Be ...

Be the bridge you hope exist;
Be the moderation you hope is available;
Be the right person you hope to see in others.

Be the best idea, the best word;

Be the best action, the consistent one;

Be the best you can be.

Don't settle for good or better;

God has created you in the best mold;

Be His Plan and you shall see.

VMOKRAPI

For a person with a vision, scarcity is enough to overcome; for a person without, abundance is a cause for inaction.

For a person on a mission, one term is enough; for a person without, even a thousand years is insufficient.

For a person with an objective, solitude is a bliss; for a person without, it is loneliness.

For a person with a focus, too many is a choice; for a person without, one choice is too many.

For a person with indicators, the reality is transient; for a person without, reality is permanent.

Differentiation

We are different from the rest.
The past tells us that.
We fought for that difference.

We fought to exist as different.
Different from the rest that dominates.
We want our own.

We defer to the past,
Even today and
As we move into the future.

Today there is a big difference with the past.
So we fought to bring that difference.
Different we shall remain.

But as we move forward.
How different will we be with the past?
How different will we be with the present?

The future beckons with opportunities.
To be different being one of them.
Different as we can be.

You

My face only see yours
My hands only feel your warmth
My ears only hear your words
My being senses only you.

My heart mesmerized
My mind chanted
My soul languished
It is all because of YOU.

You

They said, who am I waiting for?
Many ask, what are you looking for?
I have one immediate response, you!

But who are you, they inquired. 

I said, I may not have seen her.
What are her qualities, many asked. 

I said, they are locked in my heart.

How will I know you then, they inquired. 

I responded, my heart's door will open up.
What if your qualities are oppose to mine, many inquired. 

I responded, what matters most is our hearts unite. 

Is there anything that matter than this union?

Selfish

Present in all physically,
Absent in all mentally,
Engaged to disengaged.

Jack of all,
Master of none,
None of jack.

Opportunity abound,
Opportunity wasted,
Bounded waste from the start.

Nothing proven, but rattling
Nothing done, unbaked,
Nothing impressive, but depression.

Money

Just pieces of paper
But powerful enough
To enslave the mind
To attract devotees

Enough to rant
Enough to maim 
Enough to kill
To turn man to beast

Even those who call
Themselves pious
Rationalizes their thoughts 
Justifies their acts

It is a strong bond
Enough to move people
People to scheme
People to scam

Oblivious

He never left us,
We are just oblivious
To His Presence.
Like a child
We thought
We can walk
On our own,
Then we stumbled
And realized our mistake,
It is then
We cried to high heaven
Asking for His Help...

On Waqt (Time)

Each one is given time to make a difference.

Some longer, some shorter; 

Either way, our time is fixed, 

Not a minute longer, 

Not a minute shorter. 

Let us use it 

To make a difference 

In the lives of our fellows. 

It is not how long or how short our time is, 

It is what and how we make use of it.

About the same thing

I feel accord, you feel discord
I see love, you see lust
I talk respect, you talk revenge ...

You talk hegemony, I talk harmony
You hear fight, I hear forgiveness
You call to war, I call to peace ...

Are we referring to the same thing?

Provocation

As they are provoke to see enemies,
we are provoke to see humanity.

As they are provoke to hear call to war,
we are provoke to hear the sound of peace.

As they are provoke to curse,
we are provoke to compliment.

As they are provoke to divide,
we are provoke to bridge.

As they are provoke to kill,
we are provoke to heal.

As they are provoke to hegemony,
we are provoke to live harmoniously.

As they are provoke to react,
we are provoke to pro-act.

Sprung

Born from the same womb
Under the same shade
Milked from the same breast.

We grow up together
Studied from the same school
Learned from the same teachers.

Now here I am, there you are
I am a dove and you are a hawk
What happen my brother?

Love is and can

Love is blind to prejudice
Love is compassionate to others.
Love is merciful to downtrodden.
Love is giving to those who have none.
Love is all-embracing
Love is all we need.

Love can if we want to.
Love can break down hate.
Love can forgive pain.
Love can narrow divide.
Love can connect distance.
Love can bring togetherness.

Home

The old green and blue span
Teeming with melodies of life
An organized chaos, organic
Of creatures and created beings.

Three weeks and counting.
This expanse is bathe in red and black
The sky in sorrow and grey
A chaos, a wasteland.

The moon is lonely and crying -
Where have the stars gone?
The eerie silence is haunting
The stench of burned lives teeming.

This is what has become
A place we lovingly call home
Where love was born
Where love abounds.

To which the Sun goes

To which the Sun goes -
Is it dawn or dusk?
I lost count of the time
Been living to the fullest
Until you took it over.

Is this going to be a dawn
Start of new beginning
A journey to new land
Of hope unfolding
Of dream coming true?

Or is this dusk
A farewell to a promise
The end of an era
The coming of uncertainty
Of dark days ahead?

Manglaggui karayawan (Celebrating goodness)

Pagdaya kaw ha pagbulansang sin pagkahi mu,
Puklasi in pag-ambul da',
Pagkugkuyag kaw ha karayawan nahinang nila,
Lasa kaw sin sakusug-kusug pangatayan
Minsan pa in kaawnan niya wala' ini tindug sin pagkahi mu -
Ini in barakat di' magkabi sin pilak!

Be rich in admiration of others,
Free yourself from envy and despair,
Celebrate other's goodness
Love earnestly
Even if others do not and will not.
This is a blessing that money can't buy.

Differentiation

We are different from the rest.
The past tells us that.
We fought for that difference.

We fought to exist as different.
Different from the rest that dominates.
We want our own.

We defer to the past,
Even today and
As we move into the future.

Today there is a big difference with the past.
So we fought to bring that difference.
Different we shall remain.

But as we move forward.
How different will we be with the past?
How different will we be with the present?

The future beckons with opportunities.
To be different being one of them.
Different as we can be.

ABC of life

A
Arise, your Master is here,
free yourself from the bondage,
from that which holds you back,
follow your Master's way!

B
Behold, a new life is waiting -
it beckons, break free and fly
your future awaits
grab it it's yours!

C
Cease this mongering of 'can't be'
you make your future not them
own your fate, have faith
seize it from within and grow!

D
Dare is what you need
not progeny, not power nor pieces of silver
test the water, be not afraid of the waves
it's there to make you strong, not weak!

E
‎Ease your fear with faith
follow your heart, not the road traveled by all
create your own and lead the way
be among the pioneers!

F
Freedom is like the air you breath
you may not see it but it is there
essential like your existence
protect it or perish!

G
‎Grab it, or make one for yourself
you deserve it more than anyone
it's your future, it is your destiny
live to realize it!

H
‎Harness what you have
leave what is not around
multiply and share
realize your dream!

I ‎
Insist and initiate
nurture and grow
spread your wings
and find your happiness!

J
‎Jump off the stereotype
sense your true being
there is only one you
be a blessing to yourself and to all!

K
Knap that ill-feeling
you live only once
embrace the world
be happy!

L
Learn the basics early
found your life with simplicity
but steer it forward
there is more to it that living!

M
Moan not of the agony
you are not alone
it is not the absence of it
your courage will define you!

N
No one is spared of trials
like a rose full of torns
be careful, be brave
you are a solution!

O

Over time and space
you are merely a dot
but your goodness persists
like grafitti in ancient cave!

P
Pause if you must
rest if you have to
inhale and savour the cool air
be invigorated by nature!

Q
Quit not the race of life
you are more than you think
dare beyond the horizon
follow the ancient explorers!

R
Roar with your faith
believe and it shall come
be certain of what you need
be cautious of your wants!

S
Steer your boat forward
dare the giant waves
beyond are islands of opportunity
choose one it's yours!

T
Take your time
prepare yourself
pat your back
yes you can!

U
Usher in with positivity
this too will pass
like all that has come before
know that problem comes and goes!

V
Veer away from the convention
create your own success
you are made to lead
to become who you want!

W
Wane not in confidence
stake your future with it
armed yourself with ease
and enjoy the journey!

X
Xerxes thought he was a god
be not like him
but be like the 300
that dared to challenge him!

Y
Yearn for better things to come
act on it and make it happen
be patient and persevere
Rome wasn't built in a day!

Z
Zap out of complacency
even if you are right
if you don't act on it
you'll get run over with!

A Maas lore

Note: "Maas" is a Tausog word for "elder" or "leader".
______________

Under your shadow we grew up listening -
Tales of freedom, justice and compassion,
Fighting for our rights and never to give up.
Your determination infected us all.
Though variedly, we carried the same passion.

You took a forsaken name to unify us.
We dress ourselves in that name following your lead.
You taught us to put our trust to high heaven.
You walk us through history and what might be.
You gave us hope of something better to come.

But what have you become our Maas?
Where have all the sacrifices gone?
What have become of your lead?
Why are we like this, worse than before?
How did it all end this way?

Is this the end of our collective journey?
We blame you not for what we have become
For your mirror who and what we are.
You think and talk our angst and frustration,
You feel and touch our tenderness.

You sense and project who we are.
For what we have become
For where we have gone
For how we have done it and currently doing
For why we think, feel and do they way we are

For all of these, we reflect on you.
So what now oh Maas of our time?
How shall we continue our struggle
Or descend into oblivion?
Be content with what have we become?
Or like your hope, we do, not too late.