“LOVE NOTES”

I said “no prob for NanoPob” the last time yet here I am, several days late. Nope, not about to give excuses. I’d rather concentrate on completing my promised output. Forgive me for I’ll post several times today to make up for lost days. Again, more page edits later. I’ve also visited only one blogger so far.  I’m late but it doesn’t mean I won’t do it. I like reading other people’s stuff.

So now, we’re at Day 5 of the #NaNoPoblano2021 challenge. Major Theme: “A Few of My Earliest Things”. Sub-theme: “10 of My Earliest Poems”.  This poem was my attempt at “explaining” what love notes are. I was fresh out of  high school and, honestly, not the type guys would send love notes to. But for some reason, I found writing about love the easiest thing to do when it came to poetry. I guess I still do that’s why I hardly write them anymore. I value more substace now in my writing as an adult. A little trivia: I had crushes and infatuations before, but again, to be honest, it would take me more than half of my lifetime before I ever fell in love, for real.

That said, for more samples of my more adult poetry (hey, it’s not what it sounds like!), you can find them at the POETRY NOOK.

“ODE OF SOLITAIRE”

Yay! I finally found the classic editor!!! So happy! Will go back to my previous posts and edit using it. 🙂    

Anyway, we’re now on Day 4 of the #NaNoPoblano2021 challenge. Major Theme: “A Few of My Earliest Things”. Sub-theme: “10 of My Earliest Poems”.  While going through my stuff, I ran into a little problem. I realized that several of my earliest poems are in Filipino. Since I will have to provide good translations, I am not sure if I have the time to do that. I’ll try (weekend is coming, anyway). I do have other early stuff to post so no prob for NaNoPob 😉 Meanwhile, you can find more poems at the POETRY NOOK.

Today’s poem was written when I was in college. By then, I think I was already finding and getting comfortable with my style. Wrong grammar or not, I was starting to develop a deeper understanding of life. I wrote this poem primarily for our school paper’s literary portfolio. 

“WHEN I’M GONE”

Day 3 for #NaNoPoblano2021. Major Theme: “A Few of My Earliest Things”. Sub-theme: “10 of My Earliest Poems”. 

Today, I am re-sharing a poem. An ode, actually (it has a melody). This first came out as part of my post, Ode Things, which I did for another popular writing challenge. I can’t help but re-share the poem since this was an important part of my poem-writing history. For more recent samples, please visit the POETRY NOOK.

I have always been a sentimental soul, so it is no wonder I made this sentimental ode. It was actually inspired by quotes from Michael Landon and Michael Mills.

“THE WRETCHED”

Second day of #NaNoPoblano2021! As mentioned yesterday, my theme is “A Few of My Earliest Things”. For now, I am sharing early attempts at poetry. Also, as a disclaimer (LOL!!!), I was young. Please don’t set your standards too high. Most of the poems I will post make me cringe. However, it is often enlightening, if not important, to look back to where you started. For much better samples, though, you can find a list of my poems at the POETRY NOOK.

Today’s poem was written in-between 12nn to 1pm at the school canteen. Suddenly hit by the wretched mood, I wrote this. Aaawww…teen angsts…Surprisingly, the green grass in front of me brought me to a more serene mood. I was happy to have written something, telling myself I should do more. I used to think poetry was not for me. Or make that the other way around.

“THE PATH”

Hi, guys! I am going to try to complete #NaNoPoblano again. I thought I’d share my earliest attempts at poetry (yikes!). Please keep in mind, I was younger, still inexperienced in many things, still trying to find my style. So bear with me, please.

I can’t complete the whole month with only poems so I thought I’d just share 10 of my earliest works. I will have a new theme after. Maybe 10 earliest-something again. So I guess, the main theme is “A Few of My Earliest Things”. For now, it’s poems, Anyhoo, I’d like to post this before the day ends. Will add page edits later. For the life of me, I still can’t get the hang of this newer version of the editor. Anyway, for more samples of my poetry, you can find them at the POETRY NOOK.

I tended to think a lot back in high school (and in a lot of ways, I still do), ergo, this poem. if memory serves me right, though, I was happy when I wrote this. Our Lit teacher told us to write a poem in class and to show it to her. So here goes…

“THE WITCH’S BREW” #NanoPoblano2019

Image from Fandom.com

The Witch’s Brew

Coffee and cream

mixed together,

make a wonder;

add sugar

along the way.

Which is which?

Which is real?

Can you segregate

by what, by how

you feel?

The witch

and her brew –

stirring

tasting

swirling

in this little cup

that’s you.

Copyright © J.Gi Federizo

 

Last week, I was in my element and was posting from Monday to Thursday. Came Friday when I sort of had a tight schedule and had to travel for hours going home. I thought I could post anything, but I was tired and had no proper Internet connection.

I did not have Internet connection throughout the weekend, too! Sure, there was mobile data. But when I blog, I am more comfortable with a laptop. I am more at ease with an actual keyboard than with touchscreen that freakin’ messes up my words most of the time.

Came Monday. Unfortunately for my blogging, I started with a new client. My main task? To write. That’s how it’s been till Thursday. I am usually too tired to blog. So okay, to go back to the challenge, I posted another poem written years ago. I chose it for the title since it’s still November. The meaning/reason behind the poem is nothing near supernatural, though.

Hope you liked it. Well, hope you liked all my newly-posted poems so far. There’s more where that came from. Check out my POETRY NOOK.

“TAUNTED” #NanoPoblano2019

TAUNTED

I am forever taunted
by the promise
of a new day,
an elusive dream
waiting on the palm
of my hands.

I close my hands
only to find
what has always
been there —
a touch of empty air
that I, myself, molded.

The promise is my own doing.

The new day is my own dream.

Until such time, I forever hold nothing.

Copyright © J.Gi Federizo

 

For more, please check out the POETRY NOOK.

“SOULS” #NanoPoblano2019

It’s about time I post some poetry.

For more, please check out the POETRY NOOK.

Image from TONEPOET (click on image)

souls

bared souls

intertwine –

yet never touch

does she dare tell

the secrets of her own?

***

small talks

small souls

I turn away

***

he knows not

or perhaps

he wishes, too

for a kindred soul

but she knows not

***

two souls,

ancient,

stare at

an empty

horizon

that i

refuse to see

***

the thin line

SNAPS!

oh dear!

poor soul

hanging

by the thread

of sanity

…or what’s left of it.

***

here in limbo

the soul dies

more and more

each and every day

and every day

every day

every

ev

e

.

all that’s left is a period

deemed insignificant

 

Copyright © J.Gi Federizo

“PAGPAPATAWAD” (FORGIVENESS)

Since I posted my entry for a local writing competition (poems category) more than two years ago, “Tula ng Puso: Pananampalataya, Pag-ibig, Pag-asa” (Poems of the Heart: Faith, Love, Hope) has been one of my most-read posts. I know it has nothing to do with any writing talent I have. They’re most probably just either Googling for samples to get writing ideas, or looking for love poems for Valentine’s.

What most people don’t know is that two of those poems were very personal. Non-Filipinos didn’t even understand, for sure. The most personal was the third and this month, especially today, it holds a very special meaning in my heart. Every time March comes, I grieve twice.

It’s not the best poem out there, but it is my most heart-felt. I wasn’t just writing to win a contest (winning at that point seemed like wishful-thinking). I was trying to convey my grief and ask forgiveness, maybe even for understanding.

This is it below, with translations. I hope nothing is lost in translation (I tried my best, but don’t consider it the official English version).

PAGPAPATAWAD (FORGIVENESS)

 

Hindi ko alam.

(I do not know.)

 

Paano nga ba?

(Please tell me, how?)

paano magpatawad?

(how to forgive?)

paano magpatawad sa sarili

(how to forgive oneself)

sa pagkabigo bilang isang ina?

(for failing as a mother?)

 

Paano mawawaglit ang sakit na narito

(How can I lose this pain)

kung sa bawa’t araw, ang bawa’t araw

(if each and every day)

ay naglalaman ng iyong alaala, mahal ko?

(has memories of you, my love?)

kung ang bawa’t tibok ng puso ko

(if every beat of my heart)

ay nagsasabing sa iyo’y tuluyang naglaho?

(reminds that yours beat no more?)

 

Paano? (How?)

kung sa bawa’t “Kumusta?” ay “Mabuti” ang tugon ko

(if for each How-are-you, I say “I’m fine”)

gayong ang bawa’t tugon ay may halong kirot?

(yet each reply carries the pain with it?)

Sinungaling…

(Liar…)

 

Paano?

(How?)

 

…Siguro, may mga bagay na sadyang di natin masasagot.

(…Perhaps, there really are questions that will remain unanswered.)

 

Hindi ko alam.

(I do not know.)

Hindi lamang sa ngayon.

(Not for now)

 

Darating din ang araw na masasagot ko kung paano.

(Time will come that I will finally learn “How?”)

 

Umaasa pa rin ako.

(Yet I keep hoping.)

Isang araw ay babalik ka sa piling ko.

(Someday, you’ll come back to me.)

Hindi man ngayon. Maghihintay ako.

(Perhaps not for now. But I patiently wait.)

 

Hanggang mayakap kita, mahalikan kita, at masabing

(Until I can hold you in my arms, give you kisses, and say)

 

“Pinapatawad ko na ako.”

(“I now forgive Me.”)

 

Karapatang-Ari © J.Gi Federizo

Sinulat: Nobyembre 10, 2016

Let Us All Rise! #WhatsupWednesday

Let today’s post be a celebration of the wonderful poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist Dr Maya Angelou. This is one my most favorite poems of all time (thanks, Google Doodle!). It reminds me of hope, courage, triumph over adversities, equality and the importance of self-acceptance. Maybe it’s timely, too, that I am reminded of it.

(NOTE: You might want to skip to 0:41)

Still I Rise

Happy 90th Birthday, Dr. Maya Angelou!