Golden Vow

Golden Vow
For Iya and Lolo
By Aries Arevalo

Going steady
getting ready
the love, somehow
bound by vow.

Not caressing
but was struggling
ten years, sweat from brow
the faithful vow.

Oh yes, convinced
twenty years since
of gifts God endow
With the vow.

Thirty thereafter
never to falter
a family like a bough
secured by vow.

Forty years more
not like before
God had to allow
a stronger vow.

Together for fifty
realized plenty
a stronger love now
The golden vow.

The Tin Roof of Humanity

The Tin Roof of Humanity
by Aries Arevalo

Like rocks were raining on July
the darkest clouds were in the sky
The air so cold, phenomenon
A storm unnatural was drawn

The tin roof finds no peace at all
From all the icy shower fall
The stormy front, it strikes and hails
reminds me of the cries and wails

The storm I hear, I am appalled
For I, a veteran, recalled
The hailstones pound like flak and guns
just like those days, those bombing runs.

I lived through nineteen forty five
within a shelter to survive
It was those days, when red and white
has damped the sun and stars with blight.

Then when the sun had fallen down
So too the empire lost its crown
But victor blue found colder beds
when it had fought against the reds

The battles that were fought this war
in jungles, highlands, waters are
But greater fear is to be seen
when nuclear almost took the scene.

I always felt the world would cease,
and people screamed for love and peace
But seems the reds have took its toll
And down it goes, just like the wall.

For gold and oil, then blue-coats vied
and people of crescent cried,
"We arm ourselves, we fight to death"
In Allah's name we give our breath."

And up to now, I hear the pleas
of many thousand refugees
across the world, like rain and hail
the countless people tell their tale.

I've lived to hear of many wars
for resource, land, for minds and pow'rs.
But even though it's noble aim,
A war's a war, they're all the same.

The sky above is never clear
of clouds and rain and hail severe
and on the roof of tin the sound
"Forgotten peace is to be found."

Filipino Expat Chronicles - Lake Sikome

Howdy folks! Yesterday, we decided to make the day special by going to the beach, Lake Sikome. Wait, a beach by the lake? Yup, that's right. It's an artificial beach by an man-made lake.

This is brother standing under the shade.
The sun was high, but the water was cold.

You can see that the grass is unusually close to the waterline.

In this beach, you can swim, play in the sand making sandcastles...


... or picnic on the grass under the shade.

Suddenness of Death

image from http://www.topnews.in/light/people/michael-jackson

Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, has just recently died, and created such a commotion in the entertainment world. Calgary Sun's headlines flashed the question, "WHY?" with the picture with Michael and some candles in memory of him. I haven't read the article, but I figure that people are saddened by his passing away. Many people tell me that, too, but I cannot answer if I am sad, too because I am not.

A year ago, grandpa died, and uncle died. In their wakes and funerals, even if I tried, I could never cry, because of my idea of death - the Christian view. In the Apostle's Creed which is the summary of our faith, it contains, "I believe in the resurrection of the body and everlasting life."

This Sunday's gospel is about Jesus raising up Jairus' daughter. “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep," Jesus said, yet people made fun of him because they did not believe. But Jesus gave her life.

If someone dies a natural death, it must be that person's time to go. I wouldn't be sad about that. But a question remains: what if her or his life was taken away by someone else while it was not his/her time? Then that is the time I would be sad, angry, and grieving. But I still have faith because God is merciful and is powerful to cleanse the souls of those who died, so that they may enjoy the rest of heaven.

So I say, have faith in God. May God give him eternal peace.

Panaginip? Katotohanan?

"Panaginip? Katotohanan?"
by Phoisohnlily_28

Isang magandang kaharian,
Mga rosas na nagagandahan.
Bigla mo 'kong hinalikan,
Alam kong ako'y iyong babalikan.

Unti-unti kang naglalaho
Para akong nanlumo.
Nawala bigla ang nakita kong kagandahan
Nabalot bigla ng kadiliman ang kaharian.

Nas'an ka na aking hirang,
Isa ba itong pamamaalam?
Hihintayin kita, aking hirang,
Pabaon ko sayo'y wagas na pagmamahal.

Bumukas ang kalangitan,
Bumuhos ang malakas na ulan,
Pangalan mo'y pinagsigawan,
Rinig ng buong kaharian.

Sabi mo'y 'di ako iiwan,
Pangako mo'y magpakailanman.
Gisingin mo na ako, sinta,
Gusto na kitang makita.

Makasama habang-buhay,
Sa pilng mo'y mahihimlay.
Kahit gaano pa katagal,
Harangan man ng batalyong sagabal.

Maghihintay at mangangako,
Magtitiwala at magmamahal,
Ikaw aking kabalyerong hari,
Puso ko sayo'y may luwalhati.

Iaalay buong buhay sa paghihintay,
Sa kaharian kahit mamatay.
Mga pangako nati'y patotohanan,
Mapapatuyan ito sa buong kaharian.