M A K A T A
February 2001
Issue No.2

Sky, Ocean, Clouds The singing blue of the piousness of waters Attracts all visions from the flying colours Up above the other blue. Jumping as enthusiastic souls, they face each other With a smiling sound of extreme whispers As they cloak the face of the earth. And the mists of the jovial laughs of morning Floats amid the passive gossips of the Benevolent beings of the day.   P.S. Dear R_____,  I LOVE YOU. P.S. Have you ever wondered About the prickly feelings Behind your neck As if there were Eyes looking; Beholding your beauty; A soul pledging to all Saints to show an everlasting Love to you? As time breaks every second, I’ve spent the last specks Of the instances Adoring you. I built my life around you And coldness will never manifest Over me Because of you - my warmth And vigour. As I blew away smoke In the air, I was hallucinating. As smoke gets into my eyes, Making me pour my tears of Desperation, I saw you in the twilight- Shining like an infinite being. I dreamt of consecrating The fields of earth for you. A pen is worthless to To glimpse and say What’s inside me. But I left you Here three words that I hope You’ll cherish every Moment and every day. By the way, I left my wallet, My shirt, And My heart in your apartment.   © Charles Carpio Florence, Italy   noisecore Them with the glitter ball eyes. They will come bring the cool moon With their body bags, Hop into a mosh (hip) And link arms. Head stubborn like the fabric Of their latest black leather apparel.                    E                    Rap                    Re sign        E        Rap        Re sign                                     E                                     Rap                                     Re sign Sing along with Sin somewhere                   with Ramos somewhere          Cory   With some faces in the provinces far      With some A.W.O.L. general of some army branch         In the stage             Somewhere             Over there. In syncopation (Arriving) more more ppl come to clap. There's a drum roll For every drizzle Of angry confetti.         A drum roll For the blades that Hover by                     Hover by                     Hover by                     Hover by.           With the camera.                  And the camera eye.            Hovering by            Hovering by            Hovering by In the air. I'd like to say I was there Under the sun-high Enough to melt my contacts Into their sockets. I heard nothing but the sweat That slithered towards my lips. And now I would like to wipe the pools On this page- erap, resign. © jemimah ileah abesamis   Bagong Buhay nanginginig ang aking kalamnan nanunuyo ang aking lalamunan hindi mapakali sa aking kinalalagyan may hinahanap na hindi ko malaman pag aking natikman ang aking inaasam langit ang dulot sa aking kalamnan nakakalimutan mundong ginagalawan lumulutang sa alapaap ang pakiramdam kahit gustuhin ko mang tigilan hindi naman kaya ng aking laman lahat na lang aking ginawa upang tapusin bisyong nasimulan nagsimula sa imbitasyon ng kaibigan sa simula ay aking sinubukan hanggang ako'y nasarapan at hinahanap na ng aking katawan parang ang hirap ibalik ang buhay na sira tiwala ng lahat ay naglaho parang bula paano maibabalik buhay na dati ay kay saya sa bawal na gamot lahat ay nagbago na gusto kong isumpa ang akala ko'y kaibigan ngunit sinisi ko rin ang sarili kong kahinaan hindi dapat nagpatangay sa kaway ng kaaway at hindi sana nakaranas ng ganitong buhay ako ngayo'y naghahangad ng bagong pag-asa sana may magtiwala para muling mabuhay magkaroon muli ng mundong kaaya-aya at ipinapangakong magbabagong buhay na. © Floriza C. Mejia Marikina City, Philippines   Pagtataka (para kay Erwin R.) nang maglandas ang ating daan minsan isang tag-araw hubad ako mula ulo hanggang talampakan malaya mong ginalugad ang kasuluk- sulukan ng aking katawan, payapa mong sinisid ang makukulay na mga kurales ng aking pagkatao at natuklasan mong wala akong itinatayong kutang-tanggulan sa pagitan nating dalawa nagtataka lamang ako sa 'yo minsan isang taglagas nang maglandas muli ang sala-salabat nating daan, hubad pa rin ako mula ulo hanggang talampakan samantalang ikaw ay punung-puno ng pananggalan laban sa akin.   pulang alak   sa mga unang araw ko dito sa switzerland lasa mo'y banyaga sa aking dila nang una kitang pinangahasang tikman sa isang hapunan wika ko sa sarili ito na ang una at huli mong pagbalisbis sa aking bibig ngunit sa mga handaan, kasayahan, o di kaya'y payak na hapunan samyo mo'y nanunuyo at nang muli kang tikman dama ko ang aking pagkaliyo kaya sa mga gabing tulad nito: nag-iisa ako, mahal ko'y nasa malayo at ang lamig ay nanunuot hanggang buto nais kong languin mo ako nang todo-todo at handugan ng init sa buong katawan upang pagkatapos ay humimbing at kung saka-sakali mang bangungutin hangad kong hawiin ang kumpol-kumpol na mga bituing nagbibigay ningning sa madilim na papawirin. © Edgar Bacong Zurich, Switzerland   May Bayad ang Tanong Pagod na ako Sa kalalakad Sa loob ng Megamall Di ko mahanap Ang labasan Papuntang Manuela Pagdating ko sa labas Nagkamali ako Sabi ng guwardiya Di diyan ang daan mo Bumalik uli ako Sa loob ng Megamall Paikot-ikot Naghahanap ng shortcut Di pa rin mahanap Kahit mainit ang sikat ng araw Binaybay na lang Ang kahabaan ng daan Sa wakas Ako'y nakatawid na Sa overpass Pagdating sa kanto Ako'y may napansin May bayad ang tanong Anang nakapaskil Sa labas ng isang guard house Bakit may gano'n Tanong ng isip ko May bayad na rin nga ba ito? © Dessie A. Urbano Mandaluyong City, Philippines   Kape Ilang beses na bang hinigop ka pang alis daw ng antok sabi nila ewan ko ba, pang ilang tasa ka na kasi kanina lang uminom pa ako ng cola Puro caffeine na lang ang laman ng tyan ko Buti na lang di ako nag yoyosi Kung nagkataon.. matagal na kong tapos! sa mundong ito na puno' ng asok. Hindi pa ako natutulog...kagabi pa ako gising Kumakalam ang sikmurang di naman nagugutom Yung almusal kanina inalok. wala naman akong gana Sana matapos na ito Ilang araw na bang ganito? Hindi na sana nangyari ito... "Tay!.. Kape..." Dalawa sana tayong umiinom ngayon pero 'di mo na mararamdaman ang init ng kapeng hawak ko ... dahil higit pang mainit ang yakap ko ngayon sa nakahimlay mong katawan.. "Paalam... Itay.. Pahinga ka na..Mahal ka namin.." © Tuff Touch Olongapo City, Philippines   beyond words i sing the glory of hearing my thoughts speak with words that capture the crippled breaths and tamed beatings of my heart; with words whose innocence i commune with every jigsaw piece laid on the universe of juggled hearts.   heart blender a mug of guilt a spoonful of queries a pinch of hurts a seasoning of love shaken by my thoughts of you © Deji A. Urbano Mandaluyong City, Philippines   My Wish every moment i close my eyes dreaming of you is my utmost desire i always wanted that one morning i'll open my eyes having you beside me and dreaming no more how i wish you are the first light that shines on me each time i wake up in the morning the fragrance of early morning flowers is but to attest that they too are one in saying you're my only one 9July2000   Dumating Ka Na Nga't Nawala Ka Pa Ba't dumating ka pa? Sa Maykapal ba'y hiniling kita? Ni sa guni-guni ko noo'y wala ka Sadya bang ganito ang tadhana? Dumating ka na nga't nawala ka pa Nanunukso ka ba? Sa pagtulog ko'y kayakap Pagkagising ko'y di mahagilap Mabuti pa noong wala ka pa Buhay ko'y walang problema Puro paghihinagpis ang napala ko Nang ang pusong ito'y mahagip mo Dumating ka na nga't nawala ka pa Dibdib ko'y kakaba-kaba Nasaan ka na, o sinta? Babalik ka pa kaya? 26August2000   Para Sa Iyo Lahat ng bagay sa mundong ito'y panandalian lamang Katulad ng hanging kailangang langhapin Ang haring araw na sisikat at lulubog din Mga oras na kusang darating at lilipas rin Walang pinag-iba sa pag-ibig natin Ang hangin mang sa baga'y gustong patigilin Umiilap din sa sandaling dapat palabasin Sana'y merong akong bagang sinlaki ng daigdig Upang kailanma'y hangin ay di mapapatid Tuloy at walang tigil sa pag-ihip Bakit ba ang araw ay kaakibat ng silangan at kanluran? Di ba't sana'y manatiling lagi sa tanghaling tapat? Nagbibigay init sa damdaming umiibig Ba't pa sisikat at pagdating ng hapon ang liwanag ay di sapat? Lagi magpagbigay daan sa karimlang katapat Katulad nitong pagsinta na kusang dumating Nais gisingin itong damdaming matagal nang nakahimlay Nakangiting pilit idilat ang mga matang mapupungay Ngunit ipinaghehele pa rin at nag-aatubiling gambalain Akala'y gising na sa katotohanan, iyon pala'y panaginip lamang Mundo ko, mundo mo, gustong pagsamahin Oras ko, oras mo, pilit pagdugtungin Nakapagtataka at laging di sapat Gaano man kadakila itong layunin Laging may simula at may katapusan pa rin Mabuti pang ako'y lilisan Kung ang puso mo'y laging luhaan Alam kong pagod ka na sa pakikipaglaban Hayaan mong ako na lamang ang magdurusa Nitong mga pasakit at loobing masama Gusto kong mapadpad sa isang dakong tahimik Taglay ang mga alaalang minsa'y nagpasaya Sa bawat damadamin nating pinag-isa Doon kung saan ang lahat ng bagay sa mundo Ay di na alintana at doo'y hihintayin kang kusa 24December2000 © Ronnie Ocate Jeddah, Saudi Arabia / Manila, Philippines   Marrow Marrow Death never knocks before it enters, so carnal cannot squat callously and listen for its sound. Even when ill is stretched out long like drum skin over tin frame, the bounce is hideous collision breaking nerves in tiny ear. So when you kiss me lusciously, I must shove aside a stack of work, play in the doll house of an hour's gift, smooch you back under glittering stars. Time's purse in our bed, eternally light. Its strap might break. You tip my shoulders back; my tongue comes out to taste the sucker of yours. I smell cherry in the air and fresh lime squeeze. The rind is our flesh and we are inside. Relishing both seeds and juice. Mirror, mirror on caving wall. Marrow, marrow take me in. The Awkward Anniversary It's the right thing at the wrong time. A year has passed since we ran gold rings over bright staunch blissful carrot pipes of eager fingers fidgeting. Made love all night like rising bread. I cannot inflate today as I should-- sour taste of flat champagne-- for a man has died and left his widow, stalking spider twisted, choked by dulcet tears, rummaging a window sill. She's dusting around his death in piles; my joy would be her smelly rag. I'd celebrate the us, but it just seems such a wounded horse, suffering italicized. Double bold injustice done. Making sadness bench-press more than listening can ever lift. I steal a kiss from your waxen lips like pillows off a borrowed couch, lick your skin, embracing a base of sugar cane in the last drop of whippable cream.  Our destiny has not reached muffled possible. Its purity a cameo I wear around my aching neck. I change my Will and leave my assets in your hands. Nothing I could give to you would ever brighten ridden night, make the grief of losing us gallop faster toward the end. You held the sunlight anyway, like sweet trombones of daffodils. Money's sharp accessories-- a closet full of empty shoes. Dusting Off My Alibis The web of every widow is a messy presence questioning shape of uttered love. Database of aching muscles screaming back a wind of things inside a thirsty tongue unflapped. Wishes thinking, brewing there like tea upon a patio, waited for the sugared step for pouring into perfect stream. A dear friend went so suddenly. Extinguished like a well-built fire-- impending, unpredicted rain. She missed a chance to dance around his garden tools, planted feet in busyness, a knotted hose with leaking joints that should have watered every flower. The price of gas is going up. We're leaving on a trip despite. I rifle through the laundry basket looking for a shirt you wore. Rub its scent against my breast like cats that clean off pawed regret. An ice cream lump to catch with licks before its milk turns fluid, crust. Craving wet completion's kiss before the puzzle is removed. What will I say when we are gone? When us bus crashes into death. And I am holding waffled cone of earth that's rendered meaningless. Picking up the jagged glass of all the lights you lit and left. I pick a rose from your favorite tree, lay it gently on the mattress, buy new sheets, and stretch them over old mistakes. Jarred by bitter consequence, I'm dusting off my alibis. © Janet I. Buck Janet Buck's poetry, poetics, and fiction have appeared in The Pedestal Magazine, Poetry Magazine.com, CrossConnect, interweave, The Melic Review, The Pittsburgh Quarterly, Kimera, The Rose & Thorn, 2River View, Southern Ocean Review, Disquieting Muses, Urban Spaghetti, Perihelion, Mind Fire, Born Magazine, pif, 3rd Muse, Verse Libre Quarterly, Big Bridge, pith and hundreds of journals world-wide. makata 2001 january february march april may june july august september october nov-dec