Kwento Nating Dalawa (Spoken Poetry)

Paano ko ba sisimulan

ang pagsulat ng tula

ng pag-ibig nating dalawa?

Sisimulan ko ba sa pagsikat ng araw

kung saan una tayo nagkita?

O noong pa-dabit hapon na

kung saan pormal kitang nakilala?

Natatandaan ko pa

may kislap na taglay

ang ating mga mata

noong una itong magtama.

Kaagad na gumuhit ang ngiti

sa pisngi ng ating mga mukha.

Nabalot man ng katahimikan

ang mga unang sandaling

tayo’y nagtagpo,

sa aking pagtulog baon-baon ko

ang sayang dulot nito sa aking puso.

Sa mga sandaling iyon,

batid nating mayroong

isang magandang simula na

tatawagin nating

“Ikaw at ako”.

Simula ng pagmamahalang

may magandang pangako.

Dumaan ang mga araw

at ako’y iyong pinasyal

sa mundo mong malayo sa siyudad

na kung saan ang paligid ay

puno ng pag-ibig na hubad.

Ang mga halaman at bulaklak

wari’y sumasayaw sa galak

dahil ang ating mga kamay ay

magkahawak.

Ang simoy ng hangin

ay kasing lamig ng

iyong mga yakap na nakakapit

sa buo kong katawan.

At ang kumpas ng alon sa dagat

ay nagpapahiwatig

na bagyo man ang dumaan

kaya mong langunin

wag lang tayo umabot sa paglisan.

May kiliting dulot

ang bawat paggising ko sa umaga

dahil sa ating tagpuan

ikaw ay naghihintay na.

Dala-dala ang iyong gitara

na wari’y sa aki’y manghaharana.

Ang huni ng mga ibon ay tila awit

sa ating mga tenga

habang tayo ay papunta

sa tabing ilog kung saan

una mong sinabi

“Mahal Kita.”

Ang mga sumunod pang mga araw

ay langit sa piling mo.

Ngunit dumating ang oras na

kailangang lumisan ako

pabalik sa mundong

ginagalawan ko.

Dumaloy ang luha

sa ating mga mata

kasabay ng pagbuhos ng ulan.

Kasabay din ba ng pagsara

ng pintuan ng mga puso

nating nagmamahalan?

Doon sa ating tagpuan

ako ay nagpaalam.

Inabot mo ang iyong larawan at sinabing

“itago mo at palagi mong tignan,

para ako ay hindi mo malimutan.”

Umuwi akong bitbit ang bagahe

ng kalungkutan

at hinarap ang aking mundong

di ka man lang mahagkan.

Ang pabaon mong larawan

ang tangi kong kinakapitan.

Umaasa na darating ang araw

na muli tayong magkakasama.

Walang araw na dumaan

na di ka nawala sa king isipan.

Ang langit ay may hatid na tuwa

handog nito’y isang sulat

galing sayo sinta.

Mga sulat kung saan nakalathala

kung gaano ayaw mo akong mawala.

Nakasaad sa liham mo

“hintayin mo ako, darating ako.”

Tanda na magkalayo man ang

ating mundo,

handa kang sumugal makamtan lang

ang pag ibig ko.

Ang puso ko ay lalong nagalak

Nang lubusan kong malaman

na ang pag ibig mo ay busilak.

Gumawa ka ng isang tulay

para ang mundo mo at mundo ko

ay magtagpo.

Doon mo tinatahak ang daan

para baybayin ang sandaling

makausap lang ako sa telepono

at marinig ang tinig ko.

Milya milya man ang layo

At magkabilang sulok
ang ating mundo

di mo inalintana ang pagod

magkasama lang tayo.
Ngayon parang isang panaginip

nandito ka sa piling ko
kaya’t ang saya ko ay

abot hanggang langit.

Sa ilalim ng liwanag
ng mga bituin,
di mo maalis sa akin

ang iyong tingin.
Ang mga mata mo’y nangungusap
tila sinasabi ika’y
nakamtan na pangarap.

Saksi ang buwan
sa pagdampi ng ating mga labi.
At ang init ng iyong halik
ay damang dama ng

buo kong katawan.

Pagkatapos ay iyong sinambit
“Mahal kita at kahit kailan
sa isip ko’y di ka nawaglit.”

Doon sumagot ako at aking sinabi
“Mahal din kita, at kahit kanino’y
di ka ipagpapalit.”

Hinawakan mong maigi
ang aking kamay
na parang isang batang sa
kanyang ina’y ayaw mawalay.

Niyakap mo ako ng mahigpit
kay tagal…
kay sarap…
at parang ayaw bumitiw

sa pagkakakapit.

Sa pagkakataong ito
tayo ay tumahi ng mga alala
na magduduktong sa puso
nating dalawa.

Mga alalaang ating babalikan
habang tayo ay nabubuhay
na magsisilbing gabay
ng ating pagmamahalan.

Ngunit sadyang mapaglaro ang tadhana
sa kabila ng saya
kasunod ay lungkot na dala dala.
Bakit kailangan ikaw naman ang lumisan?

Paano ang pangakong pagmamahalan.

Sa iyong pag alis
nagkulang ang aking pagkatao
dahil bitbit mo ang isang parte ng puso ko.

Parang isang bagyo
na di ko alam kung kailan matatapos
maghihintay hanggang sa sumikat ang araw
at mahagkan ka muli ng lubos.

Lumakad ang panahon
ng wala ka sa piling ko.

Dumaan ang mga araw
na tanging mga alaala natin
ang siyang tinatanaw.

Sa bawat umaga
hinahanap ka ng aking mg mata.

At wari’y ang tinig mo’y
nauulinigan ng aking tenga.

Nais sambitin ng labi ko na
Mahal na Mahal kita
ngunit tanging katahimikan
ang sumagot sa aking mga kataga.

Inanod ng agos ng tubig sa ilog
ang pag-ibig sa puso nating dalawa,

Tanong ko sa hangin
ikaw ba’y lumisan na?

Naghihintay ng sagot hanggang sa pagtulog.

Nawala ka ng hindi ko

alam ang dahilan.

Hindi mo na ba ako mahal?
Yan ang palagi kong tanong
sa Maykapal.
O sadyang binali mo na ang
pangako mong
hinding-hindi mo ako pakakawalan?

Sa mahabang panahon na nagdaan
di ka nawala saking isipan.

Sa puso ko’y may lugar na sa iyo’y nakalaan
umaasa akong nandyan pa rin ako
sa puso mong dati ay ako ang laman.

May bagong halimuyak
ang mga bulaklak.

May bagong tinig sa puso
ko’y umaawit.

Ako ba ay handa na sa panobagong
pag-ibig?

Binuksan ko ang pinto ng puso ko
at sumulat ng panibagong pahina
sa buhay ko.

Magpipinta ng bagong alalaa
na walang bakas ng ikaw at ako.

Muling nagkaron ng bahaghari
ang kalangitan.

Dahil natapos na ang dilim
ng kalungkutan ng iyong paglisan.

At nalaman kong

Sumikat na rin ang araw
sa malungkot mong umaga.

At sa paggising mo
hindi na ako ang nasa piling mo.

Ngunit bakit kung kailan
pareho na tayong may mga
pananagutan,
muli kang bumalik at
sa aki’y nagparamdam.

Mahabang panahon akong nangulila
matagal na panahong umiyak
dahil sa’yo sinta.

Ngayon nandito ka kapiling kita
pero mayroon na tayong ibang sinisinta.

Ngutnit ramdam ko
ang tibok ng iyong puso
nung ako’y muling hinagkan mo.

Narinig kong ako pa rin
ang tinitibok nito.

Ang mga yakap mo’y kasing higpit
pa rin nung una mo akong hinagkan,
ayaw bumitiw,

ayaw akong pakawalan.

Nakita ko pa rin ang ningning sa
iyong mga mata,
katulad ng galak nung
tayo’y magkasintahan pa.

Ganun pa rin ang paghawak mo
sa aking mga kamay,
mahigpit, makapit,

tila ayaw akong mawalay.

Ang yong mga halik sa aking labi
ay sing tamis pa rin ng dati.
Muli kong narinig na iyong sinambit
“Mahal kita…
Mahal pa rin kita…
Mamahalin pa rin kita…

Kahit kailan hindi ka nawala sa aking isipan.”

Ang tingin sa yong mga mata’y
tila humihingi ng kapatawaran
sa aming nakaraang

kanyang pinanghihinayangan.

Luha..

Walang tigil na pag-agos ng luha
sa aking mga mata.

Mahigpit kitang niyakap

At sinabing…
“Mahal kita noon…

At mas Mahal kita ngayon.”

Mahirap…

Mali…

Ngunit nagkaroon ng panibagong
pahina ang libro ng pag-ibig
nating dalawa.

Mabigat man ang balakid
na kinakaharap natin,
ngunit nakakapagsulat tayo
ng maraming pahina sa
aklat ng pagmamahalan natin.

Hindi man puro kwento ng saya
dahil may lungkot din itong dala.

Ang importante,
ang nakalathala.
ay kwento nating dalawa.

Long Ago

Long ago you gave me flowers,
long ago you held my hand.

Long ago you gave your hours,
long ago we danced.

Long ago you slipped the chance,
long ago was a memory you can only glance.

You're sorry and you're wrong,
coz long ago you weren't strong.

Long ago was your biggest pain,
coz that long ago is a thing you can no longer gain.

I kept in my heart your promises of long ago,
but now it was a memory I forego.

Long ago was a lost time,
coz long ago you use to call me mine.

Long ago there was you and me,
and now you're here saying sorry
coz you didn't have me.

Long ago was long ago,
simply because....
long ago you let me go...


by: jheng manalang prado
www.echoesbeyondmysoul.blogspot.com

Unchanging Love

I don't know why but every time I think about you, I cry.
Or am I just pretending the reason why.
I have you now but not completely,
I can hold you now but not tenderly.
I can kiss you oh so passionately
but your lips are not really meant for me.
I am happy I have you now
but there is a part of me that is in pain somehow.
My heart breaks every time I look back
to those moments that I should have grabbed.
What hurts the most is that I hold your heart
but I cannot call you mine
but I know I am the first to occupy that big part
right from the very start.
We can have the time to be together
but deep inside I know I'll  leave you later.
We can create memories of you and me,
but it is not for the world to see.
We can build our dreams for the future
but fulfilling it is what we cannot assure.
But what made me feel so secure
is that your love for me is pure.
I hold on to your word
that I am still part of your world.
The space for me in your heart
was never occupied by somebody
because it is always me
and forever it is meant for me.
These things ease the pain I feel
and trace in my face a smile that's real.
It doesn't matter if I can no longer
have you here with me,
what counts the most and makes
me feel glad is that after all those years
you still long for me
because you still love me.
These are enough reasons for me
to move forward happily.
We can always look back at yesterday
and we can surely treasure
whatever memories we can have today.
God has a very good reason
why He allows us to meet in any season.
I trust your word…I trust His will…
Never give up…That is our zeal.
There will be a special time for you and me.
Not now… not this time…Let it be.
God’s plan for us will be much better than today,
for it will surely be in a happier and lovelier way
called God’s way.
We have endured many years,
and we will still endure even
for many more years.
For the moment, let us live our life
the way it is…away from anger
and distant from strife.

Remember this always...
If it will take us several more years
or even a lifetime,
one thing will always remain.
The love in our hearts will never fade
And the way we feel will never change.
Because we know that even from this very moment
You still have Me
and I still have YOU.

I wish you a happy and good life ahead....


by: jheng manalang prado
www.echoesbeyondmysoul.blogspot.com

Because you are not mine

I’ve been wanting to hold your hands,
feel your embrace,
and kiss your lips
to sense the nearness of you,
but certainly, I cannot do it,
because you are not mine.

I’ve been wanting to say I care,
utter I miss you,
and whisper I love you,
to put into words the way I feel,
but I cannot convey it,
because you are not mine.

I’ve been wanting to show you
that you are my life,
my world revolves around you,
and each day you are in my heart and mind
but I cannot display it
because you are not mine.

I’ve been wanting to walk by your side,
dream about you,
and spend the whole day
of just being with you,
to make you feel how much I care,
but it is impossible
because you are not mine.

I’ve been wanting to say
I want you,
I need you,
and I Love you.

But these are words are left unspoken
because I do not have the right
to say it because you are not mine.

I’ve been wanting you to feel
the beat of my heart,
that part of it is for you
because you alone is enough reason
for me to smile,
to let you know how you complete me.

But all of these will always be
something that will only be in my mind
and will be kept in my heart
all because I have no right to call you mine.

by: jheng manalang prado

www.echoesbeyondmysoul.blogspot.com

Passers By

We are all passersby in this world.
We are travelers..
We are passengers...
We are learners...

We choose the road we want to travel
and fuel ourselves with courage and determination
as we drive through the rocky streets
and smooth highways of life.

We follow the traffic lights in every corner
and obey road signs that guide us
to make the traveling easy.

We go for every opportunity that will shape us
and helps us grow to be a good person.

We stop when we are confuse
and do not know where to go.
We look and we search for a better world,
a nicer and safer place.
We listen when we want to learn,
when we want to grow deeper as a person.

We go right and left to see which
of the worlds are better.
We take U-turns to go back to life's greatest memories.
Sometimes we are caught with life's violations
but we can always have the chance
to improve and correct ourselves.

We pass through life's best places
and bumped into different people.
We argue.
We fight.
But we compromise.

We go fast when we care less about the world
and wants to escape reality.
But we go slow when we want to savour
the things that make us happy.
We ran out of gas when we lose faith in God
but we can always refuel when we go back
into His loving and saving arms.

We cannot enjoy our journey in this world
when we carry excess baggage.
Remove hatred in our hearts.
We should carry an extra wheel
of forgiveness and love.

We pass across the abundance of nature.
We meet the people that we consider special to us.
We become what we are because of
what we've been through.
We become the person we want to be
because we put direction in our lives.
We are a person with vision and strength.

We learned the lessons in every step we take.
One of the lessons in life is to dream.
To have hope.
To appreciate everything around us.
To love and to care the people dear to us.

We are passersby in this world.
We don't own the things we see
and the people we deal with.
They are all part of our journey.

Be thankful and be grateful for the gift of life.
Live as if it is your last.

We only have a single chance to see the glory of life
because we come to pass in this world only once.


by: jheng manalang prado
www.echoesbeyondmysoul.blogspot.com

A Very Special You

Life has really a lot of surprises because I have you. I never thought that one day in my life I will find someone like you.

I was busy with my life when you suddenly knocked into the door of my heart. I let you in for I saw in you a man of warmth and kindness.

When I met you, I knew there would be a new chapter in my life. I knew I would be writing pages of excitement, friendship and love. I knew I would be writing about You and Me…for I knew you will be a big part of me.

As I continue journeying life with the people I love,

you are there, too, journeying with me.

Everything has color.

A manifestation that there is happiness inside me.

My eyes spark every time you look at me

and there is joy when I’m near you.

I feel your presence through the melody of your songs,

and it also gives me security and comfort to be strong.

Your words are like magic that captivate my heart,

and your voice is sweet music to my ears.

Your hugs and your kisses are signs of your warmth,

and they trace smile on my face.

Your advices are words of wisdom,

and the thought of having you widens my perception

that life is truly beautiful and wonderful.

You really got me.

You captured me.

And stole my heart away.

I couldn’t ask for more…

Everyday becomes special because there is You.

How can I express this feeling?

How can we define what we have?

How can we call this connection between the two of us?

Two people who care for each other…

Two people who need not to utter words…

Two people who know where they stand and what they have…

and most importantly two people who know the significance of

having each other around.

It’s enough for me to know and to feel that you care…

For as long as you still hold my hand tightand promise that you will always be there ...I know that I am loved…

You will always be SPECIAL to me…very special!

Somebody I can call a friend…

Someone who is a better half of me...

A thing I can call a gift…

And an enchantment that brings me into the colorful world of so called love…

I have so much to thank for to the Lord

and I want you to know that you’re one of them.

Even if sometimes there is distance between you and me,

even if there are walls that hinder us,

I know you can break them all to be with me.

Even if criticisms almost destroy us,

you never failed to show that I am your world.

I want you to know that …

You will always be someone who …

...appreciates me the way I am,

…sees me as a person with beauty and depth,

…believes in me and in what I can do,

… taps my shoulder to bring me back to reality,

…cares when a few friends turned their back on me,

…constantly reminds me that I am somebody,

…accepts my imperfections and insecurities,

…finds time to listen and to care,

…shares with me moments of happiness

…is proud of me and

…makes me feel that I am SPECIAL.

I want to say, Thank you.

Thank you for being you.

Thank you for just being there.

Thank you for looking beyond my skin.

Thank you for believing that I am worth fighting for.

Thank you for coming into my life.Thank you for loving me.

I live each day with you and for you,

and I want to spend it for the rest of my life.

If the time comes that we have to move onwith our own lives…

when our hair turns gray...

and the sun will soon bid goodbye be with my side...

do not forget me.

Today and for the coming days...

You always be here in my mind

especially in my heart for you will always be my MAN.

Someone who brought change in me

and someone who continuously gives meaning to my life…

by: jheng manalang prado

www.echoesbeyondmysoul.blogspot.com

Maskara

Siya’y nakangiti na

may ningning ang mga mata,

maayos manamit,

tila walang problema

at nag-uumapaw sa ligaya.

Siya nama’y umaagos

ang mga luha,

walang ayos,

walang arte

malungkot,

masalimuot,

nag-iisa

patung patong ang mga problema.

Ito namang isa’y matapang,

masigasig,

itim kung manamit

buo ang loob

gigibain ano mang balakid.

Siya ay tahimik,

simple,

di magara ang damit,

nakakubli,

walang muwang,

kawawang nilalang.

Ang iba nama’y

nagpupumilit ngumiti

minsan makulay ang damit

pero kadalasa'y pula,

hindi dahil sa pag-ibig.

kundi dahil ang kalooba'y

puno ng pighati.

Marami ang bilang ng

namamahagi

ngunit sa kabila nito'y

higit ang kapalit na minimithi.

May ilang nagsasabing

marunong magpatawad

ngunit ang totoo'y hindi.

Dahil dapat ang katumbas

ng pagpapatawad

ay paglimot sa nagdaan

ng nakangiti.

Marami ang bukang bibig

ay pag-ibig

ng hindi alam ang tunay

na kahulugan.

Minsan ay kulang

minsan ay sobra.

Ano nga ba ang pag-ibig?

Paano nga ba ang umibig?

Di mo rin mabilang

ang mga nagkukubli

sa katotohanan.

Nagmamatapang,

nagmamarunong,

pero umiiwas para masakatan.

Marami ang palasimba

pero bulok ang pag-uugali.

Marami ang hinuhusgahan

batay sa pananamit.

Ang balot ang katawan ay santo

ang nagpapakita ng laman

malapit sa eskandalo.

Tama ba ang batayan na ito?

Sa iba’t ibang lugar

sa iba’t ibang pagkakataon,

maraming nagsasabi

nakamit nila ang tamis ng tagumpay,

tinapakan at niyurakan

ang kapakanan ng karamihan.

Ikaw nama’y

umuusok sa galit,

gustong maghiganti

at kapahamakan ng kapwa

ang minimithi.

Iba’t iba ang anyo

ng iba’t ibang tao.

Ibat-ibang maskara

sa mukha nila’y nakapinta.

Iba’t ibang pananaw

iba’t ibang pag-iisip

iba’t ibang galaw

kaya’t maskara nila’y papalit palit.

Anong uri ng tao ka?

Anong klase ng MASKARA

ang nakasuot sayong mukha?

May lakas ka ba ng loob

na humarap sa mga tao

na suot ay ang

totoo mong mukha?

by: jheng manalang prado

www.echoesbeyondmysoul.blogspot.com