couple of decades ago, an ignition
too premature, aborted combustion

along the subliminal, that flame crept
time then unfolded but was never swept

from out of nowhere, that same spark
suddenly a light for a path that’s so dark

out of the embers, there’s ever yearning
that old fire deep within, still burning.

ang muling pagbukas ng pintuan ng buhay sa kinabukasan
ay parang ilog na dumadaloy sa kalakhan ng karagatan

itong bagong yugto may katapat na mga bagong hangarin
tunay na kaligayahan tanging pangarap na magiging akin

at sa pag-iisa magugunita ang ilang dekadang paglalakbay
sa isang sulyap abot-tanaw na ang hantungan nitong buhay

tanging panalangin ko’y umabot man lang sa kinaumagahan
ang bagong sikat ng bagong araw ang syang nais kong masilayan.

sa pagdaan ng mga araw ay tila di na
maikukubli
damdaming ito’y di na kaya ng lubos na
pagkukunwari

pagkakataon nga lang ba o guhit nga ng
tadhana
isang malaking palaisipan na tunay na
nakakabalisa

at habang dito’t naghihintay ng takdang
panahon
ngayo’y tiyak na lulusob ulit sa muling
pagkakataon.

’sing tamis ng sumisikat na araw sa bukang-liwayway
itong pagibig lang ang aking tanging kaagapay
parang mga paro-paro na na-aakit sa halimuyak
sa limang libong rosas, bagamat isang natatanging bulaklak

ngunit ang lahat ay di nagsimula sa isang kisapmata
sa pagdaloy ng panahon lalong kumikislap parang isang tala
marahil sa kasalukuyan ay di pa napapasa-akin
sa kinabukasan malalaman ang tunay na adhikain

‘wariy isang saranggola sa malakas na hangin wumagayway
umulan man at bumagyo lumalakas lalo ang hanay
mga alaala lang ng mga nagdaan ang nakakapaligaya
kahit nahihirapan at lahat lumalaban pa rin sa tuwina.

a love so unconditional as it can ever be
a grandma and a mom, that’s what is she

always got my back since that very first day
through the years and beyond, she will always stay

to be more exposed early in life, she set me free
though i wanna be with her always, it just can’t be

her courage and inner strength, i wanna replicate
her simplicity in all things, i wanna emulate

i love her and i will always be
will bleed for her anytime, whatever it will be.

not my only favorite and i can never part
undoubtedly, this soul’s closest to my heart

though not perfect, she has some flaw
but the beauty of emotions, in her i saw

a slow burner, that’s what she is
always overshadowed by the other sis

after a while, gift goes into bloom, though
her beauty and talent now shining through

will always be there no matter what will be
coz that’s what it really is to me

my pride, my blood and my legacy.

the first-born, who she is to me
a so early shot at responsibility

such a first name, a cold war icon
a second name, an eastern bloc borne

since birth, the gift was nourished
till now, that talent even flourished

her kicks as swift as the lightning
her hands tailor-made for etching

the psyche ever runs so deep, i feel
a mind so sharp and a character of steel.

all those days’ always been so cloudy
never can sustain a moment being happy

and nights have always been this dark
even dimmer, now that’s without a spark

am i paying for the sins of the past
sins of another generation, aghast

felt like a jinx to the ones i was with
always so hard to roll, a bad luck indeed

happiness is not mine to keep, probably real
wondering now, am i cursed or am i evil?

trophies, plaques and laurels
record-breaking feats, what else?

money and fame, things worldly
could not suffice all you want it to be

something’s lacking, what could it be?
such a sad feeling, so incompletely

the void within that needs to be filled
till that day comes, this life’s fulfilled.

walking alone into the horizon
into the sunset this trek goes on

this has been a journey in solitude
only hanging on its own fortitude

so rough was this path traveled upon
dark and stormy even what’s still beyond

still hoping for a parallel soul to come
before all the hope within is gone.