Once in your Life

Once in your life, you met someone who...
made you smile... made you frown...
made you laugh... made you cry...
made you hope... made you give up...
made you win... made you lose...
made you true... made you lie...
made you love... made you hate...
made you silent... made you scream...
made you dream... made you sleep...
made you inspired... made you confused...
made you blessed... made you cursed...
made you wise ... made you dumb...
made you excited... made you bored...
made you friend... made you foe...
brightened your day... blotted out the sun...
believed in you... doubted you...
encouraged you... discouraged you...
made you wish you'll meet again...
made you wish you didn't meet...
For all the people that you've met...
Who are "YOU" to those you've met?

Crazy Fascination

Wrote a poem for you
Knew it sounds crazy
But I just have to let it flow
Don’t mind if you laugh at this
Coz I know it’s loony
Laughed at myself too

Wasn’t a long time ago
Stumbled upon you
Took one look at your picture
Got lost on those eyes too
Knew this isn’t obsession
Just a crazy fascination
Knew this too shall pass
As all other feelings do
But for now I’m just happy
To know someone like you
Who can inspire someone like me
To write a crazy poem for you

Don’t mean to scare you
Will never stalk you
Just needed to say it
If only to release it
Just take it as it is
Intended with no malice
Coz once it’s said and done
My reputation is undone

You may think I am crazy
But at least it made easy
To let it off my chest
Now I can breathe easy……

One Chapter at a Time

Life unfolds to us one chapter at a time
Each page a story is told
Each paragraph emotions overflowed
Each sentence intertwined
Each phrase embedded
Each word remembered

Each chapter tells a story
Of love,pain and glory
Of struggle and courage
Of failure and triumph

Each chapter tells of people
Who made our life worthy and wonderful
Who shared laughter and tears
Who loved and left us

Each chapter tells of things
Amazing and bewildering
Provoking and titillating
Uplifting and disheartening

Each chapter tells a lesson
Learned and forgotten
Regretted and redeemed
Reflected and reformed

Each chapter tells a journey
Uphill and downhill
Straight and winding
Unclear destination

One chapter at a time
One page, one paragraph
One sentence, one phrase, one word
And we will soon understand

Bilanggo

Bilanggo

ni: Shielah Ilagan

Kagabi….

Mainit..tagaktak ang pawis sa noo’t anit habang pinapaypayan ka ng nanay mo…hindi kayang pawiin ng electric fan ang katas na dumadaloy sa mura mong katawan .

Maalingasaw … pinagsamang panghe, amoy ng dugo at pawis ang nalalanghap sa nanggigitatang kubre kamang iyong kinahihimlayan.

Masikip…. Parang sardinas kayong apat na nagsisiksikan sa iisang kama…pahalang, pahaba… nakabaluktot…nakasubsob…hindi malaman kung anong pwesto ang gagawin upang maibsan ang pangangalay ng katawan sa iyong pagtulog.

Alumpihit … umiinat …sumisipa…waring ayaw kang patulugin ng iyong diwa….umiingit para ipahiwatig ang pagkabalisa….ungot …iyak…hele…shhhhh…

Kinaumagahan…

Maingay… sari- saring boses at kwento ang maririnig sa paligid..masaya ..malungkot… mahinahon… malakas na hagalpakan…impit na tawa..hagikgikan …pagkamangha….magandang balita.

Magulo… madaming bisita..si tatay, sina ate at kuya,sina lolo at lola. May kaibigan,kamag-anak, karelasyong kung ano man ….kanya- kanyang kumustahan…balitaan….walang humpay na kwentuhan sa pinagdaanan. May ibang palakad-lakad ..paroo’t parito sa CR…may bitbit na pagkain, kape,instant noodles,o pandesal.

Mas masikip…naghambalang ang silyang plastik sa paligid sa dami ng bisita, kailangang tumayo at magbigay daan upang makaliban lamang sa gilid ng kama upang sa gayon ay mailagay ang gamit, pasalubong at iba pa, sa makipot na side table na pinamamahayan ng langgam.

Nakakahilo….may clinical instructor na nag lelektyur sa mga estudyante ng nursing…habang abala silang pinagmamasdan , sinisipat ,hinihipo at hinihimas ang iba’t ibang parte ng iyong katawan…may kumukuha ng iyong temperatura…pinakikinggan ang iyong paghinga…

Tanghalian…

Mas magulo…mas maingay…animo nasa perya lang …palit-palit ang bantay….may umaalis at dumarating na bisita…ikot nang ikot ang bawat doktor at nars, kanya kanyang usisa, nagbibigay ng gamot…”kumusta pakiramdam mo?”, “ may masakit ba sa ‘yo?”….kukunin ang temperatura at pupulsuhan ka…pakikinggan iyong paghinga….sipat dito sipat doon….

Lumipas ang maghapon…mas mainit….kanya kanyang paypay…sumisingaw ang amoy ng pawis…. Mas masidhi ang amoy ng panghe at dugo… idagdag mo pa ang gamot na nanunuot sa iyong sintido…hindi kayang takpan ng disinfectant ang sangsang.

Kinabukasan…

Masaya ako …dahil makalalabas na kami ng kapatid ko sa Maternity ward na yan….makalalanghap na ako ng medyo sariwang hangin sa labas…kahit may bahid usok…ako’y isa lamang bantay sa pasyente kaya malaya akong makalalabas ….

Malungkot ako…

Maiiwan ka pa rin sa Maternity ward na yan..hindi alam kung kailan papayagang lumabas dahil kapos pa sa pambayad ang iyong ina….Kulang pa ang labindalawang libong sinisingil sa inyo ng hospital…. Isang buwan ka na dyan…dyan na nagkalaman at lumaki ang iyong katawan…dumilat ang nanlalabong paningin at namulat ang munting kaisipan…Dinadalaw ka na lamang ng iyong lola,bitbit ang gatas mo at pagkain ng iyong ina. Isang buwan na kayong nagsisiksikan ng iba’t ibang pasyente sa kamang matigas…lagi kang nakikihati sa espasyo na dapat sana ay para sa isang ina at sanggol lamang. Kaya kahit anong posisyon,iyong tinitiis,makapagpahinga lamang.

Isang buwan ka na sa Maternity ward na yan….ang paglabas ay walang kasiguruhan….marahil marami pang araw ang magdaraan.Marami kayo dyan, hindi ka nag-iisang bilanggo,ang iba ay dalawang linggo o higit pa, ngunit ikaw ang pinakamatagal…

Isinilang ka upang makalaya sa siyam na buwang bahay bata sa sinapupunan…ngunit isa kang bilanggo sa maternity ward,hindi makalabas dahil walang pambayad.

Gusto kong magalit sa nanay mo, sa tatay mo, sa namamahala sa ospital..sa meyor….sa gobyerno… sa sarili ko…dahil wala silang ginawa….wala akong ginawa…

Sana lang nakalabas ka na ng ospital ..nakagawa na sila ng paraan…

Sana maiba ang takbo ng buhay mo sa hinaharap…makalaya sa gapos ng kahirapan.

Roller Coaster

Whirling... swirling...
Tumbling... sinking...
Beating... aching...
Twisting...bewildering...
Confounding...exhilarating...
Flying... soaring...
Winding... exhausting...
Exciting... screaming...
Rocking...rolling...
Feeling...
Roller coaster love.

Let Go

Let go.... let go
Let it flow
Let it wash the hurt
Let go....
Let the dam flow
Take its course
Burst and overflow
Release it
Alleviate the pain
Find solace in knowing
This too shall pass
Let go...
It is only passing
It'll blow over
In the morning, the sun will be smiling

The Best Things in Life are Free

Eyes that let you see the wonderful

Ears that listen to your laughter and woes

Nose that lets you smell the scents of life

Lips that kiss and blow your fears away

Hands that touch your shivering bones

Arms that hug and comfort your longing

Feet that walk you through earth's end

Heart that reaches to your deepest soul

Mind that makes you reason and believe

Tears that rain and wash away the loneliness

Smile that warms the coldest heart

Talents to nourish and realize your dreams

Time to do what needs to be done

Family who's always there by your side

Friends who stick with you through ups and downs

YOU....who's always there when I needed someone

Wishful Thinking

Sometimes I wish you were beside me

I can reach out and touch your face

Hold your hand and feel your warmth

Sometimes I wish you were near

We can go out and have some fun

We can talk and have some cheer

Sometimes I wish you were in front of me

I can gaze into your eyes

Watch that smile lighten up your face

Sometimes I wish you were next to me

I can lean on you

Put my arms around you

Sometimes I wish you live next door

I can come visit you anytime

Sit and while away the time

Sometimes I wish you were here

So I can whisper sweet nothings

and hear your laughter peal

Sometimes I wish you were here

Instead of being there

So I can tell you how much it means

To be with you and how much I care.....