi na mahalagang malaman pa
Ang "bakit?" at "kailan pa?"

Higit na mangingibabaw
Ay ang "ano?" at "sino?"
At ang "ngayon," "bukas," at "magpakaylanman"

*Rise*
What doth really make a man?
His strength?
His invulnerability?
I don't think so

For, I think a man only becomes a man
The moment he acknowledges
His weakness and vulnerability

A man should be strong, yes
To be able to brave any adversity
But he should, above all, be soft and compassionate
So love can touch and penetrate him

For only with a loving heart
Can a man rise above his true nature

*Ripple*
I – the sound of running water
You – the ripple in my heart
We – the blood running through the veins of those we love

*Moment*
I always find myself floating
Inbetween the dream and the waking states

I could see myself staring at me
I could see me staring back at myself

I feel like I'm dying
In that split-second moment
Of worthlessness and nothingness

*End*
If I'm a declarative sentence,
You're my period.

If I'm a question,
You're the only answer.

If I'm a noun,
You're my series of adjectives.

If I'm a verb,
You'll be my adverbs.

If I'm a story,
You'll be the teller.

I'm your beginning,
And you are my end.

*Instead*
Drop, drop, drop
The snow has fallen

Drop, drop, drop
My tears are falling

Drop, drop, drop
Dreams from the sky

Drop, drop, drop
I opened my hands
and bowed my head
I would have knelt then prostrated
But I dropped tired on my sleeping blanket instead

*Why?*
The sun has suddenly shone
And this morning the rain was a steady pour
But why wasn't there any rainbow?