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My Awaiting Requiem in Awakening Night

One of my earliest poems ever published, in January 2008.

Death, where everyone lives on
Is where the people who die spend
Some time in its surroundings
And where they will assess when
They were good or bad
When they were still alive
But not all of them could be assigned -
What would happen to the ones in the middle?

They fight for themselves
On where to land a spot somewhere
In heaven or hell
Somehow, they got lost for words
Like they were still alive
Is it just me? Or are they really like that?

Whatever their motives be
They finally get sent to
Their own choosing
Now, when after death would that happen?
With many in the world, how are they assigned
With spots filling up
And they have no expiration dates
How come they’ve finally made it?

‘Course, there’s someone for this challenge
Whoever he or she is, it’s up to them
To see who will meet their criteria
It’s up to them to see if they will admit us all to the sky above
I gather ‘round to see all the innocent
Looking upon us
And, let them tell us that life is just a temporary affair.

A Scene from an Ateneo-La Salle men’s basketball game

In the Philippines, no rivalry is much greater and deeper than the Ateneo de Manila University - De La Salle University-Manila sports rivalry, especially in men’s basketball. It started in the NCAA and with both now playing in the UAAP, it is more intense than ever.

I decided to simulate a close game for this poem and judging from the past few years’ results, Ateneo has been the king in men’s basketball given this rivalry. But as you can see below, La Salle won this game. :)

Fourth quarter. Tied game. Three minutes left.
La Salle with the ball. Both in the penalty.
Everyone cheers for their own team, with no exception
Hearts are pounding, brains and minds are sweating, bodies are jittering
It’s no game for the faint of heart.

Score after score, foul after foul
Everyone either cheers or jeers
There may be no end, but of course, there is one
It is happening right here, right now
And La Salle will eventually win the game, in a close fight
I only imagine that if La Salle will win, this is a contest of sportsmanship and pride
Even non-involved people will truly appreciate.


DLSU is the host of this coming UAAP Season 73.

Why I Bleed Green, not Maroon

Since I was in Grade 7, De La Salle University - Manila has had a place in my heart. But I now study in UP Manila, a far cry from DLSU’s laid-back personality.

Animo! is their magic word, their cheer in sports
But I don’t study at the school that represents it
Bound by my family’s wishes to study at the state university they all attended
I was forced to give up my dream of studying in the home of the Green Archers.

Even if they are dominant in athletics, their academic dominance is no different
In fact, I might’ve been changed from where I was in high school, maybe different from where I am now.
Still, my heart bleeds green and Animo
Because I have friends who succeeded there.

I was never in fact a Lasallian my entire life so far
But I was in high school when my heart wanted me to study at La Salle
Time and again, my family said “no” for many reasons
But even today, my heart still bleeds green, maybe forevermore.

Why I am obsessed with Boston Med right now

Being a Filipino and with nothing good at the television offerings here lately, I searched the Internet for something new to watch. My niche is reality TV, since I have stopped watching Banana Split and Bubble Gang because over time ever since I followed those two shows, they got more green and cornier and my family doesn't approve what these two shows convey every week. Also, they run very late on the schedule, usually going past midnight. (Bubble Gang is on Fridays; Banana Split is on Saturdays.) Also, my other favorite reality shows, The Amazing Race (both U.S. and Asia) and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition are on a summer hiatus. (TAR Asia has been on a hiatus for one year as I write this.)

The new show that I am referring to is Boston Med, shown on ABC in the U.S. every Thursday night (Friday morning in Manila). It chronicles what is going on inside three hospitals in Boston: Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Boston.

Two episodes have been broadcast so far, and I like the way it was produced. All the major roles of healthcare delivery are covered: Patients, doctors and nurses. Both the upsides and downsides of being in a hospital are also covered here. Being in a family of doctors and with me growing up with other fellow doctors over the years, this relates to me because I didn't want to be as stressed as them, so I chose a different pathway.

The production team that produced Boston Med also produced Hopkins, about life in a Baltimore hospital that was broadcast two years ago, but I have yet to watch it.

But, as with all other shows, Boston Med will eventually end on August 12 (August 13 in Manila). I will miss that show so much.