Palpitations

The doctor said it was nothing –

I couldn't believe him though.

My heart had squeezed the day before

for reasons unknown.

Tried to steer clear of caffeine,

slept earlier than the owls prescribe.

I even tossed the sheets aside

but nothing made it cease at night.

So he checked my pulse and looked

at me, straight into the eyes.

Calmly, he said –

“Let it love.”

I went out with a smile.

Wami sa Umaga

Wala na ang dating lugar kung saan tayo

sumilong noong nagdilim ang langit.

Bumuhos nang paunti-unti ang mga patak ng tubig

at binura ang mga naiwang yapak sa sahig.

Wala na rin ang mga pagkai't inuming

nagpabusog sa ating mga tiyan

at nagpatamis nang ating mga usapan

sa sulok ng madalas na ka-ina.

Wala na ang hinanap-hanap na sopas

noong malamig ang simoy ng hangin

na siyang nagpainit sa ating mga katawan

nang papalapit na ang taglamig.

Niluma na ang mga pahayagang iniabot

sa atin ng tindera, na nag-udyat basahin

ang kapalaran minsa'y nasa panig natin

ngunit piniling hindi tayo pagpalain.

...

Wala na ang mga magpapaalala ito

tulad lang ng pagtingin ko sa'yo.

Stirrings

We long held this belief

that conclusions can be made

over a cup of coffee or two.

We've seen people come together

and closer through exotic tastes

brought from corners of the world

we can only dare dream we'd reach someday –

or maybe we'd get there sooner than we expect.

With them, the stories of tropical warmth

to the chilling winter of the seasons they've been

felt real to our own skin.

….

But before we say the binding words,

burn crossed bridges, hook little fingers

declare our liberty, swear our oaths

and scrawl our initials –

swirl ever so slowly

this concoction they left

for us to drink.

Dust the froth with a part of you

that confesseses to make a difference.

Who knows if the prophecy for this century

could be fulfilled by our deepest wishes?