Wings Of A Nightingale

HOMECOMING

I have traveled to distant shores,

Leaving my childhood home.

A choice,

More than I need be.

But, at the end of each journey

When I look upon myself,

Vivid memories form.

My desire soars up, and

Find my way back, to

Finally drop the anchor

In the safe harbor, of

My home.

-Lark-

April 2, 2010

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          MAHALAGA BA AKO?

 Haaay, buhay…

Umaga na naman.

Si Misis, gising na.

Naririnig ko ang kanyang mga yabag.

Ang sahig ay lumalagit-it,

Habang sa akin ay papalapit.

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng init.

Sa loob ng katawan, may namumuong

Butil-butil na pawis.

Ngayon ko lang napagtanto,

Buong magdamag pala,

Ako’y nakataob na nagpapahinga.

Haaay, naku!

Umpisa na naman ng araw ko.

Si Misis, walang pasintabing binuhat ako.

Ibinagsak sa matigas at malamig na semento,

“Aray ko!”

Sa tindi ng tama, ako ay nahilo.

Nagtama ang aming paningin.

Ako’y napamulagat, siya’y antok pa rin.

“Magandang uma…” hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin,

Dahil biglang bumuhos ang malamig at

Naglalagaslas na tubig sa akin.

Kasabay ay ang pagsaboy ng maliliit na butil.

Pilit kong sinasalo,

Upang hindi masayang ang mga ito.

Ang masakit pa…

Ako’y pauupuin sa nakatalagang trono.

Pagkatapos ay sisilaban ng nagngangalit na apoy,

Hanggang sa mangitim at mapaso, buong katawan ko.

Bawat minuto ay binibilang,

Hanggang sa ang apoy, maging baga nalang.

Ay, salamat! ang pagdurusa at sakit maiibsan,

Kapag ang baga ay mamatay nang tuluyan.

Oo, ako’y isang kaldero lamang.

Init, lamig, at sakit, iniinda ng buong katawan.

Araw-araw, ako’y pinakikinabangan,

Pakiusap: Misis, ako naman ay ingatan.

-Lark-

June 20, 2010

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             DAMPA MAN

 Ang aming tahanan sa Lezo, Aklan,

Minana pa namin sa kanuno-nunuan.

Dampa man ito na naturingan,

Puno ng saya at pagmamahalan.

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          BASANG SISIW

 Katulad mo, ako’y sisiyap-siyap,

Sa duklay ng sanga ng mga pangarap.

Tumutubong bagwis ay pinapayagpag,

Abot-tanaw na langit, aking hinahangad.

-Lark-

July 15, 2010

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          A CUP OF COFFEE

Started as a bean from a coffee tree,

In places like Asia, Africa, North and South America.

Once fully ripened; hand-picked, sorted, packed, and

Shipped all the way,

To be freshly brewed at Starbucks Coffee.

Today, and every Saturday,

I savor my cup of

Grande soy white chocolate mocha, or a latte,

Rain or shine, I’ll never miss.

My morning ritual to

Start and make my day.

-Lark-

Dec. 11, 2010

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          JEFFREY

A special day to cherish,

A moment to live by.

When you were born, happiness overflowed.

Time flies so fast, and

Soon you will be a man.

Keep the fire of hope, and

The ember linger on.

Forever, hold on to who you will become.

A precious gift to all,

A compass pointing to the true north.

(To Jeffrey Aldon, on his 7th birthday)

-Lark-

Dec. 11, 2010

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          YEYE

Two years ago, or is it just yesterday?

A precious child was born to

Bring joy to everybody.

Then, and now when I hold you

And when you look at me,

With smiling eyes so innocent;

A glorious feeling to behold in

My heart, will always be.

(To Jaden Josh Cayabyab on his 2nd birthday)

-Lark-

Dec. 11, 2010

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            ‘SANGYUGTO NG BUHAY

Mahigit kumulang, isang dekada.

Sa gitnang silangan, sa Saudi Arabia

Nakipagsapalaran, nakibaka.

Sa kakaibang tradisyon at kultura.

Ako ay napasali,

Sa tinatawag na “bagong bayani”

Mga kapamilya at mahal sa buhay iniwan,

Pati na ang sariling bayan.

Pilit at pinagsikapang mairaos,

Mga araw at magdamag na halos

‘Di mapagtanto, ‘di matotoos

Kung hanggang kailan matatapos.

Higit ba na matimbang ang langis?

Kung ihahambing sa bigat ng loob na

Kinikimkim sa dibdib.

Magpagayon pa man, sa panahon ng tag-gipit,

Umaasa sa kapalaran, sa patalim kumakapit.

Kung mayroong simula, mayroon ding katapusan.

Pansamantalang buhay, akin nang tinuldukan.

Ang gitnang silangan ay akin nang nilisan,

Tanungin n’yo ako:

May naidulot bang kabuluhan?

-Lark-

Dec.17, 2010

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     IKAW AT AKO

Sa kama man o sa lamesa,

Kahit sa pagtulog yakap kita.

Di ko kailangan kahit sino pa,

Laptop ko, tayo lang dalawa.

-Lark-

March 3, 2011

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       ONE SPRING DAY

Listening to the tune of Volare,

As I sat in a corner at Starbucks’s Cafe.

You came by and approached me,

And we shared a cup of choco mocha and Latte.

-Lark-

April 2, 2011

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     MULA SA PUSO KO

Buhay ko, karugtong ng buhay mo

Walang ‘di gagawin para sa kapakanan ko.

Pagmamahal na ‘di mapantayan, sa akin ibinigay mo,

Inang mahal salamat sa iyo.

-for my Nanay-

Happy Mother’s Day

05082011

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     SAYANG…

Kahit nakadilat ang mga mata,

Puso’t damdamin tila tulog pa.

Di makita ang nasa harapan,

Pag nawala na, saka panghihinayangan.

06.01.2011

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                   A DREAM, A WISH

 As vivid as reality,

I still remember.

Four perfect little sea shells,

Scattered along the cove.

Black and gray and a touch of brown, and

The littlest white, shaped like a horn.

Like precious gems, I nestled them

In the palm of my hands.

Time flew by-

Years passed on…

Take me back again.

Over the cliff where I will recapture,

The sight of seagulls flapping their wings

As they glide through the coming surf.

Take me back again.

To the shore in the cove, where

My feet and the waves, dance

To the rhythm of the

Music I only hear in my mind, and

Echoes in my soul.

Take me back again.

To the comfort of my childhood dream,

Where fear is none,

Where I am who I am.

LARK

06.06.2011

(updated: 6.5.2016)

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                 HALIGI NG TAHANAN

Dulot mong pagmamahal hindi mapantayan.

Katuwang ni Inay, sa balikat mo nakaatang,

Responsibilidad sa pamilya, iyong pinapasan,

Salamat Ama, tunay kang haligi ng tahanan.

Father’s Day

06.19.2011

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           PINOY AKO

Ipinagmamalaki ko na ako’y Pilipino,

Bandila ng bansa nakatatak sa t-shirt ko.

Suot-suot palagi kahit nasa trabaho,

Kapwa ko Pinoy sinasabi: “makabayang tunay,

kami’y bilib sa ‘yo.

09.30.2011

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             HINAGPIS

Kumakalansing na barya,

Sa luma at kinakalawang na lata.

Ilang tag-ulan at tag-init pa ba?

Si totoy, nawawalan na ng pag-asa.

11.11.2011

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          DESTINY

I was alone.

Then, I met a stranger

Who became my lover,

My soulmate,

The father of my daughter.

My half-heart, my half-life.

Not me…

Not you…

But Us.

Connected with

A bridge that only

Our hearts can cross.

1.14.12

(updated: 01.14.2018)

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               CHANCE

You first held my hand,

At a corner street cafe.

At the park, you first kissed me, and

I felt no doubt, no fear

When you hugged me.

An unexpected moment that brought a tear,

When you slipped the ring in my finger.

I said yes, when you asked me, to

Make a life together forever.

When our child was born,

You said to me with certainty:

“Chance”, that will his name be.

Yes, no other name will fit,

For this beautiful child that I now embrace.

No words escaped from my lips,

A smile of happiness bore into my face.

For how could I forget.

One summer day,

By chance, we met.

1.15.12

(updated: 8.8.2013)

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 WHEN LOVE BECKONS

Follow.
Leave behind any doubt, and
As the road takes you to its winding view,
Never look back.
Above the eye level,
Look farther at the tallest peak,
Of the vast mountain ranges.
Feel the joy,
Envision the endless possibilities.
Take the journey of a lifetime.
What the heart desires, keep it afloat.
Trust Love.

-Lark-
3.1.12

     
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          PAG-ASA

Sa bawat yugto ng buhay,
May simula't katapusan.
Kahalintulad ng paglubog ng araw,
At ang mundo'y binabalot ng dilim.
'Di natin alam kung ang umagang darating, ay
Maulap, o dili kaya'y may nakatagong ningning.
Pag-asa'y abot-kamay, sa puso ay itanim.

-Lark-
4.29.2012

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        SULOK NA TAKDA

Apat na sulok ang ginagalawan mo,
'Yan ang iyong hantungan dito sa mundo.
Piliin mong mabuti kung saan ka patungo,
Wala nang balikan, sa landas na tinatahak mo.
Sa iyong paglalakbay balakid ay nakatutok,
Bawat hakbang may kasamang pagsubok.
Sa ilalim ng araw, parisukat man o tatsulok,
Magandang bukas nakatala, ang Diyos ang naglilok.

-Lark-
6.12.2012

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             PANINIWALA

Di maiwasan ang pag-aalinlangan,
Maraming tanong, hanap ay kasagutan.
Ano mang balakid ay malalampasan,
Abot-kamay ang pag-asa kung pagsisikapan.

-Lark-
6.12.2012

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             TALI

Ang tali, kung ito'y ating iisipin,
Bigyan ng pansin at pagnilay-nilayin
Dalawang puntos ang ating tutumbukin,
Pakinggan n'yo ako, babay-bayin.
Tali'y masasabing bigkis na matibay,
Sa dalawang tao'ng magkatuwang sa buhay.
Bigkis sa pangako, na nagpapatunay:
Magmamahalan hanggang kabilang-buhay.
Sa kabilang banda, ito'y tila gapos,
Nagsisilbing tanikala na hindi matotoos.
Sa gustong umalpas, 'di makahulagpos,
Misirableng buhay, tila kandilang nauupos.

-Lark-
6.15.2012