Poems and tankas for the week of April 5-8, 2011

Since I am not yet eligible for OJT (therefore making me the last in my original block to have it by summer 2012), in its place I have committed myself to make a poem every day from April 5 to May 20.

The poem for April 5 discusses the television network wars that go on in every part of the world. Here in the Philippines we have a longstanding network war between two networks: ABS-CBN and GMA 7, with TV5 (formerly ABC5) recently joining in this war. When would this war finally end?

Network Wars


For as long as anyone could remember
No one has won over loyalty to a certain station
Some transfer to the other station, some lose interest altogether
But many remain loyal to a station after many years.

In every station, there are shows that are hits and misses
Some stick around for a while, others fall into obscurity
Yet in every station, a fan has his favorite shows
Fans have different tastes and personalities, that's why every fan is unique.

Many stations compete to become number one
But of course, only one can become as such
From time to time, it also changes as well
That's why it's hard to tell who is king of all.

The poem for April 6 is about the youth and alcohol. Even though I can't drink, many of my friends drink and some have had hangovers.

Why Many Youths Love to Drink


I don't drink, and I won't ever drink
Because it just harms the body over all of its good claims
You can socialize without involving alcohol
But it's hard to do that for most of us.

Our age is an age of discovery
In which we are partly free from our parents,
And want to try everything out there
But there are good and bad things out there,
One of the mixed bags is drinking alcohol.

Here, alcohol is sometimes combined with smoking
Either alone or with friends, it doesn't matter
Some claim that drinking takes all their worries away
And take that claim with it for maybe the rest of their lives.

While we are still young, one of our ways to bond is through drinking
And it shows that we are mild drinkers after all
While there are some of us whose religious beliefs or medical conditions
Overpower tradition and temptation,
Yet drinking is a tradition that will continue forevermore.

Three tankas were made on April 7. Each tanka is not connected to each other and has a unique theme.

Waiting
I've been waiting for
Something that will excite me
But I have nothing
To do right now, that's why I
Tend to be very bored now.

Temptations
Friends or the devil
Can try us within our means
But we must resist
So that we will not be bad
In both deed and the body.

A Church
A white, stone structure
Can be seen from so far away
It's still used right now
Many moments have been made
But the good is more than bad.

For every Friday except on May 6, no poem will be made. Instead, just like in OJT, I will do a summary report of what I've done for Monday-Thursday of the week.

Report:
I have only written poems and had bonding with my friends before class starts on Thursday, April 14. I was supposed to have my cross-registration at UP Diliman on Monday/Tuesday next week, but it failed because students there weren't willing to vacate their slots in Physics 72. I also advised fellow cross-registrants from UP Manila who were about to cross-register in UP Diliman for this summer.

The Day of Labor

Last July 28, my blockmate's nephew was born and my friend had her son on the same day. Their births inspired me to do this poem.

The Day of Labor

When the waters break,

It begins the end of an amazing journey

And it is also the beginning of another one,

One that will last, hopefully, for a long time.

While this may take long,

This experience is only witnessed by those close to her

And we also experienced it when we began our lives.

The mother keeps on waiting and then pushing

Until her fruit comes out

That she has nurtured all her nine months.

When the baby finally arrives, it is the start of a whole new world

Be him the first child, or maybe the fifth or more

The parents see to it that he should develop to what they have seen

As the "fullest potential".

While we may not know what he will really become

Until he is older

Life should be appreciated by all, even the smallest ones

So that everyone gets his or her fair chance to appreciate our brood and breed.

A poem I made for my mom's cousin

To begin with, one of genealogy's wonders is what you imagine (or see) is not really what you get. I once imagined all my mom's cousins are from their 30's to their 60's. (My mom's already 60 years old as of this writing.) But, judging on these relatives' recent visit and later family discussions I only found out that my mom's youngest uncle's children (her cousins) are around my age (23 and 20 respectively as of this writing).

This poem is dedicated to all Filipino-Americans, especially the American-born descendants of our fellow countrymen, among them my mom's cousins.

Lurline

Until you came to visit us

You were one of the many "anonymous" Filipino-American children

Who never knew where your parents' or ancestors' homeland is located

Or perhaps you never know what's in store in this country.

But then, you also have not visited all the regions of your home country

You told me, you had only been up to Nevada before this trip

And now, you have visited us here

Which means to say, your family made us their top priority to visit.

I really can't believe that you're my age

We are only separated by one month

And your nephews and nieces are even older than you are

But you're still part of our extended family.

I hope that you'll make our homeland a place to visit

Later in your lives, when you have a family of your own

Even if we may have already left to work or live elsewhere

You should remember us.

I can prepare an interpretation of this poem upon request.

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.