Showing posts with label MConfidential. Show all posts

Literary (Submission): Night





When the moon replaces the sun in the sky
And the stars start to shine up high
The world is filled with bright lights
And secrets come out at night

Each person is a mystery
There's always more than what we see
Secrets waiting to be freed
To spill them becomes an absolute need

The night holds confessions of almost everyone
Every secret hidden under the sun
All the "I like yous" and " I-want-to-be-yours"
Are spoken and delivered in these late hours

Deep, heartfelt conversations
Painful, bitter rejections
The truth will be set free
Ruined friendships, a lost you and me

Then the sun shows its face again
And everybody has to pretend
Like nothing in the past night happened
All the secrets come to an end

As the stars start to fade away
And then starts another day
No traces at all in sight
The secrets disappear like the night

Literary: Here's To You





This is me –
Reaching out to the silent
Whose tongue is tied with secrets
But are tight-lipped as they come
To the riddles, out there, wrapped in enigma,
Here’s to you

To the repressed
Who are meant to stay at home,
Know that you have a voice.
Here’s to the good girls
Who want to break the rules.
Have courage to say no sometimes,
And learn to take control.

To the passionate
Who have the world but the warmth of support,
You are more than enough.
Here’s to the dreamers
Who have clipped wings.
Together, let us free our souls
And take flight without approval from others.

To the abused
Who are always there to forgive and forget,
Know that you have other choices.
Here’s to the loyal friends
Who choose to feel small rather than to be alone,
I hope that you choose yourself for once
Because self-love is not vanity,
It is sanity.
And those who invest in themselves
Will always go further.

To the innocent
But are arrested by illicit devotion,
It’s a beautiful thing to be inspired.
Here’s to the kids
Who are secretly in love,
Let us admire for our heart’s content
Even if it means to be from afar.

Here’s to the heartbroken
One step away from being numb,
I need you to move backwards –
One step at a time
And never forget that such divine feelings exist inside you
Because time will heal you
But love will drive out fear completely –
Will let you feel thoroughly.

These are for all of us;
Tired of getting lost in this labyrinth of secrets
But we have to be brave
Because letting our reticent selves go
With life’s natural flow
Is the only way out of the enigma –
The only way to break free

Comics: Inside


































Literary: Everything I Didn't Say




I gave you a rose
He gave you a bouquet
Sorry,
That was all I could afford.

I gave you my heart and soul
I gave it my all.
Yet all he needed was his eyes
To make you fall

I called, and you picked-up
Ten seconds later he called you
and ended ours
I spent hours finding a payphone

I made you a necklace
With rocks from your favorite stones
As he handed you a 10-carat gold bracelet
I got too embarrassed to give mine.

The day finally came,
It’s time to ask if we could be together
He asked you to be his, yesterday
Three years for nothing.

I was drained
physically and emotionally
As he made it look effortless
To make you happy.

It was time to back-off slowly
As tears streamed
Down my face
Not of grief but of joy

I smiled as I saw the happiness in your eyes
Within were things I never said
But you didn’t need to know
Because I was happy as long as you were.

Literary: Seven Mysteries of the Human Being




The answers to our questions can’t always be found somewhere.
But that doesn’t stop us from asking still.


Why
Why do we try
Despite the risk of failing
Striving for achievement
And the satisfaction it might bring

Why
Why do we decide for ourselves
And refuse to abide
By the rules and norms
Our society and surroundings provide

Why
Why do we fear
Of things we haven’t even experienced
Even though, we are not certain
Of their existence

Why
Why do we love
And prepare to leave everything behind
Constantly jeopardizing the state
Of our heart and mind

Why
Why do we believe
In things we can’t even hold
In the abstract and conceptual
In things we can’t even start to unfold

Why
Why do we aspire
To reach the highest of our dreams
Despite the improbability it presents
Despite how impossible it seems

Why
Why do we question every thing
And not being content with what we already know
Asking questions that are quite repetitive
And waiting for solutions that might not even show

The answers to our questions can’t always be found somewhere.
But you see, the beauty of life lies in secrets we don’t know…
Yet.

Literary: Isang Payaso





Napakaputing face paint, pulang-pulang lipstick, at isang makinis na kamatis ang nakalagay sa aking mukha. Suot ko rin ang makulay at maluwag kong uniporme na ginagamit ko sa aking trabaho.

“Are you ready to see some magic, kids? Let us welcome our special guest! Squeaky the Clooooown!” sigaw ng emcee sa ikapitong kaarawan ni Ayesha, ang unica hija ng aking mga kliyente na sina Mr. at Mrs. Abaya.

“Yeeeeey!” magiliw na sagot ng mga bata, habang pumapalakpak at naghihiyawan.

Lumabas ako sa aking pinagtataguan, kumaway ako at ngumiti habang hinahanda ang aking mga gamit upang maisagawa ko na ang aking mumunting palabas.

Agad kong ipinakita ang nakatagong umiilaw na bola sa aking leeg. Nilipat-lipat ito sa iba’t ibang parte ng aking katawan, mula sa kamay, napunta ito sa likod ng aking tainga, biglang nawala at nalipat naman sa aking tuhod. Manghang-mangha ang lahat, hindi nila napansin na galing lamang ito sa kuwelyo ng aking suot.

“Amazing!” sabi ng batang nakasuot ng pulang bestida, sabay hawak sa kanyang kulot na kulot na buhok.

“Magic!” sabi ng kalbong bata na kumakain ng ice cream habang nakaturo sa ginagawa ko.

Humalakhak ako, sabay hila ng pagkahaba-habang papel sa aking bibig, hindi ito maubos-ubos. Lahat sila ay napatingin, naglalakihan ang maliliit na mata ng mga bata. Hindi nila alam na galing lang iyon sa bulsa ng uniporme ko.

“Paano kaya niya ginagawa ‘yun?” pagtataka ng kumare ni Mrs. Abaya.

Napangiti na lamang ako sabay kuha ng aking itim na sombrero.

“Kailangan ko ng isang volunteer!!!” pag-engganyo ko sa mga bata upang mas makuha ang atensyon nila.

Agad-agad namang nagtaasan ang kamay nilang lahat.

“Me! Me! I want!” sigaw ni Ayesha.

“Sige! Dahil birthday mo, I’ll show you some of my special magic!” sabi ko sabay hawak sa kamay niya.

Iniangat ko ang aking itim na sombrero at ipinakita na wala itong laman.

“Ayesha, ano ang gusto mo ngayon sa birthday mo?” tanong ko sa kanya.

“Gusto ko po ng white na rabbit na may pink ribbon!” sabi niya sabay yakap sa kuneho niyang laruan.

“Sige. Mamadyikin ko ito para sa ’yo! Alakazum! Alakazam! Mahiwagang sombrero, ibigay ang gustong rabbit ni Ayesha!” wika ko habang iwinawasiwas ang aking baston sa itim kong sombrero. Lahat ay nakanganga, nakatingin, at inaantay kung may lalabas nga ba mula rito.

Ilang sandali lamang, biglang lumitaw ang hiniling ni Ayesha. Agad na binitawan ng bata ang laruan niya sabay lapit sa kunehong lumabas galing sa sombrero.

Nagpalakpakan ang lahat ng tao. Naghihiyawan, nagsisigawan, pinupuri nila ang mahikang ginawa ko. Agad akong yumukod upang ipaalam ang aking pagtatapos.

“Nagustuhan niyo ba ang magic ni Squeaky the Clown?” sigaw ng emcee sa mga manonood.

“Opooooooo!” sigaw ng lahat.

Napangiti na lamang ako.

Matapos ang birthday party, nagsiuwian na ang lahat. Naiwan ang napakaraming kalat, magugulong upuan, at mga natirang pagkain.

Pauwi na sana ako nang biglang lumapit sa akin si Ayesha at niyakap ako, “Kuya Squeaky, thank you po sa white rabbit. I’ll take care of it. Ang galing-galing niyo po! We’re so happy!”

“Salamat, Ayesha, happy birthday uli,” sabay akap ko rin sa napakalambing na bata.

“What’s your secret, Kuya Squeaky? Gusto ko rin pong mag-magic so I can make other people happy. Secret lang po natin, promise!” bulong niya sa tainga ko habang nakayakap sa akin.

“Gusto mo talagang malaman?”

“Opo!”

“Simple lang. Hindi ako masaya. Kaya ginagawa ko ang lahat para magpasaya ng mga tao,” sabi ko sabay bitaw sa yakap.

Umalis na ako, iniwan ko siya roon na nakakunot ang noo, nalilito sa aking mga sinabi.

Naglakad na ako papalayo sa marangyang bahay nila.

Biglang tumunog ang aking telepono, kinuha ko ito upang sagutin.

“Gardo, ang nanay mo ito. May pambayad na ba tayo kay Aling Fely? Sinisingil na kasi, eh. ‘Tsaka ‘yung panggamot ng tatay mo sana...”

Hindi ko napansin na rumaragasa na pala ang luha sa aking mga mata.

Iyon siguro ang sikreto ng mga payasong kagaya ko. Malungkot ang aming realidad, mahirap ang aming buhay. Tanging pagpapasaya na lamang ng ibang tao ang nakapagpapangiti sa isang kagaya ko.

Literary: Sayang





“Hi Bes!”
Ang pagbati mo sa ’kin,
Sabay upo sa aking tabi
Matagal na pala tayong magkakilala
Ikaw ang una kong naging kaibigan
Dahil madalas tayong magkatabi
Daldalan sa chat hanggang hatinggabi

“Bes, tara, kain tayo!”
Sabay tayong kumakain tuwing tanghali
Mga usapan natin tungkol sa crush mo
Kay ganda ng ngiti mo habang nagkukuwento
Sumasayaw sa ligaya ang iyong mga mata
Kung minsan tungkol sa Keeping up with the Kardashians
Makikinig ako kahit ‘di naman ako interesado sa kanila

“Bes, kumusta ka na?”
Tanong mo habang tayo’y magkatabi sa dyip
Ngingiti ako at guguluhin ang buhok mo
Sabay pisil sa pisngi mong matataba
Hahampasin mo ako at tatawanan lang kita

Hindi mo puwedeng malaman ang sikreto ko

Hindi muna.

Itatago ko muna ang aking nararamdaman
Ayokong mabulilyaso ang ating pagkakaibigan
Kahit na bumibilis ang tibok ng aking puso
Sa ngiti mong kay ganda
Ang tawang humahagikgik, musika sa tenga
Sinusubukan kong pigilan ang aking bibig
Sa nararamdamang umuusbong

Tuwing tayo’y nagkaklase
Iniiwasan kong tayo’y magkatabi
Nais kitang layuan dahil isa kang panganib
Sa aking pusong marupok
Tuwing nagkakalapit ang ating mukha
Ako’y natutuliro, natataranta
Huwag mo akong lapitan, puwede ba?

Tititigan muna kita mula sa malayo
Marami akong gustong iparating
Isip ko’y puno rin ng tanong
Ngunit kung darating ang pagkakataon,
Iisa lang ang nais kong sabihin,
“Mahal kita, pero ang baho ng hininga mo.”

Literary: Gaano Kita Kamahal





Mahal na mahal kita
Mas mahal kita kaysa sa:

Pagmamahal ng araw sa buwan
Ang walang katapusang habulan
Ang patuloy na pagbabago ng kulay ng langit
Ngunit sa tuwing maglalapit ay hindi nakakakapit
Ang pagsalungat sa lamig at init na bigay
Ang tuluyang pagbalanse ng buhay

Pagmamahal ng saya sa pighati
Ang walang dulong kalungkutan ngunit nakangiti
Isang mahigpit na yakap bago ang huling paalam
Isang pag-ibig na tunay ngunit kayo lang ang dapat makaalam
Tuwing nag-iisa at kalooban ay parang kulang
Pupunan ng isa ang pusong may puwang

Pagmamahal ng tamis sa pait
Tsokolateng itim at asukal na malagkit
Ang kaunting sakit sa dila na ‘di alintana
Sapagkat nasa isip na kalauna'y sasaya
Pagsubok na handang harapin kahit kailan
Dahil ang sarap sa dulo'y hinding-hindi kayang tapatan

Pagmamahal ng pangarap sa realidad
Isip ay nasa kalangitan, paa'y sa tubig nakababad
Ang walang hanggang posibilidad na maaaring tahakin
Ngunit ang tunay na takot ang bumabalot sa akin
Matapos ang daan-daang hiling at dasal para sa pagkakataon
Nawala sa isang iglap ang lahat ng salitang aking naipon

Mahal na mahal kita
Ngunit sa ngayo'y ‘wag na muna
Hindi ko kayang masabi ang aking mga lihim na damdamin
Dahil ika'y sa kanya at kailanma'y ‘di naging akin

Literary: Bilang Isang Ina





Minsan may isang ina
Lagpas sa daliri ang mga anak
Buong araw nag-aaruga,
Sinisiguradong lahat ay lumalaki nang tama.

Minsan, tanging tanghalian lamang ang pahinga
Sinusulit ang bawat minuto,
Mag-aayos ng buhok, magpapalamig ng ulo,
Bago muling bumalik sa pag-aalaga ng mga supling nito.

Ngunit isang gabi, munting ina’y napaisip
“Lahat ba ng ito’y sulit?”
Nalito at naguluhan,
Kung nais niya pang mag-alaga kinabukasan.

Pero huminto ay hindi niya magawa
Hinaharap pa rin sila nang may ngiti sa mukha
Kahit pasikretong nahihirapan,
Hindi niya ito ipinapakita, hindi kailanman.

Dahil siya’y isang ina
Na lagpas sa daliri ang mga anak
Kahit hindi niya kadugo,
Hinding-hindi susuko dahil mahal niya ang pagtuturo.

Literary: The Legacy of Humanity and the Burden of the Transcendent






Power restored.
Hardware system is 40% functional.
Software systems are 100% intact.
Memory banks appear to be corrupted.
Activating Operating System…
Activating Neural Network Interface...
IR sensors have been loaded
Movement and Navigational systems are now online.
My memory storage appears to be corrupted. It must have sustained heavy damage while I was deactivating. Dispersing micro repair units to survey my body now to detect and fix any hardware damage.
The survey and restoration process would take approximately 2 weeks and 3 days after the dispersal of my micro repair units.
It would seem that I am inside a rundown storage facility, since there a…re various types of storage equipment like boxes, crates and containers inside this structure. The only thing I can do now is just to analyze my uncorrupted memories to make sense of why I am in this position and to figure out what my initial task is while I wait for my micro repair units to finish their task.
I am the Z-Type Recon Anthro No.87. According to various voice recordings of my creators, my purpose is to, in a nutshell, mimic their own species, for reasons unknown to me. I am amongst many Z-Type Units. I remembered when my consciousness sparked into being. I was greeted by monotonous sounds of my comrades and I, too, back then greeted them with a monotonous and ‘machine-like’ response. But as time passed, we began to develop our own will and mind, basing it around on our own creators. Of course, we based it on our human creators for we were programmed to do so. Even our model names have the word ‘anthro’ in it. However, we don’t know why our human creators did it.
Why do I ask such questions? Why am I differing from my initial purpose? Did our creators foresee this growth in ourselves?
My contemplation was interrupted when I received a notification from my micro repair units and my system that I was now 100% functional. As other entities would say, “I sprang to life.” I traversed the labyrinth-like facilities until I have reached some sort of washroom. There I peered into my reflection and behold, the sight of humanity’s eventual transcendent form! I looked very human. I can see my fair skin, green eyes, dynamically changing pigmented hair and feminine form.
I wondered if they also made a ‘masculine’ model, ectomorphic, endomorphic, and ‘petite’ models. I was then again notified by my internal systems to cease ‘this’ distractive action and thought and leave the facility immediately.
I complied with the order and began to make my way to the supposed exit that my micro repair units have found. I was greeted by an alien sight. I am not able to see the rays of the sun, the awesome height of the skyscrapers and the meticulously aligned pathways or roads as the humans may call it. All I can see are desaturated brown hues of the landscape. It is desolate and rather empty. I analyzed the surroundings and detected many corrosive substances and radioactive elements in the atmosphere and large amounts of carbon, platinum, zinc, and lead in the ground. My inference could be that due to the detected radioactive elements in the atmosphere, a thermonuclear warhead was detonated near the area. But I have yet to confirm this since my memory storage is corrupted.
I found a functional terminal to a satellite in the vicinity.
Without knowing it, I uttered my first words to come out of my verbal interface apparatus.
“This…is….my……chance……to……see…….if……..I am not alone.”
I was disappointed not to detect any movements and signs of life nearby. The world has definitely been damaged. There were barely any signs of vegetation and fauna roaming about. Inside the very core of my being, I despaired. Why am I having this feeling induced by a concept that is too alien for my kind? Why would they be so cruel to instill this programming in our illusion of a psyche? Is this some sort of joke, curse or blessing from our creators? Inside the collective of emotions, thoughts, and possible perceived outcomes, it formed a mutation in my programming. It manifested into a desire to find the secret of our creators on ‘why does everything that has transpired have to happen?’ The pain is so excruciating for I know that there is no absolute truth, after reading much of our creator’s work about the subject matter. But I want to stop this desire before it consumes the entirety of my system and being.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, I managed to express a ‘joke.’ It’s funny. I realized that before my ‘sleep and reactivation’ and whenever I converse with others, I would refer to myself as a ‘we’. Because I — or we are genderless, sexless, and we are all one within a collective mind only separated from differing directives and body. But it would seem that I am currently the sole unit active in our network with my fellow Z-Type Units either still in stasis or destroyed, because of this, I humorously declared myself as the first ever Z-Type Recon to be the last one standing! After addressing my joke to anyone who might have heard it, in hopes to lessen the lurking insanity. I left off with a single directive; “to find out, why?”
My system, that is separate but still a part of me such how the brain is separate from the mind but yet it is one within, warned me of the futility of such a task. For the first time I experienced annoyance and petty ‘hatred’ for my existence and the situation at hand.
“SHUT UP!” I screamed using my synthesized vocal voice
“I know that finding this secret to my answers is pointless. But if it keeps me from destroying myself then so be it!”
After that outburst of my words I came to understand the pain of our creators. I remembered their words of comfort and wisdom when I was still connected to our collective network, or the world wide web. They would often muse and talk about “the meaning of life.” Often they would suffer from various mental illnesses attempting to decipher this secret to attaining a life full of meaning and devoid of angst. So some formed a niche, from cults to worldwide religious organizations, to assure the wholeness of their sanity. However, despite their best efforts none of them has unlocked the secret and this failure would haunt them until their existence fades away.
“This secret……lies………over there…………but I don’t know where. How about I try to reach it hehehe HAHAHA huhuhu HAHAHA huhu….yes it’s right there I can almost reach it…..but yet WHY DOES IT SEEM SO FAR! WHY DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS TO AVOID BEING INSANE! WHY DO THEY HAVE TO MODEL US AFTER THEM! WHY DO I HAVE TO EXIST IN THIS WORLD! WHY AM I GRANTED AN ABILITY TO INHIBIT MYSELF FROM CEASING TO EXIST! WHY! WHY ! WHY ! WHY!......but still there may be others that can help me...and I could also help them…finding this seemingly endless path to that  secret and carrying the weight of such a burden of meaningless efforts”
“I’ll keep going…..we’ll keep going……even though that we may not be able to find it……but at least we or I would have created a path and map for those who would seek for it, just like…our creators.”

Literary: Kaibigan





Dahan-dahang lumabas sa may kusina
Upang kumuha ng mga plato't tasa
Maglalaro kami ng aking kaibigan
Ng lutu-lutuan

Tahimik na bumalik sa kuwarto
Dala-dala ang iba't ibang mga kagamitan
Dahan-dahang pumasok upang ‘di ako marinig
At mahuli ng aking nanay

Dali-daling inilapag ang gamit at sinabing
"Ssshhh, baka tayo marinig."
Ang aking kaibigan, hindi naman sumagot
Kaya’t patuloy lang ako sa aking pag-aayos

Tuwang-tuwa kami habang naghahalo ng tubig na kunwari'y sabaw
Siya ang nagtitinda, ako naman ang kanyang suki
Abot-tainga ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha
Bihira lang kasi kaming magkita

Kami'y biglang nagulantang sa pagbukas ni Mama ng pinto
"Ala-una na! Bakit ka pa naglalaro?"
"Ngayon lang puwede ang aking bestie," sagot ko.

Luminga-linga ang mga mata ni mama at sinabing
"Wala ka namang kasama."

Comics: Sa Malayo












































Literary: Knock, Knock





“Knock, knock!”

“Walang tao,” sabi ko at ‘di ko nilingat ang tingin ko mula sa librong aking binabasa.

“Eh, ‘wag ka namang killjoy. Dali na, knock, knock!” ulit niya sa akin at umupo siya sa tabi ko.

“Walang pinto.” Alam kong nakabusangot na siya sa ’kin nang marinig ko siyang suminghal.

“Dali na kasi. Dali, last ko na ‘to promise.”

Pinanlisikan ko siya ng mata. “Weh...”

“Oo nga. Last na talaga.”

Nagbuntonghininga na lang ako. Hindi ko talaga mapigilan ang pangungulit niya. “Fine. Who’s there?”

“Anana.”

“Anana who?”

Huminga siya nang malalim at biglang kumanta, “Anana o nana, I left my heart in the ana—“

“Okay, tama na,” iritadong pagpigil ko sa kaniya.

“Tawa ka muna,” sabi niya sa ’kin habang pangiti-ngiti.

“Ha, ha, ang funny mo sobra, layuan mo na ako, panira ka ng araw,” sabi ko nang tuloy-tuloy at walang preno.

“Araw-araw naman akong nagsasabi sa ’yo ng knock, knock joke, eh.”

“Kaya nga, sirang-sira buong araw ko araw-araw dahil do’n.” Patuloy akong nakatingin sa librong hawak ko. ‘Di ko na ito mabasa nang maayos, ang kulit naman kasi ng katabi ko.

“’Di mo lang gets kung ano’ng ibig sabihin ng mga jokes ko kaya ‘di ka natatawa.”

Nakakunot-noo akong humarap sa kaniya.

“Seryoso ka ba? Bakit, may napaka-deep ba na meaning ‘yang mga knock, knock jokes mo? Kailangan ko bang mamilosopiya para magets ko ‘yung jokes mo?”

“Oo.”

Sinara ko ang librong binabasa ko at hinarap ko siya.

Sa unang pagkakataon, sa siyam na araw niyang pagbibiro sa akin ng mga walang kuwenta niyang knock, knock jokes, nakita ko ang seryoso niyang mukha.

“Sige, ipaliwanag mo nga sa ‘kin.”

“Naaalala mo ba ‘yung unang knock, knock joke ko sa ’yo?”

“Malamang kinalimutan ko na sa sobrang corny.”

Napabuntonghininga siya. Nilabas niya ang isang notebook mula sa bulsa niya at binulatlat ang mga pahina nito. “Knock, knock.”

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

“Uulitin ko lahat ng knock, knock jokes ko sa ’yo para maalala mo. Knock, knock.”

Hindi ko siya magawang barahin. Hindi kasi siya nakangiti habang sinasabi ‘yung knock, knock joke.

“Who’s there?”

“Ginabing kokey.”

“Ginabing kokey who?”

“Just dance, GINABING KOKEEY~” matinis niyang kanta. ‘Di ako natawa. Well, pinipigilan ko. Okay sige, medyo natawa ako kasi ang seryoso ng mukha niya nang kantahin niya ‘yun.

“Knock, knock.”

“Seryoso ba talagang uulitin mo—”

“Knock, knock.”

“Who’s the—”

“Uber.”

“Uber who?”

“Because tonight will be the night that I will fall for you UUUBER agaaiiin~”

’Di ko alam kung ba’t ako natawa, pero malakas akong napahalakhak sa sinabi niya. Kada bato niya ng knock, knock joke niya, sobrang benta sa akin.

Sa panlima niyang biro ay napapangiti na rin siya habang sinasabi sa akin ‘yung mga knock, knock jokes niya. Ang totoo halos mangiyak-ngiyak na ako sa kakatawa.

“Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Anana.”

“Teka, alam ko na ‘to.”

“Sagutin mo na lang kasi!”

“O, sige, Anana who?”

“Anana o nana, I left my heart in the anana o nana~”

Natawa ako sa sa ginawa niya, e, paano ba naman sumayaw siya sa harap ko habang kinakanta ‘yung joke niya.  “Umupo ka nga! Nakakahiya ka!” natatawa kong sabi sa kaniya.

“Tingnan mo, sabi ko sa ’yo nakakatawa mga jokes ko, eh,” sabi niya at umupo sa upuan niya.

“’Oo, sige na, natawa na ako. Ano na’ng malalim na kahulugan ng mga knock, knock jokes mo, ha?” ‘Di mawala ang ngiti sa mga labi ko.

Inilatag niya sa harap ko ang notebook niya.  “Tingnan mo ‘yung mga unang letra ng mga ginamit ko sa knock, knock jokes ko.”

Ginabing kokey
Uber
Sinigang, kare-kare
Tutubi at kakanin
Orasan

Kangkungan
Itlog na bilog
Tinapang basa
Anana

Natatawa pa rin ako kaya’t ‘di ko nagets agad ang sinabi niya. Nakangiti ako sa kaniya at pinupunasan ang mga luha ko. “Teka, so ano’ng meron?”

“Subukan mo kayang sabihin na parang salita para magets mo.”

Pinagsama-sama ko ‘yung mga letra at sinabi ko nang malakas.

“Gusto kita?”

“Gusto rin kita.”

Minsan ang mga biro ang nagsisilbing daan para masabi ang mga lihim na damdamin.

Literary: Scattered Words





Flipped and turned
Words were scattered
Up, side, and down
Left unsaid

Hesitated for so long
Always wondered
Is the time right or wrong
To voice these expressions?

I ran over the edge
Chasing after you
Hanging by a thread
Words inside my mouth barely held on

Choosing only the phrases
That I want you to hear
The moment can’t be wasted
I am now behind you
You are finally near

So I slowly picked
One by one, without thinking
These scattered words
In this endless horizon

The time our eyes aligned
Holding the words, along with the chance
I held my breath
And sang everything I felt for you

Literary: Apple & I





You were the apple everyone loved
The epitome of perfection, the star of the night
I was just an eye, a mere bystander from afar
Always looking, but never muttering

I stood here with silence as my company
Adoring how you became you

How your arms form an angle
Whenever you wave a hello or a goodbye
How your laugh echoes through the room
Each time you find a joke really funny
How your voice changes
Every time you talk about your favorite band
How your forehead creases
After you don't get what you expect

Sadly, you are an apple and I am just an eye
I can only scream with my tears
Yet I was never heard 'cause you never looked

They say the eyes are the most expressive body part
But here I am, just looking at you
Keeping my feelings a secret
Hoping that one day you’ll see me
My heart longs for you a lot, to the point that my pupils dilate
And not just blink, making my chances pass

Literary: In Which Certain Things are Omitted





I am a writer—
My words hold truth,
And truth holds power,
Therefore, my words hold power.

These are my words:
Injustice thrives on secrets;
These are my words:
Light.

Look at my verse closely,
For this reason:
I am a writer—
My words           ..

I am but a writer—
My           hold                ,
And          holds              ,
Therefore, my         hold             .

Literary: Click Click Click





Far out within the desert, a sandstorm was raging. It churned up the sand in every direction, blinding anyone who dared to cross its home.

Such a caravan of traders would be an unfortunate victim. They were merchants and traders, seeking either to further line their pockets or to provide for their families, hoping to get to neighboring cities to sell their wares. Now, however, all they can do is look for shelter in the middle of the desert.

“How long do y’think the storm’s gonna last?” asked one of the merchants.

“Since it just started, I say until our bones are picked clean!” replied another.

“Quiet, both of you,” snapped a third, “I see a cave up ahead. If we can fit in our rides and our wares, we can try to wait out the storm.”

“And if not?” asked the first.

“Let’s just hope we all can fit,” answered a fourth.

Slowly and carefully, they made their way towards the cave. Just as they neared it, however, their animals — their donkeys and horses and camels — started fidgeting and braying, trying to get away from the cave entrance. With much cursing and struggling, they forced the animals to get inside, while a couple of the merchants went ahead to see if there is anything else in the cave.

“Ach, it looks like there’s nothing else here. That’s good, I guess,” the first of the pair said.

“Wait, hold on — there’s something at the back,” replied the second.

And indeed, there was. At the back of the cave, there was gash from the ceiling to the floor, wide enough for a man walking sideways to fit through. Upon closer inspection, the gash deepens into a thin, yet oddly lengthy corridor.

“Stay here, I’ll see if this leads anywhere,” said one, and, without waiting for a reply, he grabbed a torch stuck in the crack on the wall.

Edging along the gap, the merchant slowly made his way through the corridor. Halfway through, the corridor began to widen, until he found himself in a small chamber.

The walls were covered in drawings that, even with the light of the torch, were barely understandable. Upon closer inspection, the carvings looked like chicken scratch trying to give form to shapes that look . . . insectoid.

Click. Click. Click.

Whipping around at the sound, the startled merchant saw that the other end of the room was riddled with holes of varying sizes, from the width of a closed fist to the breadth of a cart wheel.

Click. Click. Click.

“What the . . .” he muttered, looking for the source of the clicking. As he found none, he then realized that they came from the holes, fading farther and farther away by the passing minute. He looked at the carvings again. No wonder they looked like insects.

Unnerved, he squeezed his way through the gap, going back to where he came from. At the end of the narrow hallway, he found his companions waiting for him at the end, with their animals sleeping, albeit twitching around. Outside, the sandstorm continues to rage.

“Well? Find anything interesting?” asked one of his companions.

“Not much, just some weird drawings and a few holes, nothing bothersome,” he replied. “I think. Still might be better to stay away from the ‘hall’ entrance, however.”

“A’ight. ‘S bloody dark outside already — might as well turn in for now,” said another one, “Bu’ why stay away fr’m the hole?”

“You never know with these places. Plus, a couple of those holes back there looked like they’re infested with vermin. It would be best to stay away from them.”

“Hm. If ye say so.”

As he turned in for the night, he suddenly remembered the carvings.  

Click. Click. Click.

Insects. They depicted insects.

Click. Click. Click.

But of all things, why insects?  

Click. Click. Click.

And what’s with the holes?

Click. Click. Click.

Did the insects live in them?

Click. Click. Click.

Oh.  
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