I DID EXPERIENCE TO WRITE, TO SPEND TIMES LATE AT NIGHT.

TRASHES OF PAPER WERE PROOF, WISHING TO POLISH, AND GIVE JUSTICE TO

WHAT I WROTE
KEEPING IN MIND THOSE WORDS THAT RHYME, TO YOU PEOPLE MY GIFT OF
TONGUE.

FOR YOU MY COUNTRY, I MADE THIS POEM ONE STONE’S THROW, NO HURT
FEELINGS, MY FELLOW MEN, IGNORE ONCE IF YOU’RE NOT PRONE.

ONCE UPON A TIME, WHEN CHASING GAME UNDER THE LIGHT OF MOON IS SAFE,
WHEN SCOLDED, WE FEEL DELIGHTED, AND NOT MAD INSTEAD, WHEN WE DON’T
CARE, OUR RAMBO SLIPS ARE BROKEN, CAUSE PATINTERO AND TUMBANG PRESO
ARE STILL WAITING. WE GO HOME SWEATY AND A SCAR ON THE KNEE, BUT ALL
WE CARE, WE JUST ENJOY AND GLAD WE’RE FREE.

WE OPEN TV, WATCH CARTOONS, FLIP CHANNEL TO CHANNEL, AND NEWS

EVERYWHERE, BUT TO HELL WE CARE, WE LIKE MORE KOREAN NOVELAS,
BASKETBALL GAMES AND MOVIES ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, THAT MIGHT AS WELL
FIND OUR SELF IN THERE.

WE MISS THOSE TIMES, BUT THOSE DAYS ARE GONE! CAN YOU STILL IMAGINE
THE DIFFERENCE OF PHILIPPINES IN OUR EYES THEN? CAN YOU STILL PICTURE IT
NOW AND SAY “MY PHILIPPINES, MY COUNTRYMEN” SO HOLY AND FRAIL?
CHANGE HAS COME AND I CAN FEEL, THE WAY POLITICIANS SIP THEIR COFFEE,
BRANDED SUPPOSEDLY, HAH! THEY DIDN’T EVEN KNOW, A CONTINUOUS
GUNSHOT MAKES ME SLEEP, AND AS THE SUN RISES, SEE ADAMANT BLOOD IN
THE PAVEMENT, AND THE BUZZ OF AMBULANCE AND POLICE CARS, WITH
YELLOW LINE AND POOL OF GOSSIPERS ARE SEEN, DESPERATE FAMILY OF
CASUALTY CRIES, NEVERTHELESS A MORNING BREAKFAST SERVED RIGHT AT
YOUR BED, THEN SIGH!.
ELECTION ATMOSPHERE IS HERE AGAIN, VOTE THIS, VOTE THAT, PROPAGANDA
THERE, FLYERS THERE, BANNERS EVERYWHERE. PHRASES OF PROMISES ABOUND,
SPEECHES ARE HEARD LEFT AND RIGHT, ASSEMBLIES ARE SET, DAY AND NIGHT.
THEY MAKE “PAASA”, JUST LIKE YOUR JOWA WHO WANTS COOL OFF AND SPACE,
BUT NEVER RETURNS AND YOU TRACE, WOW! HE’S OR HER IN ANOTHER COMFY
PLACE.

YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS, FEEDING AT BARANGAYS, PA-LIBRE AT BERKS AND

TROPA, SOUNDS COOL. BUT LOOK, TURN THE CUP AROUND, HIS/HER NAME
WRITTEN ON IT, NOW YOU HAVE TO VOTE CAUSE YOU ALREADY BURP. SAY YOU
DON’T GIVE A DAMN, BUT YOU CAN NOT ESCAPE, SEE THEIR FACES ON TV, A
MERRY-GO-ROUND OF POSTERS AT THE COMMUNITY.

HEY I REMEMBER COMMON FRIENDS, CASUAL LOOK AND GANGSTER FRIENDS,

ONE DAY GONE, NEWS BILLED THEM “NATOKHANG???” NO! NO! NO! THEY RUN
FOR SK, SANGGUNIANG KABATAAN POST. BUT DO THEY EVEN KNOW A BIT
ABOUT THE HOST? A RESPONSIBILITY COMES CLOSE, JUST NEXT TO RICH AND
FAMOUS.

MAY I ASK YOU, MY DEAR AUDIENCE, IF YOU ARE FAMOUS, WILL YOU RUN FOR A
POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT? OR EDUCATE YOURSELF FIRST? NEVERTHELESS
YOU GET MORE POWER, SEND ENVY TO OTHER.

IS THIS THE COUNTRY RIZAL HAD DIED FOR? OR THE LEGACY OF OUR HEROES IS
NOW METAPHOR? IS THIS THE TIME WHEN CHASING GAME IS NOT SAFE, AND
WE RUN FOR OUR LIFE TO SAVE US FROM GREED! WHEN CRYING OUT LOUD IS
NOT FOR WINNING, BUT FOR FREEDOM LOST AND PRIDE PINNING! IS THIS THE
FUTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION? PLEASE BRING ME BACK TO MY OLD
NATION.
THIS I CRY FOR YOU MY PEOPLE, LET US CHOOSE WISELY THIS COMING POLL.
BELIEVE THE TRUTH THAT KNOCKS YOUR HEART, INK THE BEST ONE FOR A NEW
START. WE ARE FASCINATED BY GIFTS, BY EVENTS AND DIFFERENT TRICKS.
PEOPLE, THEY ARE DUMMY, FAKE SEND-OFFS FOR YOUR TREATY. I CAN NOT
DECIDE FOR YOU, I AM NOT HERE TO SAY NEGA, I AM HERE TO BOOST YOU INNER
STRENGTH, TO REACH YOUR SOUL DEEP IN THE END.

VOTE FOR ONE IS NOT THE ANSWER; YOU WASTED YOUR RIGHT ON THAT
MATTER. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF THE PERSON, MAKE A COUNT OR TWO YOUR
DECISION. HOW IRONIC THAT “OKAY” CAN FORM A WORD “KAYO”, MEANING
SELF-LOVE DOES NOT HELP TOO.

WE WISH FOR A REFORM, WHEN DEATH IS NOT THE SOLUTION, WHEN STANDING
FOR YOUR RIGHT IS SAFE, WHEN LEAVING LIFE SIMPLY IS ACHIEVED.

I, BEING THE HOPE OF THE FUTURE, WILL NOT SELL MY CAPACITY, MY DIGNITY,
MY FREEDOM TO CHOOSE, BUT INSTEAD STICK TO MY RIGHT TO VOTE, AND
EXERCISE MY WILL OF TRUTH!!!

VOTE WISELY MY FRIENDS! YOUR CHOICE WILL DECIDE FOR YOUR FUTURE IN THE
LONG END.