Finding Home

Coffee brews. I found an old cd from heaps of trash in a place Of too many memories Now Mozart plays, floods the room, fills the too many spaces of a life permeates the too hardened walls of time leaves me grounded And yet free The birds without fail sing their serenade Atop our Orchid trees I sip from my cup. The phone rings But the pen is in my hand And the paper awaits It has begun to rain.

Sa ka dugay dugay'ng panahon Nga hinuwat Niuwan ganinang buntag Nisuway ko'g balak Apan duha ra ka linya Ang namugna Gihipos ang bolpen ug papel Paglabay sa adlaw Nakalimtan ang mga pung Nga nasugdan ug suwat Nahanaw sama sa uwan Nipuli ang kainit Sa dihang naabot ang hapon Nahinumduman Nisuway na sad kog tiwas Ug suwat Taod taod Niuwan pag usab.

We waited in line for 45 minutes. While waiting, my husband's niece,  Amanda and I were already wracking our brains on what to say. I planned on telling them, "Thank you so much for your gift to this world." I wanted to be crisp and concise. No rambling.  She, on the other hand, after hearing about their Japanese ancestry in the poems they just performed in the show, wanted to tell them she went to Japan with her family last year. "Our imaginary scripts, Tita," she tells me now as we  reminisce the previous night's event. Sigh, this girl with her words.  It was finally our turn . I gave Phil his book to sign. Amanda gave another book to Sarah for her to sign as well. Phil asked,"To whom shall I address this to?" Sarah looked at me, her pen ready to sign the book.  I said, "An". Phil then asked, "Is that with an 'A-N-N' or 'A-N-N-E'?" I said, "just an A-N". Sarah remarked, "Wow, I

I wrote you love poems On yellowed surfaces Of old receipts The edges frayed The ink smeared, faded The date of purchase But my words were clear and crisp What were they? I forget What use were they anyway? Discarded them a long time ago They, them, the poems? No, the receipts.

Your heart is broken Its frayed edges  Overshadows The fact that  It still beats  This. This.  Now this  Pain The kind you feel  when one furiously  Seeks  L ost        Keys To a chest of everything you  Hold dear.  And finally,  One lets go Of  Everything  And  Everything becomes Clear.

Quiet spaces, subtle pauses, a pondering glance, a deep inhale, taking in a cold gust of wind,  listening to bird call,  a paddle  slicing through the liquid blue,  Light on bamboo, Sky on water A silent song Sung on transparent skies  Singing, "All you have to do is close your eyes And be still Be...still."

Signs saying Exit here or Enter there Automatic sensors doors Sliding, swinging People rushing, leaving, running Out of breath Clock running Out, always out No one notices The shadows Its beauty Of light on dark Or maybe they do? But just the dark? Where are you going anyway? What are you doing? What for?  Entry ways Doors sliding Or swinging Go through them Just don't forget To take your heart With you.