and the cycle begins as the wheels turn

"Twilight is near,.. but the sun is still red. Our chakra, the wheel of our destiny, has not yet completed its turn"

Prodip Pal ~ from the City of Joy

It was a Food Friday

palubog ng haring araw

Sa pag hati ng gabi, sa kabilang dako ng tagong buwan

Sa g’ayon bumubuhaghag ang liwanag ng kristalang sinag ng luha

Noon, bumabaha ang pag-ibig na kumakawala’t nagwawala

Nawawala ang sangkasarilinan sa bigkis ng tadahanang manhid

Ano p’ang silbi ng mga palamuting tala kung sila’y tatalima’t

Maghahayag ng pabugso-bugsong kislap kapag ang haring araw ay

Pumanaog na mula sa kaharian ng mga ulan at mapagkubling hamog at ulap

Saan ang kapararakan hantungang landas ng kaluluwang lagalag

Anong kahinatnan ng nanginginig sa basang ilado na kalamnan.

‘Sang handog na nakangising pag-aaruga, pangungulila’t pang-aasam

Sa na ngayo’y nagmimistulang lang na ‘sang pagaala-alang gunita

Ikalawa ng Pebrero Dos Mil Otso Anyo

Mahahagkan pa ba ng iyong mga mata ang pait ng mugto kong

Dilang ubod talim na sadyang kalalimang sa talas at tabas

Magtatampisaw ba ang iyong mga paa sa lalim ng kaalatan

Ng dagat-dagatan at talampas kong’ luha, sa kanilang agos at baha

San lumiko ang batis ng iyong ngiti at pagbati

bakit ni wala nang ‘sa man lang gapatak na halakhak

Kanino na ngayon manunuluyan ang puso kong

nagsisinungaling at mapagtago

para sa kahapon

para sa bukang liwayway bukas

ily

vicente katipunan sanchez

there had been no blood

Reign of Rain

Standing about three meters in front of each other, on a hill.
The powder blue season curtained suddenly by a silver grey cape.
The first drizzle plummeted like comets. The rain, an armada of diamonds in the shape of elongated leaves.

The rain fell on everything but touched only the one that I was facing.
Steadily the heavens poured light to dense. All the ones were replaced by fifteens and tens.

The shards fell on him, lacerating, peeling skin.
The shards fell on him, sharply, from out to in

Flesh had been bared as flesh had been let loose.
My eyes could not believe the vision
to which they have been introduced.

My right hand I did my most to outstretch
To that wretched suffering that I must suppress

Then my hand to the shards disintegrated
and into a million pulps turned and fled
Again with the left one now I tried to extend
to morsels it changed then both began to mend
Barred by barriers untouchable, unseen and unbeknownst
I close my eyes to the God to whom that this torture belongs

A bold flash of cold blasted my senses to hold
Unto the darkness my sight, shaken, began to fold

Unbearable agony my heart had in its throbbing.
In intolerable misery’s fire my soul now perish.
My inflamed mind its grasp falling to its ending.

The rain fell on everything except the one that he is facing. Steadily the heaven exhaled from impudence to hostile gentility. Everything in the valley, hence, crumpled in solidarity.

Flesh had been marred as flesh had been barbed.
The eyes could not retain the vision
They once in a lifelong ago singled out hard

His right hand dangled as it reached out limp
Irreparable damage to one torn limb to limb