Iskoliwa

Interests: 1. Philosophy 2. Political Science 3. Media Studies 4. Sociological Theories 5. Kasaysayan/ Pilipinolohiya 6. Music 7. Poetry 8. Contemporary Literature 9. Public Theology 10. Astrophysics

[iskoliwa]

Pagpapasalamat 2024

Salamat, Panginoong Hesus, sa mga sumusunod:

Sa mga pangarap na hinayaan Mong maabot at hindi ko maabot

Sa mga taong nakilala ko at hindi Mo pinakilala sa akin

Sa mga inumin at pagkaing pinatikim at hindi Mo pinatikim sa akin

Sa mga konsepto at paliwanag na natutunan at hindi ko natutunan

Sa mga tagumpay at kabiguan na pinaranas Mo at hindi Mo ipinaranas sa akin

Salamat 2024! Dalangin ko, Panginoon, na tulungan Mo akong maging tapat sa Iyo sa taong 2025! Find me faithful everyday, Lord Jesus! :)

[iskoliwa]

Some English Mementos

A pen that writes well—

Seems heavy as a bell—

Contains some heat from your hands

Enough for her to feel your touch

A shirt that fits you perfectly

Fills her need for sweet comfort

A wish that you were here

A wish that she was there

A jersey from World Cup ‘82

English white, red, and blue

The sport that you pursue

The game with the most value

A perfume with no pretense

O precious evanescence

Gives her your realest presence

Your painful, sweet existence

[iskoliwa]

Pangwakas 2022

Sa ilang oras na lamang

Ay ganap nang magsasara

Paalam na, mga Harang

Ng kahapong ‘di mabura

Panibagong taon muli

Taglay ay bagong pagpili

Ang hiling ay karunungan

Sa landas na lalakaran

Pangarap ay hahawakan

Ang loob ay lalakasan

Lagi’t laging susubukan

Mga bagong karanasan

Pangakong pag-iigihan

Pagtahak sa bagong daan

Paalam, Kasalukuyan

Kumusta, Kinabukasan!

[iskoliwa]

Unfriending C

Why would we befriend Someone who does not respect Weekends and days of rest Stealing workers’ time for themselves

Why would we admire Someone who is excellent But creates slavery Out of other people’s needs

Why would we attach ourselves To someone who always smiles But, in reality, is Exploitative and cruel

Why would we befriend Someone who calls meetings That last forever That take people away from their lovers

Good bye, C, good bye We do not want to be friends with you For what kind of people we are If we allow such injustice by you

[iskoliwa]

Maps

There are helpful maps That make navigation easier Which teach you many routes And help you arrive at your destination

There are detailed maps Which tell you everything Even the minor things for you to know Hoping they will be useful eventually

There are simple maps Which do not include everything But select important landmarks With accurate scales of distances

But there are difficult maps Which burden you reading them Make you feel like an idiot When you try to understand them

There are misleading maps That capture your attention first And when you think you get them right Only give you misdirection

There are outdated maps Which pretend to be new Exploiting your need for a companion Leading you to a dark, unknown place

But the gravest of all Is the map that kills you That confuses your sense of self Puts doubt in your confidence

This is the betraying map That entices you to trust That excites your dream to be somewhere Just to leave you in the middle of nowhere

[iskoliwa]

Insensitive

Missing yesterday is Absolute absurdity No one responds to Honest feelings Indifference to difference Darkens the vision Keeping a lot of words Amassing pride and all

[iskoliwa]

Terorista sa pandemya

Habang laganap ang sakit

Walang lunas, kumakapit

Merong dagdag na pasakit

Ang gobyernong sobrang lupit

Tinalikdan ang tungkulin

Bingi sa ating hinaing

Pagpa-planong walang galing

Tayo pa ang sisisihin

Palaging hanap ay usok

Sa apoy ay nahahayok

Layuni'y laging manapok

'Pag problema'y 'di maarok

Tututukan ka ng baril

Ipapakita ang pangil

Inuuna ang manggigil

Palibhasa ay inutil Dahil walang maisagot

Pulbura't bala ang dakot

Ang hinahasik ay tákot

Ng mga lider na takót 

[iskoliwa]

Bagong Dekada

Ang pahina ng panahon

Ay magpapalit nang muli

Nagdaan ang sampung taon

Sa Bayan at sa Sarili

May trahedya at tagumpay

Merong ligaya at lumbay

Ngunit laging sumasabay

Sa pagsubok sumasakay

Mga luma’t bagong tao

Kasama sa pagkatuto

Karangala’t pagkabigo

Sa pagkatao’y bumuo

Hatinggabi’y paparating

Ang pag-asa ay maigting

‘Wag mangamba sa nagwakas

May uusbong sa nalagas

Ang pahina ng panahon

Ay madaragdagang muli

May bagong pagkakataon

Sa Bayan at sa Sarili

[iskoliwa]

Hayaan

Dahil 'di nagsasalita

Ibig sabihi’y “pwede na”?

Palibhasa’y nanahimik

Pinili ang ‘wag umimik

Dahil hindi nagbabawal

Ibig sabihi’y “sige na”?

'Di na nga nagpapaalam

Hindi pa pinapa-alam

Ang kapit ay luluwagan

Bahala na kung lilisan

Bakit pa ba iingatan

Kung hindi pinakikinggan?

llayo ang mga kamay

Paglaya ay gawing tunay

‘Wag na ‘wag ngang pipigilan

Ang gustong mapabayaan

[iskoliwa]

Paliparan

Lumilipas ang oras

Subalit walang balik

Sa maraming lakaran

Lubos na nalilibang

Ganun pa rin ba kaya

Kung sakaling mawala?

Palagi kasing nandiyan

Iwan man o balikan

[iskoliwa]

On reason

1. Finding a reason is difficult.

2. The difficulty arises from the fact that our desire to know contends with two interrelated things--our lack of capacity to know effectively and the lack of interest of other people or events to give reasons.

3. To search for a (not the) reason is NOT about finding rigid and complete explanations either. The skill to apprehend processes, cause-and-effect relationships may not be readily available to everyone. In fact, the truth/truths behind explanations might not be available at all.

4. However, finding a reason is about gaining some form of clarity, clearness, shape of a reality (versus fantasy and imagination). It is a wanting for something out there that affects and gives justification to what we feel, know, and fight for in the present and in the future.

5. It may be difficult to do for some people but it deserves a try.

6. Finding a reason--that simple explanation for some of the “why’s” and “how’s” of things, relationships, and interactions--attempts to make something clear out of the blurry and hazy world that we live in, that is, a world where impermanence, insecurity, fluidity, and insecurity abound.

7. The ultimate goal of knowing and giving reason is to understand, i.e., to make sense of the things that we believe or we aspire to believe.

[iskoliwa]

Passages

A force upon two windows

With extreme power they were closed

Stopping all entering visions

Escaping possible conundrums

Even the door is locked

No meaningful sound comes from it

It is not welcoming either

Of even familiar faces

There are left and right tunnels

With noisy guards on each side

They prevent sincere appeals

To cross with strength and tears

Loneliness comes in

It is like hurdling alone

To see them slowly closing

Windows, doors, and tunnels

[iskoliwa]

Unready

*

It is daunting for me

To be aware that it’s not easy

A life of difficulty

I am not ready

**

Questioning myself

About love, gravity, and time

Is there somebody to help?

I am not ready

***

Left in a deserted place

There is no mark of trace

Drought and fear haunt me

I am not ready

[iskoliwa]

Para kay T I D V

Ang saya sa iyong ngiti

Nakaukit sa ‘yong labi

Wala na ang mga mali

Mula sa masamang dati

Tumingin ka sa salamin

Ang sarili ay tanungin

“Kailan ba ang aking huling

Tawa’t ngiting walang daing?”

Ika-siyam nang ika-lima

Kaarawan mo rin pala

Ngunit bakit ako pa ang

Parang pinagkalooban?

‘Pagkat Ikaw ay dumating

Kaloob mula sa Hari

Binuhay mo ang damdamin

Sa mga kwento at lambing

At tinuro mo sa akin

Ang maging totoo muli

Giniba ang mga dingding

Ng aking pagkukunwari

Pasasalamat ko’y sa’yo

‘Pagkat ako’y pinili mo

Nanatili sa tabi ko

Kahit hindi naman presko

Kay raming nasa paligid

Ngunit hindi mapapatid

Sa’yo lamang nakatingin

Ikaw lamang ang diringgin

Handa na akong tahakin

Ang mga bagong lupain

Kahit malaking hakbangin

Basta Ikaw ang kapiling

Sabay nating lalakaran

Maputik na mga daan

Gawin nating nakaraan

Ang bawat kasalukuyan

Ang hinaharap ko’y Ikaw

Ang hinahanap ko’y Ikaw

Pinapangarap ay Ikaw

Patutunguhan ay Ikaw

[iskoliwa]

Dalangin

Mahirap daw ang mag-isa

Ngunit aking kakayanin

Kaysa iba ang kasama

At malayo sa ‘yong piling

Marami kang iniisip

“Anong sasabihin nila?”

Ako sa’yo ang sasagip

Sa matalim nilang dila

Sa akin ay sasaya ka

Ngiting ‘di mo pa nagawa

Dalangin ko’y Ikaw nawa

At sa puso mo’y Ako nga

Ginawa mong bago lahat

Sa dibdib ko ay sinulat:

“Kahapon, ngayon, at bukas

Lalagyan Natin ng bakas”

[iskoliwa]

Smiles beyond miles

Being far from each other

Does not really matter

As long as she keeps him

In her heart, in her dream

His desire to be with her

Develops even deeper

He's been thinking of her smiles

Which travel beyond great miles

He gives her security

And unfaltering loyalty

With ladies within his radius

He will never make her jealous

A woman of integrity

She ensures him of loyalty

She'll be holding his hand

Together they'll withstand

They will smile together

They confide to each other

For distance cannot defeat

A love that is complete

[iskoliwa]

Trabahong Mapanganib

Sa trabahong mapanganib

Simple lang ang kanyang hiling

Ang mabigyan sya ng helmet

Sa pag-akyat nya sa billboard

Sa trabahong mapanganib

Isa lang ang kanyang nais

‘Wag syang kotongan ng pulis

Kung meron mang na-violate

Sa trabahong mapanganib

Ang gusto nya ay payak lang

Panakip sa kanyang ilong

Habang sya’y nasa garbage truck

Sa trabahong mapanganib

Ang lahat ay susuungin

Kahit buhay na kapalit

Presyong below minimum wage