Tags: poetry

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What teachers make

| speaking, teaching

Someday I’m going to be able to speak truth like that.

Poem

Mike Fletcher wrote an inspirational poem
for my birthday. I spent some time composing a reply that scanned
properly in terms of rhythm. ;) With minor modifications, here it is:

My bar is high: set not for me, but you who trained for many years to
leap such heights with practiced ease and aim for stars beyond my
reach. I hear your tales of weary bones, of long hours spent and much
pain born, but also: flying through the air! And so I dare, and so I
dare. And still you urge me onward to heights far above the lowest
bar. With ease can I achieve acclaim, but I can reach things greater
far. You, my friend, will keep me true to gaps that only I can leap,
to things that only I can do, to stars that only I can reach.

I paragraph-wrapped it just for kicks. The rhythm should still be
there, though. =)

Traffic

| filipino

Nagje-jaywalk na suso
Nakita ko sa Quiapo
Kay bilis nyang tumakbo
Naunahan pa ako

Thanks to Clair for getting tanaga into my head (I have Last Challenge
Syndrome, like LSS) and my mom for suggesting Quiapo instead of Recto. =)

Bituin

| filipino

bituin daw kanyang mata.
rosas daw kanyang labi.
mukha raw s'yang diwata.
ay! baliw yung nagsabi!

ABAB rhyming this time.

Pusa sa Kalye

| cat, filipino

hindi ko malimutan
pusang nasagasaan
tatlong kuting sa daan
wala nang mapuntahan

– More tanaga. Waah, poor cats. 2005.03.19

Tanaga: Siopao

| cat, filipino

My first tanaga. Please help me fix my Tagalog; I might've gotten some
of the nuances wrong. The poem below is fairly sick. I hope this never
happens to any cat!

Siopao

pusang aking inangkin
hinagkan nang malambing,
siniopao at kinain?!
iba sana hinain!

Buhayin ang Tanaga!

Planner poetry

| emacs, planning, productivity

I’m up to here with things to do
  And buried under data
The notes I keep all filed away,
  The tasks—I’ll do them later.

>

+1 to put things off a day,
  Tomorrow: work ’til all is done,
Today I can relax—but then
  Tomorrow’ll never come.

>

My webpage looks impressive, sure,
  But check a few days later.
The same tasks appear. I know,
  I’m such a procrastinator.